Internship Information for Faculty and Staff

Yes:

• If the student is planning to take their internship for academic credit, continue to question 2.

• If the student is not planning to take their internship for academic credit, continue to question 3.

• All students will benefit from reviewing the “How to Get an Internship” checklist, which provides actionable steps that take students from pre-planning to what to do after the internship is over.

No:

• The All About Internships website is the best place to refer students who don’t know where to start.
  • The “How to Get an Internship” section provides an actionable step-by-step checklist, from pre-planning to what to do after the internship is over.
  • The “Other Ways to Gain Experience” section walks students through options outside of a traditional internship.

• One-on-One career counseling appointments are available in-person and online.

• The C2Hub Events Calendar showcases upcoming workshops, career fairs, and other related opportunities.

• The designated internship contact for the student’s department can be a good resource for the student to connect with, to further discuss interests and goals.

Yes:

• Review the “How to Get an Internship” checklist, which provides actionable steps that take students from pre-planning to what to do after the internship is over.

• Review Internship Credit Policies by Major and any other department materials.

• Discuss the timing, prerequisite requirements, departmental requirements for the internship, etc.

• If the student has questions that you are not sure how to answer, refer the student to their academic advisor and/or the internship contact listed for their major.

No:

• Continue to question 3.

Yes:

• Review Internship Credit Policies by Major and any other department materials.

• Discuss the timing, prerequisite requirements, departmental requirements for the internship, etc.

Unsure:

• Talk this through with the student, review their remaining degree requirements to see if they have room, etc.

• If the student has questions that you are not sure how to answer, refer the student to their academic advisor and/or the internship contact listed for their major.

No:

• Continue to question 4.

Yes:

• The student can use the resources mentioned on this page to continue their internship search, and they do not need to submit an internship for academic credit application

Unsure or No:

• Review the “Other Ways to Gain Experience” page to learn about options outside of a traditional internship.

• Stay on top of upcoming C2Hub events, such as workshops and career fairs, by regularly checking the C2Hub Events Calendar.

• Learn how to search for internships, and take advantage of a curated list of search databases, including Career Link. Career Link highlights job and internship postings from employers who want to hire MSU Denver students and recent graduates.

• Upwardly Global is a free online platform that focuses on preparing for U.S. styled interviews, resume support, job search tips, and industry-specific learning paths! Upwardly Global is designed to support immigrants, refugee, and/or asylee students, but is open to all MSU Denver students. Email [email protected] to receive the registration code.

• View tips for preparing your resume and cover letters, and view examples.

• Take advantage of our AI platform, Quinncia, to practice interviewing and to receive feedback in real time.

• Upwardly Global is a free online platform that focuses on preparing for U.S. styled interviews, resume support, job search tips, and industry-specific learning paths! Upwardly Global is designed to support immigrants, refugee, and/or asylee students, but is open to all MSU Denver students. Email [email protected] to receive the registration code.

• Learn how to prepare for an in-person or virtual interview.

• Visit the Earn and Learn website to learn more about the possibility of getting paid for an unpaid internship. This opportunity requires a social security number (SSN).

• Students who are not eligible for Earn and Learn may be able to get paid for an unpaid internship through the Inclusive Experiential Learning Fund.

• Students must have a declared major, minor, or certificate that is associated with internship course they wish to register for

• In the case that an academic department does not offer a specific internship course, UC 3980 – Internship can be taken for academic credit. IDP students should discuss internship options with their academic advisor

• The opportunity to take an internship course should be offered every semester

• For-credit internships are tied to academic courses that earn a grade and are tuition bearing

• The internship course becomes part of the student’s academic record and is listed on their official transcript

• The opportunity to take an internship course should be offered every semester

• For-credit internships must include measurable learning objectives and academic assignments

• Students must work a minimum of 45 hours to receive 1 college credit, though some departments require 50 work hours per credit.
  • During the fall or spring semester, 135 work hours can be achieved by working an average of 10 hours per week
  • During the summer, 135 work hours can be achieved by working an average of 14 hours per week

Learn more about policies and guidelines specific to your major.

To ensure academic integrity and compliance with federal financial aid regulations, the following rules apply to the timing of internship work and course registration for academic credit:

• Internship Duration: All work for a for-credit internship course must be completed within a single academic term (e.g., semester or part of term), not exceeding 21 weeks in total.

• Term Alignment: Internship work hours may begin after the conclusion of the previous full term/semester (including any official break or intersession period) and must end no later than the last official day of the term in which the student is registered for internship credit. Hours worked prior to the end of the previous term or after the end of the registered term are not eligible for academic credit.

• Registration Timing: Students must be enrolled in the internship course during the same term in which the internship work occurs (including intersession periods). Retroactive registration or credit for work conducted during a prior full term is not permitted. Students may request, but are not guaranteed, formal late enrollment approval within the same term. When an internship continues beyond the end of a semester, students must register for internship credit again in the next academic term to earn credit for the work completed during that period.

This policy applies to all for-credit internships, regardless of whether they are paid or unpaid.

The Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) provides resources and one-on-one support to help students in their internship search. 

One such resources is Career Link, which highlights job and internship postings from employers who want to hire MSU Denver students and recent graduates.

The C2Hub does not secure placements for students or determine if an internship meets the requirements for academic credit.

Faculty and staff are welcome to help students look for opportunities, however, the student’s chosen internship must adhere to our published policies for employers.

After the student secures an internship, they will submit their application for academic credit. This is an online application submitted via Career Link.

• • After the student submits their application, Career Link automatically moves the application through the required review stages.

• • The student can take breaks when filling out the application; progress will be saved automatically.

• • The application can be denied at any stage.

• • If the application is denied, the student receives a notification of the decision and the reason, and can resubmit it to the reviewer after making requested changes.

• • Students can track where their application is in the review process by logging in to Career Link and viewing the application under the section labeled “Internship Credit”.

If a student is having trouble with the online application, please encourage them to contact [email protected] for help.

If a staff or faculty member is having trouble with the online application, please contact the Experiential Learning Program Manager, Cassie Mullin, at [email protected].

1. The Experiential Learning Program Manager, EL Student Assistant, or Program Representative is assigned as the initial reviewer for the C2Hub, and reviews the application for the following information:

• • Credit hours requested vs. submitted
  • Supervisor details
  • Familial status
  • Special notes from department

2. The application is sent to the Internship Supervisor, who will verify the internship offer and the SMART Learning Objectives submitted by the student.

3. The application is sent to the identified department faculty member for final approval. The faculty member reviews the following:

• • Whether the student meets the internship for credit eligibility requirements put forth by MSU Denver and by the student’s academic department
  • SMART Learning Objectives
  • Supervisor requirements and credentials
  • Additional requirements for the course (journals, reflection paper, etc.)
  • If you are having trouble locating or reviewing applications, download our step-by-step guide

Once the application is fully approved, the academic department is notified by email, which includes a copy of the finalized application. The academic department will then complete the following:

• Lift the registration hold, allowing the student to self-register for the internship course OR register the student for the internship course
• Ensure credits registered match those approved on the application