Internship Credit
Internships are a valuable tool to enhance an academic portfolio. However, academic credit will not be awarded for experience alone; rather, credit is awarded based on the academic component of the internship.
Credit for internships will be determined as follows:
Internships. Internships are characterized by mentored learning opportunities achieved through the completion of assigned tasks. The student does not typically take a lead role in determining daily activities or long-term projects. The vast majority of internships exist within this category.
- Each completed internship is awarded one credit.
- While the number of internships that can be completed is not limited, a maximum of one internship credit will be applied to the degree.
- Internship credits cannot be applied to the student’s major.
- Internships will be graded S/U.
- Internship evaluation criteria include a pre-approval of the internship based upon an offer from a supervisor that includes a description of activities, followed by a final letter of evaluation from the internship supervisor.
- Approval and final evaluation of internships are charged to the student’s Assistant Dean in the case of non-departmental internships (e.g., AL 45999) or DUS in the case of departmentally-administered internships (e.g., FTT 35501).
Major/Minor Internships (i.e. Internships within a major or minor). Major/Minor internships involve clear and extraordinary intellectual and/or creative development. Such activities are characterized by the production of an independent creative work whose quality and success can be assessed by Notre Dame faculty. The student typically takes a lead role in determining daily activities and long-term projects. Such internships are the clear exception, rather than the norm, in the context of the undergraduate experience.
- Major/minor internships may be awarded one, two, or three credits based upon the type and duration of the activity.
- A maximum of three credits of major/minor internship credit will be applied to the degree. Departments who approve a major/minor internship must apply the associated credits to the student’s major/minor. That is, a major/minor internship must be judged to be of sufficient quality and duration to fulfill a major/minor course requirement.
- Major/minor internships will be assigned a letter grade.
- Normally, evaluation criteria should be the same as those for regular internships, with the addition of a faculty evaluation of the final intellectual or creative project. Additional evaluation criteria may be established by individual academic departments, or programs.
- Approval and final evaluation of Major/minor internships are charged to the relevant Department Chair or Chair’s Designee (e.g., DUS) or Program Director who may consult with the relevant Assistant Dean.
Some program-defined internships (e.g. Washington Program or Silicon Valley Semester) may have policies that differ from the above. It is important to check with the program to confirm whether the credits count towards your degree or whether they count only for “full-time” status.
To apply for an Arts and Letters internship, students must be enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters. Prior approval is necessary from the Office for Undergraduate Studies, 104 O’Shaughnessy Hall, to ensure proper credit transfer. To obtain credit for an internship the student must do the following:
- Secure an offer letter from the internship supervisor and send this to their Assistant Dean before the internship begins.
- Upon completion of the internship, please have the supervisor send a letter of evaluation to the Office for Undergraduate Studies, 104 O’Shaughnessy Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556.
The evaluation letter from a supervisor is due the last class day of the semester, if the internship is taken during the academic year, and during the first week of the fall semester, if the internship is taken during the summer session.
Registration for the Appropriate Course
If approval is granted, the student must obtain an override from the Office for Undergraduate Studies and register into AL 45999 01 or 45999 02 for the summer term in which the internship is taken.
For any questions about the awarding of credit for internships, the student should visit the Office for Undergraduate Studies, 104 O’Shaughnessy Hall, and speak with an Assistant Dean.
How to Find an Internship
The Meruelo Family Center for Career Development is a valuable resource for students researching internship opportunities. LoriAnn Edinborough, Program Director, Global Internship Initiative, manages databases such as the Internship Exchange and Go Irish which contain thousands of internships across the country. The Career Center is located on the 5th floor of Duncan Student Center. Main office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Walk-in hours are 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To schedule an appointment, call (574)631-5200.