What is an internship?

What is an internship?

  • An internship is a work experience that is relevant to a student’s chosen major.
  • An experience that should enhance a student’s academic, career, and personal development
  • Supervised by a professional in the field
  • An experience that can be one academic term (summer, spring, fall) or multiple academic terms in length
  • Paid or unpaid, part-time or full-time
  • An experience that is mutually agreed upon by the student, supervisor and/or faculty member
  • Internships might also be called a practicum or co-op.

Why should my business participate in the internship program?

  • Internships give students the opportunity to explore careers in their chosen major, network with potential employers, and learn about jobs that are available.
  • The employer also benefits from the internship by:
    • Building your potential employee pool
    • Receiving additional staff assistance during peak times/special projects
    • Providing supervision experience for future managers in your company
    • Mentoring a student
  • See “Benefits of Hiring Our Students” for more information.

How long is the internship experience?

  • Internships can begin at any time but usually correspond to the fall, spring, and summer semesters.
  • If a student is pursuing class credit, they must spend a minimum amount hours on the job-site (see specific program requirements) to obtain academic credit for the internship together with meeting all the other course requirements.
  • However, if the student’s schedule permits and the business agrees, the student may put in additional hours beyond the minimum requirement.

Should the internship be paid?

  • Although the primary purpose of the internship program is to give a student relevant business experience in his or her chosen field, compensation during the internship experience is certainly an incentive.
  • Monetary compensation also helps to create the atmosphere of employment.
  • To date, most of the internship opportunities partnered with the internship program have provided compensation ranging from a stipend to help pay for the tuition cost of the internship to $9.00 per hour or more, depending on qualifications and class level.
  • See “Compensation” for more information.

How can interns be utilized?

Our LCOB students come prepared with an array of skills and are eager to learn. A few examples of internship tasks are:

  • Accounting/Finance
    • Handle accounts payable or accounts receivable, Analyze stock market trends, Assist accountants during tax season.
  • Human Resources
    • Develop handbooks or employee manuals, Pre-screening of applicants, Monthly newsletters, Payroll assistance, Research on regulations and compliance issues.
  • Marketing
    • Create a new marketing campaign, Create mailing lists, Design brochures or distribution materials, Conduct marketing research, Design charts and graphics to be used at a meeting or conference, Analyze sales data.

What is expected of me if I participate in the internship program?

  • The internship program expects each employer to provide meaningful duties for the student to perform that would enhance the student’s understanding of his or her career area.
  • See “Employer Expectations” for more information.

How can I get the internship process started?

Complete our Internship Needs Survey or submit a request on our Employer Interest Form!

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LCOB Contact Info

Marshall University
Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation, Suite 359
Phone: 304-696-2314
lcob@marshall.edu

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