Internship Information

Internship Information

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What is an Internship?

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.

Criteria should include:

1. The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
2. The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
3. The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
4. There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
5. There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.
6. There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor. 
7. There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.

Definition and criteria provided by the National Association of Colleges and Employers

Will I earn college credit for participating?

Internships can be credit-bearing or non-credit bearing. You may earn 1-6 credits for an internship, depending upon your major, the requirements of your major, the structure of the internship, and the number of hours and terms you work. Check your academic program in the College Catalog for more details. Internship credit may be transferable to the majority of 4-years schools as elective credits. Interns are monitored by a faculty member and/or a Career Representative. Credit-bearing internships must fulfill all course requirements as assigned by faculty and will be graded by faculty. Employers are expected to complete evaluations on student interns during the semester.

A non-credit internship is a good option for students who don’t meet the requirements for a credit internship, can not afford to pay for the credits, or are interested in gaining experience and do not need the credits towards their degree requirements.

Why should I participate?

• You’ll have three times more success in finding employment in your field of study after graduation than students who don’t.
• You’ll have the chance to apply the skills and theories you’ve learned in the classroom, to explore a career field, and to make important contacts in a diversified workplace.
• You’ll learn more about your intended career path.
• You’ll increase confidence and improve academic performance.
• It will build your network of professionals.

And, build your resume!

Who is eligible?

Program Eligibility:

• Be enrolled in a current, degree-seeking program and completed at least 1 semester at Brookdale Community College (at least 6 credits completed at Brookdale).
• Be in good academic standing with at least a 3.0 GPA overall.
• Have completed the number of courses and credits in your major required by the department (or completed at least the introductory courses in your major for a noncredit internship).
• Have the approval of an instructor in the student’s major, the Dean of the academic area, and a career  representative.

The internship experience requires completion of learning objectives, an employer evaluation, and an evaluation meeting with a career  representative.

*Please note: Internships are for currently enrolled, matriculated students. If you are a graduate/alumni or a visiting student, you will not be eligible.

Will I be paid?

Salaries for internships vary, and many internships are unpaid. All internships provide valuable learning situations in a work environment. It is helpful to remember that often your greatest “pay” will be in experience gained and contacts made.

How many hours must I work?

Depending on the number of credits you are earning, the work week could range from 5 hrs/week for 1 credit, to 15 hrs/week for 3 credits over a 15 week semester. For every credit that you earn, you must complete 75* hours at the internship site, so for 3 credits you will need to complete 225 hours at the internship site. There are exceptions to this under special circumstances, so check with your Career  Representative about this. If you are completing an unpaid internship, you will be required to complete at least 75* hours throughout the semester.

*Hours may be reduced to 45 hour minimum per internship credit for the 2022-2023 academic year.

What if I already have a job related to my major?

Check with the Career,  Leadership & Transfer Pathways office to find out how you can qualify using your current job. Unfortunately, you aren’t able to use past experiences in a job or internship to gain internship credit. Internship credit earned will only be given for hours completed during the current semester in which you are enrolled.

Where can I do an Internship?

There are many opportunities for you to complete an internship in businesses across the county and the state. Students have completed internships with leading television stations, publishing companies, county courthouses, the State Police, accounting firms, Disney College program, etc.

Most career and transfer programs offer an internship option. Contact Career, Leadership & Transfer Pathways for more information about where you can complete an internship and be sure to activate your Handshake account today!

Where can I get more information about internships?

Please contact Career, Leadership & Transfer Pathways at career@brookdalecc.edu for more information about internship resources. We have several online resources that you can utilize and a large network of employers! Also, don’t forget to include your faculty in your internship search. They are a great resource for you!

One of our best resources for you is our online job/internship database. Register for free today!

COVID-19

Please note that during the COVID-19 pandemic, your experiential learning site may be required to follow certain federal, state, and local requirements in order to protect health and safety. Brookdale Community College does not exercise control over your experiential learning site or the specific safety protocols adopted by the site in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Brookdale Community College expects that all students will follow the specific safety protocols established by the site.

In addition, all Brookdale Community College students have the responsibility to:

1. Provide maximum safety to all patrons/clients/customers of sites by adhering to the current recommendations regarding physical distancing, use of travel restrictions, and pathogen risk reduction as proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and the experiential learning site.
2. Disclose any anticipated or actual travel outside of the immediate area to a supervisor of the experiential learning site.
3. Adhere to Centers for Disease Control guidelines for use of PPE in a clinical setting. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/using-ppe.html
4. Immediately communicate concerns regarding safety practices at a given experiential learning site to their course instructor/coordinator/site supervisor.
5. Report to the course instructor/coordinator/site supervisor if they have COVID-19 symptoms and/or have been exposed to persons with COVID-19, whether in the experiential learning setting or other environments. If this occurs, students should stay home and follow the current public health department protocol for COVID-19 exposures.
6. Comply with all applicable policies, procedures, and rules of the experiential learning site and program, including those temporarily in place due to the pandemic.

Your engagement in an experiential learning opportunity indicates that you have read, understand, and agree to abide by the rights and responsibilities outlined above.