Independent Academic Internship

Independent Academic internships

If you would like to receive academic credit for an internship that is not part of an existing class or graduation requirement, see below. 

Internships are an 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 that they are considering for career paths; internships also give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent. 

All employers should follow Department of Labor guidelines. Unpaid internships at for-profit organizations is strongly discouraged and may not be approved.

Requirements

Internship Hours: A credit-bearing (academic) internship usually requires a minimum of 150 hours of on-site work per course credit. Variation in the number of on-site hours may be due to the number or type of related reading/writing assignments that are required in a particular internship course, or the nature of the fieldwork in which you are engaged.

Academic Interest: Students will be required to related their internship to their academic areas of study and learning goals. The credit earned through an internship is based not only upon the field experience completed, but also upon the thoughtful integration of that experience with your knowledge of the literature, methods, and content of the academic discipline related to the internship. 

Cost

Internships scheduled during fall or spring semesters may be completed as part of a student’s full-time academic load (eight courses) or added and charged as an additional course. Internships completed during summer will be charged a reduced rate of $500 for course credit. Please contact the Bursar at studentaccounts@eckerd.edu with questions. 

Process

1. Apply to Internships: Career Advisors are available through TritonTrack to assist with finding and applying to internships.

2. Secure an Internship Offer: Offers can be received verbally, but a written internship offer is strongly recommended. International students, please refer to this website regarding the approval process in connection with visa requirements.

3. Record Travel for Internship (if applicable): If you have to travel for your internship outside of the Tampa Bay area, please follow these instructions:

• Domestic: For internships that will be completed outside of the Tampa Bay area but still within the United States of America or territories, please fill out the Domestic Academic Travel form. If there are any questions, please reach out to Tonya Womack '05, Risk Manager & Environmental Health & Safety Manager at womacktm@eckerd.edu. 

• International: For Internships that will be completed outside of the United States of America or territories, please fill out the Independent International Academic Travel form. If there are any questions, please reach out to the office of Global Education at globaled@eckerd.edu.

4. Employer Information: Contact Maddy Nelson, Employer Relations and Internships Coordinator in the Career Center, at nelsonmd@eckerd.edu to discuss the employer and receive support in completing the IAI Proposal and Agreement. If the employer is deemed unsafe or illegitimate, academic credit may not be provided for the internship. 

Students will need to complete the IAI Proposal and Agreement. If your internship is international, please complete the International IAI Proposal and Agreement.

(Marketing Internships, please contact the Internship Faculty member for your link.)

5. Academic Details: Identify a professor who will support, guide, and grade the academic proposal associated with the internship. Work with the professor to complete the academic portion of the IAI Proposal and Agreement. 

6. Signatures: The IAI Proposal and Agreement needs to be filled out through SeamlesDocs. The student will need to know the email addresses of signatures 1 - 4. Once the student signs, it will automatically be sent out for the rest of the digital signatures.

• Student 

• Faculty Sponsor 

• Employer Contact / Site Supervisor 

• Faculty Mentor 

• Employer Relations and Internships Coordinator 

• Associate Dean of Faculty 

• Global Education (if applicable)

• Registrar 

7. Deadlines: The IAI Contract and Travel Waiver (if applicable) must be completed by the following dates below. Academic credit cannot be applied retroactively. 

• Sunday, August 31, 2025: Deadline to submit Fall Term 2025

• Monday, January 26, 2025: Deadline to submit Spring Term 2026

8. A statement of hours, self-evaluation, and employer evaluation must be submitted to the sponsoring professor and careercenter@eckerd.edu prior to the end of the semester in which the internship was completed.