Required Professional Experience  

One of the degree requirements for all undergraduate students is to enroll in a professional experience course (either SPEA-V 381 or SPEA-H 466). Before being granted permission to enroll in the course, students must find an internship and then submit an internship application form through Handshake. Once this is submitted the application will be reviewed and the student will be notified if their experience has been approved or denied. If the experience has been accepted, then the student will be given instructions on how to register for SPEA-V 381 or SPEA-H 466. It is important to note that the following requirements must be completed to submit an internship application. Failure to meet these requirements will result in an automatic denial of the internship application.

1. Students must have completed SPEA-V 252 or SPEA-H 267 or be currently enrolled in either course.
2. Student’s SPEA GPA must be in good standing
3. Student’s currently on Critical Probation may not be enrolled in the professional experience course per their contract.

The following document will lead you through the internship approval process:

Internship Registration Instructions

International students on a F1 student are required to have authorization from the Office of International Services (OIS) before the internship begins. Working without proper authorization is a violation of the legal status that could require the termination of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record. OIS strongly recommends that students apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization before beginning their internship opportunity. More information on CPT can be found here.

Important Internship Application Deadlines  

Students are required to be enrolled on the academic term on which their internship occurs.  Internships should be submitted 2 weeks prior to enrollment deadlines established on the Official Academic Calendar of the relevant semester or term to allow time for the internship to be reviewed. If approval is provided students are required to enroll in the course and class number provided in the approval email.  Please note that if enrollment occurs after Open Registration ends students may incur a late schedule change fee. For more information on the late drop/add period, please visit Student Central. Internship applications will not be reviewed after October 12^th, 2023 for the Fall 2023 term.

Internship Information

At O’Neill, we believe that internships are essential to professional development. Internships provide meaningful, real-world experiences, while allowing the space for students to be supported while developing the skills necessary to have successful and impactful careers.

Need help finding an internship? Give the Career Hub a call at (812) 855-9639, stop by the Career Studio during office hours, or email us internqs@indiana.edu

FAQ’s

• • Which O’Neill Undergraduate Degrees Require an Internship?

    • Public Affairs (BSPA)

    • Arts Management (BSAM)

    • Healthcare Management and Policy (BSHCM)

  • How do I get permission to enroll in the required internship course: V381/H466?

    • You must be admitted to the O’Neill School

    • Be in good academic standing (your SPEA GPA must meet the minimum requirements and you can not be on Critical Probation)

    • Passing grade awarded inV252/H267 (*Students may be concurrently enrolled in V252/H267 and their internship course as long as preapproval has been arranged)

    • Internship has been submitted on Handshake by the designated deadline and has been reviewed successfully. Once your internship has been reviewed, the Internship Coordinator will grant you permission to enroll in the course.

  • What is an internship?

    “An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent (The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)).” For more information on NACE requirements, please visit their website. 

  • O’Neill Internship Requirements

    • The internship must take place during the semester in which you plan to enroll in the professional experience course (i.e internships that have already been completed in past semesters will not count toward the professional experience requirement).

    • Minimum of 120 hours (does not include commute time)

    • Internship must be submitted for review and approved through Handshake.

    • Student must be successfully enrolled in V381/H466 by the deadline provided on the enrollment email. Failure to enroll in the course means the experience will no longer count and you will need to reapply for a future semester.

    • Students must participate in Canvas assignments.

    • Students must confirm that their supervisor completes a final evaluation (including the total number of hours interned)

    • International students working in/from the US must acquire the proper paperwork (CPT)

  • NACE Internship Experience Criteria For Approval (Adapted from the NACE Criteria)

    •The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom.
    •It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform(i.e. a regular, part-time job).
    •The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
    •The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
    •There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
    •There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience. Supervisor is not related to intern, or another student.
    •There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.
    •There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.

  • How long does it take for an internship to be approved?

    Internships can take a minimum of 7-10 business days to be reviewed. It is important that you provide as much information as possible regarding your internship responsibilities. Your application may get held up if the internship coordinator needs to reach out for more information. Once your internship is reviewed it will be moved to either APPROVED or DENIED. If your internship has been APPROVED you will receive an email with information on how to enroll in the appropriate course. If your internship is DENIED you will receive an email detailing why it was denied. You are welcome to appeal the denial with Melissa Todd at internqs@indiana.edu. It is important to enroll in the course ASAP if you have been APPROVED.

  • How much does the internship credit cost?

    All enrolled credits will be assessed for tuition and fees. Tuition is based on in-state or out-of-state costs depending on the student, and the academic term the credit is enrolled.  Use this calculator to estimate your tuition costs. Contact Student Central with any questions regarding tuition and fees.

  • I’m working more than 120 hours. Can I enroll in more than the one required credit?

    Yes! Elective credits are available to students who qualify and are working more than 120 hours at their internship site. Each elective credit is an additional 80 hours (see table below) and must be approved by your academic adviser. To receive elective credit, please note in your internship application form that you would like additional credit hours, including how many.

    During your internship application review the internship coordinator will reach out to your academic advisor to determine if you meet the criteria for additional elective credits. If you do not need elective credits for your degree your request will be denied. If it is approved an email will be sent to you will instructions on how to enroll in SPEA-V 380 (the internship elective course).

    All elective credits will be graded as a whole and no partial credits will be awarded.

    For each additional credit requested (beyond you initial 1 credit for V381/H466) you will need to intern 80 additional hours.  For example, if a student is interested in earning a total of 3 credits for their internship, the student can register for 1 credit of V381/H466 (120 hours) and 2 credits of V380 (160 hours). This is equal to 280 hours at their internship site. Failure to complete all credits requested and enrolled in for SPEA-V 380 will result in an F grade. You MUST complete all hours per each credit enrolled in, there is no partial credit given. Please see the table below for more details:

    Credits	Total Hours
    V381/H466 (1cr)	120
    V381/H466 (1cr) + V380 (1 cr)	200
    V381/H466 (1cr)+V380 (2 cr)	280
    V381/H466 (1cr)+V380 (3 cr)	360
    V381/H466 (1cr)+V380 (4 cr)	440
    V381/H466 (1cr)+V380 (5 cr)	520

    All credits enrolled in will be assessed for tuition, use this calculator to assess your tuition costs. 

  • How many internships do I need to complete if I am in the Accelerated Master’s Program?

    • The highly competitive Accelerated Master’s Program grants students a unique opportunity to gain twice the experiential learning. AMP students must complete 2 internships. One internship to fulfill their undergraduate requirement and a second internship to fulfill their graduate degree requirement. For more resources on how to market the AMP degree to employers, please view our blogs here, or stop by the Career Hub, Monday-Friday from 10am to 4pm for drop-in hours.

• • • What type of internship will not be approved?

      • The student’s supervisor is a relative, students can work for a relative’s company, but the direct supervisor MUST not be related to the student.
      • The student’s supervisor is not another student OR a recent graduate. If the supervisor is a recent graduate, they need to have at least 2 years in the field.
      • Positions should not require the applicants to purchase or rent any kind of training or marketing and sales material to become employed
      • Positions should not require students to provide on-campus solicitation or products, or services not authorized by the university
      • Employers should not be private individuals requiring candidates to work out of private premises
      • Posting containing advertising, promotion, solicitation for goods, services, funds, or solicitation for others to become members of an enterprise or organization, will not be approved
      • Positions requiring the candidate to work with a product or service which is not legal on a state or federal level.
      • Positions requiring door-to-door solicitation and telemarketing will not be approved
      • Employers who offer housing may not be approved and will need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
      • The internship cannot be a Residential Advisor (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA), Research Assistant (RA) position, or a regular part time job.
      • The student is an international student and is doing their internship in the U.S. and has not obtained the proper work authorization (CPT or Academic Training)

  • • How are internships graded?

      All undergraduate internship credits are graded pass/fail.

    • Does my internship have to be unpaid?

      No! We do not refuse internships due to their pay status. All unpaid and paid opportunities are welcome if they meet the internship standards.

    • Can I do an internship in the Summer?

      Yes! You can complete your internship in any semester (Fall, Spring and Summer) as long as the majority of your hours are completed during the semester in which you are enrolled in the internship course.

    • Do you waive the internship requirement?

      Students who are returning to the O’Neill School to complete their undergraduate education can apply for an internship requirement waiver if they can document at least one consecutive year of full-time professional experience with one employer, or one year of full-time military experience. If approved, no credits will be awarded, rather the requirement will read as satisfied on their transcript. If you meet these requirements and would like to acquire the waiver form, please email Miranda Redman (mdredman@indiana.edu).

    • I am in the military or national guard. Does my training count as an internship?

      Students who are currently serving in the military or guard can register and enroll their training for their internship requirement. Students will follow the processes for pre-approval and enrollment as students registering their internship for credit. Military training must be at least 120 hours and is required to be enrolled in the same academic term in which the training occurs. Students will work with their instructors for alternative assignments for their Canvas component of the course.