Independent Academic Internships (IAI)
If you would like to receive academic credit for an internship that is not part of an existing class or graduation requirement, see below.
Definitions
Internship: 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 that they are considering for career paths; internships also give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.
Employer: A for-profit, non-profit, or public agency that will supervise and work directly with a student. Students will use the Agreement below to vet the employer.
Paid v. Unpaid: Unpaid interns are technically volunteers at non-profits. Unpaid internships at for-profit organizations is strongly discouraged unless the employer strictly follows the Department of Labor guidelines.
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
Apply to Internships: Career Advisors are available through TritonTrack to assist with finding and applying to internships.
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.
Internships Abroad: If the internship will be completed outside of the United States of America or territories, contact the office of Global Education at globaled@eckerd.edu to discuss the country and logistics. Students must obtain approval of risk management and sign a waiver of liability.
Employer Information: Contact Maddy Gumprecht, Employer Relations and Internships Coordinator in the Career Center, at gumprechtmd@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 via SeamlessDocs. (Marketing Internships, please contact the Internship Faculty member for your link.)
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.
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
Employer Contact / Site Supervisor
Faculty Sponsor
Faculty Mentor
Employer Relations and Internships Coordinator
Associate Dean of Faculty
Global Education (if applicable)
Registrar
Travel Waiver: Once the IAI Proposal and Agreement has been signed and finalized, complete the Travel Waiver if traveling domestically or internationally for the internship. For questions, contact Tonya Womack '05, Risk Manager & Environmental Health & Safety Manager at womacktm@eckerd.edu.
Deadlines: The Contract and Travel Waiver must be completed by the following dates below. Academic credit cannot be applied retroactively.
Wednesday, January 8th, 2025 : Deadline to submit Winter Term 2025 Independent Studies/Practicums/Internships for Credit
Monday, January 27th, 2025 : Deadline to submit Spring Term 2025 Independent Studies/Practicums/Internships for Credit
Friday, May 30th, 2025 : Deadline to submit Summer Term 2025 Independent Studies/Practicums/Internships for Credit
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.