INTERNSHIP POLICIES

A&D students in good academic standing are eligible to apply up to three internship credits toward graduation requirements. In many cases, students network for their own internship opportunities; however, the Career Development Coordinator in the SmuckerWagstaff Academic Programs Center compiles requests for interns from organizations and posts those opportunities through bulletin boards, email messages, and the web. The following internship guidelines apply:

Students may earn one credit for each 50 hours of internship experience with a maximum of three credits applied toward graduation requirements. While students may earn as many internship credits as they wish, a MAXIMUM of three internship credits may be applied toward graduation requirements. Though A&D posts excess credits beyond the three-credit maximum to a student's transcript when an employer requires that a student earn credit for an internship, the credits do not count toward graduation requirements.
Grade is pass/fail only.
The Internship Proposal Form must have student, site supervisor, and Career Development Coordinator signatures before an internship is undertaken.
The student's and site supervisor's signatures on the Form indicate a contractual agreement. The Career Development Coordinator's signature indicates approval to pursue internship credit.
The signed Form represents proof that the student intern will receive credit for the internship experience
Forms are available in the information bins outside the Academic Programs Center or online.
The internship proposal must describe the educational benefits for the intern. Unpaid internships have further requirements based on the US Department of Labor and the National Association of Colleges and Employers guidelines. See the section below.
Students register for Internship (ARTDES 351).
Three documents are required for credit: the Internship Proposal Form with the three signatures listed above, a written summary of the experience by the student, and a site supervisor's performance evaluation.*
Once the Career Development Coordinator has all three documents, the Associate Dean evaluates them before a passing grade is posted to the student's transcript.
Internship credits count toward academic/experiential electives.

*Supervisor Performance Evaluations must include the following information:

Number of hours worked
Kinds of projects assigned to the student in support of the educational goals established in the Internship Proposal
Comments on work habits (on time, able to complete tasks, etc.)
Comments on quality of the work completed
Areas in which you have seen growth, areas that need improvement
Overall impression of the student

Please note that a letter of recommendation does not substitute for the Supervisor Performance Evaluation.

US Department of Labor and the National Association of Colleges and Employers Guidelines for Non-paid Internships

Credit may be earned whether the internship is paid or unpaid. However, if an internship is unpaid in a for profit business, then it is the expectation of the School of Art & Design that the following Federal and State guidelines and applicable laws will be observed by the employer:

The training, even though it includes actual operation of the employer's facilities, is similar to training that would be provided in the educational environment.
The training benefits the student.
The intern does not solely carry out "routine" tasks.
The student does not displace regular employees, but works under the close observation of a regular employee.
The employer provides the training and derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the student. Occasionally, operations may actually be impeded by the training.**
The student is not entitled to employment at the conclusion of the internship.
The employer and the student understand that the student is not entitled to wages.
The intern has basic protections in the work setting consistent with all laws (State and Federal), ethical considerations, and sound business practices

**Although open to interpretation, this portion of the federal guidelines, as interpreted by the School of Art & Design, means that an internship is more a training/learning experience as opposed to employment, and must be predominantly for the benefit of the student and not the internship sponsor.

Not for profit organizations are generally exempt from the Federal Guidelines concerning whether an intern should be paid or unpaid.

For more information about credit for internships, please contact John Luther at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 734-764-0397.