Internship Basics
James W. Stuckert Career Center
408 Rose Street
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0494
www.uky.edu/CareerCenter
859-257-2746
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Supervised career-related work experience
Allows you to apply classroom learning to
real-world situations
An opportunity to obtain valuable professional level
experience in a chosen career field and reflect on
what you’ve learned from the experience
May be full-time, part-time, local, national, or
international
May be paid or unpaid/for academic credit or for
non-credit (Note that employers must follow labor law requirements.)
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Obtain relevant professional experience
Gain insight into your strengths and
weaknesses, values, likes and dislikes
Develop professional skills such as
leadership and problem-solving
Gain valuable contacts and networking
opportunities
Relevant experience for your resume
Help define your career path
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Obtaining an internship typically
requires an application process
and an interview
Employers usually require a resume
and cover letter prior to scheduling
an interview
You may want to learn and practice
interviewing skills and have your
resume critiqued by a career
counselor
The employer specifies whether
you must register for credit
or if you may choose to register.
Labor laws require that all for–profit organizations offer paid internships, or if
position is unpaid, students are required to register for academic credit.
Immigration laws require that international students
be registered for credit.
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Academic Internship (for credit)
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Non-academic Internship (non-credit)
Academic Internship
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Done for credit on a semester basis
Learning Contract is required
May be paid or unpaid
May be full-time or part-time
May be local, national, or international
Non-Academic Internship
(Non-credit)
◦ Done for experience gained, not for academic recognition
◦ Must be a paid position unless the internship is with a
non-profit or government organization
◦ May be local, national, or international
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Alternative way to earn credit you need
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Recorded on your transcript
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Learning Contract provides written
documentation of the experience
Guidance from faculty sponsor throughout
the semester
Provides a documented reference for your
future job search
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Finalize your internship site
Choose a Faculty Sponsor
Complete a Learning Contract
Register for an internship course
◦ EXP 396, Dept. 399, or EXP 397
Attend a Reflection Session
(fall and spring semesters only)
Submit a timesheet at the end
of the term
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You can ask any faculty member to be your sponsor—it is your
choice and their choice to agree to work with you
Sponsor must have faculty status (may include adjunct
and part-time faculty or graduate teaching assistants with
faculty oversight)
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Usually someone within your major, but not always—should be
knowledgeable of the field in which you are working
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Meets with you for discussion, guidance and reflection
throughout the semester
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Makes assignments and determines pass/fail grade
The Learning Contract serves as your syllabus for the internship course.
It is not an employment contract, although the employer will receive a copy.
It must be typed.
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Learning Contract form can be downloaded
from the Career Center website.
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Use the completed sample as a model for filling
out your Learning Contract
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Student information
Course information
Internship site, supervisor and
contact information
Starting/ending dates
Job description/duties
Learning objectives
Assignments and meeting
dates/times
Signatures
(Note: employer does not sign)
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EXP 396 Experiential Education
◦ Learning Contract required
◦ General elective credit
◦ Variable credit hours
◦ Pass/Fail (letter grade with departmental
permission in some colleges)
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EXP 397 Experiential Fieldwork
◦ Only for undergraduates doing a full-time
internship and not enrolled in other classes
A one credit hour general elective credit that
grants full-time student status
◦ Offered fall and spring semesters only
◦ Learning Contract required
◦ Pass/Fail only
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Departmental 399 Courses
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( i.e., PS 399, PSY 399, A-H 399)
Learning Contract required
Departmental credit
Variable or fixed credit hours
Pass/Fail or letter grade with departmental
permission
The number of credit hours you can earn from an internship is related to the
number of hours worked. Below are the minimum work hours required to
earn the credit hours specified.
1 credit hour = 48 total work hours
2 credit hours = 96 total work hours
3 credit hours = 144 total work hours
Divide the total number of work hours by the number of weeks you will be
working to find how many hours you will need to work each week.
144 work hours /16 weeks = 9 hours per week
144 work hours/8 weeks = 18 hours per week
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Credit policies vary depending upon your College.
Check with your academic advisor or the career
counselor assigned to your College so you can make
informed choices.
Tuition is charged for credit hours earned through
internship courses the same as it would be for other
University courses.
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International students must receive academic credit
for internships. Undergraduate international
students may register for one of the course options
above.
International graduate students must be enrolled
for graduate-level course credit approved by the
Office of International Affairs.
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The starting date should be the actual date
you start the internship. It can be earlier or
later than the first day of the semester.
The ending date may be sooner than the
last day of the semester, but it should not
be later—even though you may work
beyond that date.
Make sure you have submitted your
Learning Contract for approval before you
start working.
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Contract should be completed before starting
the internship.
You cannot register for EXP courses until the
Learning Contract is submitted to the Career
Center and the registration hold has been
lifted.
You can add the course up until the Registrar’s
“last day to add” for the term.
A copy of the Learning Contract is sent to your
employer, your faculty sponsor and your
department chair.
You could be nominated for the Intern of the
Year award!
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Appointments:
859-257-2746
For 10-15 Minute Quick Internship Questions:
Drop-ins Tues. Wed. Thurs. 12:00pm - 3:00pm