What is an Internship?
An internship is a chance for students to learn new skills, explore career interests, develop relationships with potential employers and meet new social and intellectual challenges.
- How to find an internship
- Internship requirements for obtaining academic credit
- Registering for the internship course
- Contact Internship Coordinator
How to Find an Internship
The best internship opportunities are typically sought more than 3 to 6 months in advance of the semester beginning the internship. Seeking an internship is similar to seeking a real job, and the competition is just as aggressive as it is within the real job market. Students hold a great deal of responsibility in securing their internship position. Therefore, as a student you must:
Prepare
- Make an appointment with your academic advisor to help clarify your career interests before seeking an internship.
- Participate in student organizations, which provide excellent networking opportunities for internships.
- Attend job and internship Career Fairs through UAB Career Services.
- Participate in mock interviews and other services provided by Collat Career Services.
- Upload your resume to Handshake for approval by Collat Career Services
- Make an appointment with the Internship Coordinator that corresponds to your major.
For appointments, please come prepared to discuss the skills and experiences you seek to develop during an internship, and any research or leads you have pursued for an internship.
Search
Internship opportunities offered through the Collat School of Business are posted on Handshake. To apply for these internships, you must have a completed profile and resume uploaded to Handshake.
Students also obtain internships by alternative means such as:
- Company websites. Many companies post internships only on their own sites.
- Inquiring within your personal network of friends, family, etc. about internship opportunities
- Inquiring with employers directly through student career networking events held by student organizations and Collat Career Services.
Be prepared when approaching a company about creating your own internship and be ready to help the company understand the value that you can provide as an intern. A written proposal outlining your interests and ideas for the role is a good way to get started.
Internship Requirements for Obtaining Academic Credit
- BUS 305 or AC 305 is a prerequisite for the internship. (Hover over course title and description will appear)
- Approval must be obtained from the internship coordinator prior to the internship.
- A minimum of 50 working hours for each credit hour must be completed.
- Student must register for internship course that corresponds with the course prefix related to the discipline.
- Student must successfully complete the course with a passing grade (pass/fail basis).
The internship course is eligible for 3 hours of academic credit.
Registering for the Internship Course
Students must complete and submit the following two forms to the appropriate Internship Coordinator. Forms must be submitted no later than three business days prior to the drop add date for the semester in which the student will be attempting to enroll for the course. Approval must be received from the internship coordinator before the student will be allowed to register for the internship course. Failure to do so will result in the student being denied entry to the course or being administratively withdrawn from the course.
- Internship Course Application (Fillable form is not supported in Firefox)- To be filled out by the student only. The student must have earned at least 60 credit hours (junior status) and a 2.0-minimum overall GPA. The student must also meet the pre-requisite course and/or major GPA requirements as listed in the UAB course catalog to be admitted to the internship course.
- Position Description Agreement – After completing the form with the assistance of their supervisor, both the student and the supervisor must sign the completed form before returning to the appropriate internship coordinator.
Contact
For additional information, contact the internship coordinator listed below for your desired area.