Elective Internship Opportunity
Many graduate programs offer an internship course (597) that can be taken to fulfill elective credits for the degree. This offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience pertaining to their degree program, while earning credit. This course also meets eligibility requirements for international students studying on F1 visas, seeking Curricular Practical Training (CPT) options. Elective internship credits may not be used to substitute for required courses in the program, unless written approval by the program director is submitted to the registrar’s office.
The programs with elective internship opportunities are:
Students should review the course description for their program’s internship option to determine eligibility requirements.
Finding an Internship
A student considering an elective internship should discuss the option with their academic advisor first, to ensure the department can support such a request, and to obtain possible leads for employment opportunities. The Center for Career Development and Experiential Education may also be able to offer assistance in obtaining an internship.
Securing a Hood Instructor/Supervisor
Elective internship courses require a Hood College instructor/supervisor be assigned to develop a curricular plan to synthesize concepts learned in the program with the professional experience. It is the student’s responsibility to secure a Hood instructor/supervisor and work directly with them on the requirements of the internship.
Registration for Elective Internship
Once a student has found an internship opportunity and a Hood faculty instructor/supervisor, they need to submit the Graduate Petition to Enroll form (www.hood.edu/gradforms) to the registrar’s office by the drop/add deadline of the semester in which they plan to enroll. The student must also submit the offer letter from the employer, which lists the specific responsibilities and hours expected to work, with this form. The form also requires signatures from the Hood instructor/supervisor and program director.
F1 students may need to complete additional paperwork with the PDSO, which should also be submitted with the Permission to Enroll form as approval.
Some programs specify the maximum internship credits allowed in the course description. For those that don’t, no more than 6 credits of elective internship coursework within a degree program are allowed and require program director approval.
Supplemental Expenses and Time
In fulfilling the expectations of the internship, the intern may incur expenses in addition to the usual tuition and fees. Students who enroll in an internship must plan to provide their own transportation or use public transportation.
Due to the time requirements of an internship, students may need to work during breaks and holidays.
Placement is not Guaranteed. Interns are not placed in sites, and it is the student’s responsibility to find a site. The Center for Career Development and Experiential Education and departmental offices provide many resources to the student to assist in locating a suitable internship.
Termination of Internship
Under unusual circumstances, any party involved in the internship may terminate the agreement. Because the internship is essentially a professional commitment, Hood strongly encourages students to fulfill their obligations to complete the full term of service at the site. Unfortunately, on rare occasions, the intern or the faculty internship adviser may determine that the internship site is not an appropriate learning experience, or the internship site may determine that the intern is not a good fit for their internship. In either case, any of the parties may decide to terminate the internship. If this occurs, the student should officially withdraw from the internship course by the course withdrawal deadline outlined in the academic calendar. Students who withdraw from coursework after the drop/add period will receive a grade of “W”, which has no effect on the GPA, but is not eligible for refunds or credit on tuition.
Time Requirements
An internship represents a time commitment of 40 hours per credit at the internship site along with time spent in reflection and critical thinking of their internship activities. To support these goals and to build a peer community of practice, students should plan on meeting with their Hood instructor/supervisor periodically during internship term. In addition, students should expect to submit additional work to the Hood instructor/supervisor, which may include, but are not limited to journal activities, book or article reviews, portfolio or paper detailing the experience at the internship.