An internship is a planned work experience for academic credit supervised by a qualified professional in a real work atmosphere. This experience integrates a student’s academic and career interests with “hands-on” work experience. An internship may be either part-time or full-time, and paid or unpaid.
Students who are juniors and seniors in good academic standing are eligible to participate in an internship experience through the academic department in which their major is offered. Other eligibility requirements apply. 1 - 17 credits can be earned in an internship, with a maximum of 17 credits for any combination of internship and field exploration experiences. The number of internship credits for which a student registers is based on a number of factors including: departmental curriculum requirements, duration of the internship and the intern’s time commitment, a student’s concurrent course load, the number of elective credits desired, and the credits previously earned through experiential education. All internships must be pre-approved by the major department and the Director of Internships. The distribution between graded and ungraded internship credits will be as follows unless specific departmental guidelines have been established: three credits graded; remaining credits will be Pass/No Credit. The academic department determines the number of internship credits applicable to the fulfillment of an academic major.
Internships are arranged on an individual basis for students in a field compatible with their academic major, interests, skills, and career goals. Organizations such as IBM, Walt Disney World, St. Paul Police Department, Mayo Clinic, Fastenal and many others have teamed up with Saint Mary’s to provide students the opportunity to gain “hands-on” work experience before leaving college. Many participants opt to live at home and intern full-time for a semester. The program is flexible, however, and students can intern part-time as well and in a geographic location of their choice.
International Internship Sites
International internships are also available. Saint Mary’s students have interned in Ireland, Mexico, and Guatemala, as well as other countries around the world. Interested students should begin planning for an international internship at least one year in advance.
Washington Center Internship Program
The Washington Center Internship Program combines real-world work experience with academic learning in a unique environment that fosters success and achievement. For one semester, students can work and earn college credits in their chosen academic field in the heart of the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. Internships can be arranged in government agencies or in private non-profit organizations and are available for all majors.
HECUA Internship Program
HECUA (the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs) is a unique educational collaboration that engages students in exceptional learning opportunities. Students can choose a program that includes an internship in the U.S. or abroad for a semester, a month, or a summer. The focus of each program is social change in urban settings.
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