Internships

To be eligible for credit, the internship experience must meet the following criteria:

• Takes place during an academic term (Fall Semester, J-Term, Spring Semester, Summer.)
• Has a defined beginning and end date.
• Takes place at an established organization, non-profit, agency, business, etc. 
  • Internships should generally not be conducted at a student’s family-owned business, but may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Interns must have an established employer-employee relationship with their internship site. Independent contract (1099) or freelance work is not eligible for internship credit.
  • Multi-level marketing (MLM) or door to door sales positions are not eligible for internship credit.
• Has a position description with clear responsibilities and clearly defined learning objectives supportive of the student’s career and/or academic program goals. 
• Includes a learning experience with a real-world opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom. This should consist of meaningful work that focuses on developing skills, knowledge, and abilities applicable to future career or academic pursuits. 
• Includes direct supervision by a professional(s) who conducts regular check-in meetings and provides productive feedback, guidance, and the resources needed to successfully complete the internship.

Students must meet the following qualifications to receive internship credit:

• Successfully complete one term at Augustana College. Per federal regulations, international students are not eligible for internship credit until they have completed one full academic year.
• Be a full-time, degree seeking student during the term the internship takes place.
• Have a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA. In rare and unusual circumstances, and with advisor support, students may petition the Committee on Advanced Standing and Degrees to enroll in an internship if their GPA is below a 2.00.
• Have completed pre-internship preparation counseling within their major department or in CORE.

Internships range from 0-12 credits and span varying time frames. Students must log at least 40 work hours for a 0, .25, and 1 credit internship. Internships for more than 1 credit require an additional 35- 40 hours of student work for each unit of credit awarded. Students must also complete several assignments including an internship reflection. Internships must be approved by the academic advisor and the faculty member supervising the internship.  All registered internships will appear on the student’s official transcript. 

All internship credits are 300-level. Credits not being used to fulfill major/minor requirements will count toward a student’s required 300- or 400-level credits. 

Depending on the area of study, students may receive credit towards major/minor requirements. The academic department determines the maximum number of internship credits a student may count toward the major and if a staff member in CORE or a faculty member may supervise the internship. Students should see their academic advisor to determine how many credits are advised and if requirements toward the degree may be fulfilled with internship credits. Internship credits are exempt from the departmental credit maximum hours that may be applied to the major.

Regardless of the kind of internship taken, whether the student is part-time or full-time, degree-seeking or not, and regardless of the total number of credits taken at the college, Augustana awards a maximum of twelve (12) credits of internship to a student record. Students who exceed the 12 credit maximum will need to exceed the required 120 credits minimum by the equivalent amount. Students are limited to three internships at .25 credit toward their degree.

Credits must be earned in the term for which the internship was completed. See credit policy for details. Internship credits cannot be earned retroactively. Students engaged in an internship that requires more than one term to complete (including during summer term) will need to register for separate internship experiences. All hours and graded work for the internship must be completed by the last of the term as defined in the Academic Calendar. Incomplete grades are not permitted to allow a student to complete internship hours past the last of the term.

Internship credits (or similar experiences) are not accepted as part of the transfer process. However, if a current student wishes to participate in a pre-approved, special internship program with another institution, they may consult with the Assistant Director of Internships and the Registrar about obtaining an exception. 

If an internship is taken during the academic year, credits included with tuition can include internship credits. Students should carefully consult the overload fee policy before registering for an internship so they understand how their internship credits may be applied toward their regular tuition and fees for the year. Students who take a .25 internship and these credits take them over the maximum credits allowed with full time tuition will not have to pay an overload for the .25 credits. There is no fee for 0 credit internships.

Shadowing experiences may not be taken for academic credit. They may be registered for 0 credit provided they meet the minimum required hours. Exceptions to this policy are the STEM in Costa Rica J-Term study abroad program and experiences taken for departmental credit with a supervising departmental faculty member. 

Students must register for internships through the Assistant Director of Internships in the Career Development & Vocation Office. Visit the Career Development & Vocation website for more information about how to register an internship.

Due to regulatory reporting requirements, registration for internships must meet all published enrollment deadlines as defined in the Academic Calendar. In rare circumstances, students may petition the Committee on Advanced Standing and Degrees to be granted permission to add an internship past the deadline. In those cases, students will be charged a late registration fee, as determined by the College. Students must register the internship during the term the work is completed.

In the event of an error in a student’s internship credit registration, the student must notify the Registrar’s Office or the Assistant Director of Internships as soon as possible, and no later than the end of the academic term where the student participated in the internship. 

Students are not permitted to register the same internship more than twice. After the second term, if a student wishes to register an internship with the same organization, they must be in a new position or role with the organization.

J-term internships require a minimum of 1 credit of enrollment, and cannot be taken for more than 4 credits. J-term internships cannot be taken for credit if the student is enrolled in another J-Term course.

If the internship is taken in the summer there are two options: For internships taken for 0 or .25 credit, there is no charge for credit. For internships taken for 1 or more credits, the cost per credit is the current summer credit rate as determined by the college and is not covered by financial aid.

Summer Internships take place after spring term graduation, meet all hourly requirements of the internship and conclude on or before the end of the summer session. Students may not overlap summer internship hours with summer coursework at Augustana. Students who wish to take a summer course may take a maximum of 8 internships hours in July and August. Student are limited to a maximum of 12 credits of combined coursework, internships, research, study away and independent work in the summer. Registration, tuition, fees and policies related to these internships will be applied to the summer record. 

Students cannot participate in an internship after they have graduated. If a graduating senior wants to participate in an internship after their final term of coursework, they will need to delay their graduation to the end of the summer term.  Students in this situation should consult the delay in graduation guide and understand that an intentional delay of graduation may result in forfeiture of institutional and federal aid and/or scholarships. Students who wish to be summer graduates may not participate in an internship experience if the internship experience is required. Some exclusions for participation in a late summer internship apply (such as restrictions on international study.) 

Per United States regulations, students attending Augustana on an F-1 student visa must obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Work Authorization through the Office of International Student & Scholar Services before they can begin an off-campus internship. Before obtaining CPT, students must register the internship for academic credit. To qualify for CPT:

• The student must have completed one academic year at a SEVP-certified school and have a declared major.
• The internship must directly relate to the student’s academic major. Internships related to a student’s minor will not qualify for CPT unless it also relates to their major.
• The student must have a letter of employment from their internship site. Details on what is needed for this letter can be found on the Career Development & Vocation website.
• Internships spanning multiple terms must be registered for each term the internship occurs. 

Additional details for CPT can be found on the Career Development & Vocation website. Questions regarding CPT should be directed to the Office of International Student & Scholar Services.