Internships
Career & Community Learning
The Guilford College Internship Program provides qualified students with hands-on, out-of-class experiential opportunities relating to an academic interest, future career plans, and/or an area of societal concern, for academic credit. Internships refer to one-time activities of a semester's duration in which students normally undertake a part-time position in a corporate, government or non-profit setting while also being enrolled in regular classes. Students may also engage in a full-time internship experience over the summer months. (see subsequent section on registration for summer internships)
Guidelines for Internships
Student must have sophomore standing (at least 24 credits). First year students may register for internship credit, if the internship is required as part of an academic class. For example, SOAN 101 and 103 sometimes offer a one-credit optional internship related to the course. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is preferred. Students with a lower GPA may register for an internship upon the recommendation of their faculty advisers in consultation with the Internship Coordinator and the Associate Academic Dean. Internships must be supervised by an on-campus faculty or approved staff member and an off-campus Site Supervisor. Student interns are required to meet with the on-campus supervisor on a regular basis.
Written proposals are to be filed with the Office of Career and Community Learning before or during the semester in which the student pursues an internship. No credit will be given for an internship if a proposal is not filed on or before the deadline. (see subsequent section on registration for internships)
A 4-credit internship requires the performance of a minimum of 144 hours of work at the chosen site. Credit is not given for working per se, but for utilizing the alternative learning environment to attain specific educational goals.
An internship normally carries 4 credits, but may carry less. Students who want to pursue internships for more than 4 credits during a single semester must obtain agreement from their faculty sponsor and the Internship Coordinator and then petition the Associate Academic Dean for permission. A maximum of 12 credits of Internships may be applied to degree requirements.
Registration for Internships
Internships are assigned either the 290 or 390 course number.
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The purpose of the Internship 290 is to promote exploration in a specific field and encourage self-directed learning, and the purpose of the Internship 390 is to offer a culminating experience that challenges Students to integrate theory into practice, as it relates to the major.
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A Student is eligible for 390 credit after completion of 4 courses within the department.
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The Internship 290 and 390 Proposals and instructions for the completion of this form are available from the Office of Career & Community Learning..
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The Internship 290 and 390 Proposals are completed by the student in consultation with the faculty sponsor and the proposed internship Site Supervisor.
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The proposal must be signed by the student, faculty sponsor, academic adviser, site supervisor, and returned to the Internship Coordinator in the Office of Career and Community Learning for review and signature.
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After obtaining the signature of the Internship Coordinator, the Student must deliver the approved form to the Registrar's Office.
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A two-week grace period is in effect that allows students to avoid the $50 late fee if their paperwork is filed within two weeks after the last day to add. The Associate Academic Dean does not need to sign off on these requests until after the grace period has expired.
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Proposals must be processed and approved prior to the end of this grace period for the semester in which the Internship is to be undertaken.
Summer Internships
Students must have Internship Proposals on file with the Office of Career and Community Learning before undertaking an internship experience. However, students may register for credit in the fall for an internship experience that will take place in the summer. Students must file their paperwork with the Internship Coordinator during the spring semester preceding the summer internship. Students must also complete the journal requirement during the summer, with the final paper to be completed in the fall. The Internship Coordinator will deliver the proposals to the registrar in the fall.
Arranging an Internship Placement
Students are encouraged to make use of the vast resources (files, notebooks, books, periodicals) available in the Office of Career and Community Learning, located in the basement of Founders Hall. The Office of Career and Community Learning's web site lists current and future internship opportunities by major, under the heading Internship Opportunities Internship sites may be arranged in consultation with a faculty member. Students should ideally begin to explore site placement possibilities during pre-registration. Students who wait until the beginning of the semester will find their site possibilities severely limited.
Internships in Washington , DC
Students may spend a semester in