How Does an Internship Work?
Student FAQ
An internship is like a job but it also has an educational component. It is practical experience designed to expand your learning and build on your prior knowledge in your field learned in coursework. You will work closely with a field supervisor and communicate each week with a UMA business faculty member.
How Much Time Does it Take?
You will intern 120 hours on-site during the semester – roughly one day a week - and you will complete specific academic requirements, such as regular learning journal entries.
Where Will I Find an Internship?
Your placement must meet certain criteria and be approved. You may work in a local business, government, or nonprofit organization. Although UMA receives notice of some internship openings and keeps current opportunities on file for you, there are many available of which we are not aware. You will independently seek out and apply for your internship just as you would if you were applying for a job. We offer guidance in this process. In addition, UMA's Academic & Career Advising Center offers workshops on topics such as resume writing.
What If I Already Work Full-time and Don’t Want to Quit My Job?
It is possible to perform an internship with your current employer in a role that meets UMA criteria. It must involve doing something different than your normal duties and be agreed to with a learning contract. Alternatively, you might choose to do a virtual internship with an organization located at a distance. In either case, the learning outcomes and time requirement of 120 hours during the semester still must be met.
What About Pay?
While some interns are paid, others are not. While we encourage employers to provide a stipend for our students, some do not.
How Do I Get Started?
The first step toward doing an internship is to speak with your advisor today. The sooner you begin planning, the more likely you will land a great internship placement.
UMA offers BUA 495, Business Internship and BUA 294, Coop Education/Field Experience.
To be eligible to take BUA 495 and do an internship for credit, you must have earned 60 or more credits, have an overall GPA of at least 2.5, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in BUA/ECO coursework. To be eligible to take BUA 294, you must have earned 30 or more credits, have an overall GPA of at least 2.5, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in BUA/ECO coursework.
After you locate a suitable internship position that is approved, you will be able to register for the course. We will help you forge a learning agreement between you and your supervisor that meets UMA criteria, your learning objectives, and the capability of the host organization.
