Academic Internship Courses

Are you seeking an internship opportunity? 

Check out multiple job boards - like Handshake and LinkedIn, attend CPD Events and connect with recruiters, as well as reaching out to your alumni and professional networks with your industry interests. Visit the CPD website for additional, industry-specific job boards. Drop into meet virtually or in person with a Peer Advisor or book an appointment today with your career coach on Handshake to learn more and strategize.

Do you already have an internship?

Congratulations! If it is a for-credit internship, enroll in an academic internship course to receive academic credit. If it is a not-for-credit internship, you should register the opportunity in Handshake as a "General Experience" for the semester.

Are you an international student?

Be sure to visit OISS to understand the requirement, process, and timeline to obtain CPT. Learn more here.

Internship structures and roles differ, however, students should seek an internship:

• which is related to their long-term career goals
• which develops industry and professional skills
• which is compliant with Department of Labor Standards
• which is not located in a home-based business
• which does not offer 100% of work done virtually with little to no supervision
• which offers orientation or training prior to the start date and throughout the experience
• which provides frequent and direct, 1:1 supervision
• which does not require cold-calling or petition gathering (unless a political or campaign office)
• which is not supervised by a family member of classmate
• which does not require student to pay a fee to the company to participate in the experience
• which is not commission-based or telemarketing

1. SECURE an internship prior to the start of the semester;
2. ENROLL in an academic internship course;
• Speak with your academic advisor to confirm which academic internship course is best for your experience
• Log in to PROWL to Enroll in a course through your academic program within the university's registration deadline (spring, January 13, 2023).
• Once enrolled, select the "Schedule & Options" tab, highlight the "Hours" field, and edit to the desired unit (0 or 1). Otherwise, the course defaults to zero-unit.
3. WAIT for further instruction from your Course Instructor at the beginning of the semester;
4. REQUEST an Experience form on Handshake
   • Log in to my.lmu.edu > Handshake > Career Center > Experiences > Request An Experience
   • Select correct template and term for academic course
   • Approvers

     • Course Instructor: CPD Staff Member facilitating class instruction

     • Academic Mentor: Designated by School/College Dean to support students in building (1) academic-based learning objective

     • Internship Supervisor: Full-time staff at your internship site who will supervise student throughout the experience, and support students in building 1-2 industry/skill-based learning objectives 
5. SUBMIT an Internship Credit form if employer requires verification of your ability to earn academic credit/enrollment in a course. The Internship Credit form is available on the Registrar's website, where a confirmation of student's enrollment status and course will be issued on university letterhead.

Students have several options for registration this summer and should enroll based on the start and end dates of their internship.

Please note: Course Instructor is the CPD Assistant Director facilitating class instruction, and Academic Mentor is designated by each college Dean to support students in building (1) academic-based learning objective.

Courses offered through CPD for Summer 2023:

Courses offered through CPD for Fall 2023:

Which academic internship course should I choose, and when should I enroll?

Consult with your academic advisor. All students have the option of enrolling in a 0-4 unit, credit or no-credit academic internship course, which are offered most semesters. Consult PROWL to find out which courses are being offered and when, and take note of how many units the course offers. Enroll within the university deadlines, listed on the academic calendar.

0-1 Unit Selection*

Login to PROWL. Once enrolled in one of the above courses, select the "Schedule & Options" tab, highlight the "Hours" field, and edit to the desired unit (0 or 1). Otherwise, the course defaults to zero-unit. Otherwise, enrollment defaults to zero-unit, and cannot be changed after the university add/drop date.

LIBA 2050 Strategy of Career Development (Recommended Prerequisite)

Offered in Fall and Spring | 2 semester hours | Credit/No-Credit | Open to all undergraduate students 

This course utilizes the popular models of career theory and traditional personality assessments to help students identify interests, skills, and values and describe how they relate to a career choice. The decision-making model is utilized to synthesize personal information and research is conducted on employment trends. By the end of the course, students will be familiarized with the job search process including resume writing, interviewing skills, and job search strategies.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: 

• Articulate their skills, interests, personality, strengths and values as they relate to career 
• Market themselves effectively in the job and internship search process, including creating resumes and cover letters, branding via a LinkedIn profile and strengthening interviewing skills  
• Develop a continually expanding network of personal and professional contacts 
• Learn about various career paths, industries and fields through virtual programming, guest speakers and online resources  

THIS COURSE IS RECOMMENDED FOR STUDENTS WHO:

• Have not chosen a major or who do not have a career goal in mind 
• Have selected a major or career but are unsure of their choice 
• Want to explore options within a selected major or career 
• Wish to develop job search or graduate school application skills

Login to Handshake, select "Career Center" and "Experiences." Choose to "Request An Experience", the "General Experience" template, and complete the form with all information about your internship and supervisor.

Creating this form adds the experience to your Handshake profile for recruiters and peers to view. Your supervisor will receive an approval email for the experience directly from Handshake. Please have them check their junk or spam inbox in case the email from Handshake and contact your course instructor with questions during office hours.

Log in to PROWL to see a full list of academic internship courses, offering 0-4 units.

Course Info

CPD Academic Internship Courses are Credit/No-Credit, online courses, managed through Brightspace. Students can enroll for 0-1 units, and must select the desired unit during registration directly in PROWL. All students must register for these courses within the university registrar deadlines.

A student can only enroll and earn credit for (1) internship, in (1) course at a time, during a single semester. Consult with your academic advisor to select which course is best for your internship and academic program needs.

It is best to enroll in the college academic internship course where your major/program resides (i.e. biochemistry major will enroll in ICSE 2100 FSCSE Internships). If you are a double-major, consult with your academic advisor to identify which academic internship course is best for the experience.

Requirements

Students enrolled in a CPD academic internship course secure an internship before enrolling in a course, complete 60 internship hours before the end of the semester, submit a Handshake Experience form and all assignments outlined in the course syllabus for credit or no-credit. All students must register for these courses within the university registrar deadlines.

Credit will be awarded upon completion of all course requirements, including:

1. Establish a minimum of three (3) learning objectives related to your internship with your supervisor and academic mentor (include these objectives in your Request an Experience form in Handshake)
2. Attend professional development events to expand your network and industry knowledge
3. Gain a deeper understanding of the career paths available through informational interview with alumni
4. Reflect on your internship experience and how it has helped further your career goals

Units & Assignments

NOTE: Student must indicate 0-1 unit preference during course registration. Unit credit is based on student's registration.

LMU Housing requires that students wishing to secure on-campus summer housing be enrolled in a course. Academic internship courses fulfill this requirement, therefore a student must at least be enrolled in an academic internship course to stay in campus housing, with a confirmed internship experience.

To learn how to obtain CPT to participate in an internship, be sure to visit OISS for the requirements, process and timeline to apply, secure and enroll within university deadlines. More information is available on the OISS website here.

Where can I find internship opportunities?

Handshake, Indeed, LinkedIn, or personal network are just a few ways to identify potential internship opportunities. Plan to attend CPD Events, and networking events to connect with alumni. Drop into CPD to chat with a Peer Advisor, or book an appointment with a career coach on Handshake or during their office hours to strategize and apply.

How do I know if I have a quality internship?

Internship structures and roles differ, however, students should seek an internship:

• which is related to their long-term career goals
• which develops industry and professional skills
• which is compliant with Department of Labor Standards
• which is not located in a home-based business
• which does not offer 100% of work done virtually with little to no supervision
• which offers orientation or training prior to the start date and throughout the experience
• which provides frequent and direct, 1:1 supervision
• which does not require cold-calling or petition gathering (unless a political or campaign office)
• which is not supervised by a family member of classmate
• which does not require student to pay a fee to the company to participate in the experience
• which is not commission-based or telemarketing

Do I need to earn academic credit in order to do an internship?

No. Some employers require a student's enrollment in an internship course in order to hire as an intern. However, this is not a legal or LMU requirement.

If I do not have an internship, can I enroll in an academic internship course?

It is encouraged that the internship is secured before enrolling in an academic internship course, as the experience should be concurrent with the course, and assignments begin the first week of school. Begin the internship search in the previous semester, to avoid running against the university's registration deadlines. Drop in to CPD to speak with a Peer Advisor or book an appointment with a career coach for internship search resources.

How do I register for an academic internship course?

All course registrations are done via PROWL, and should be completed within the university registration deadline.

If the registration deadline to add a course has passed, a Late Add Petition must be completed to add the course, which is available on the Registrar's website.  Students must fully complete the form, with a detailed explanation for late enrollment.  Completing a Late Add Petition form does not guarantee enrollment, and is subject to review and approval.

Which academic internship course should I choose, and when should I enroll?

Consult with your academic advisor. All students have the option of enrolling in a 0-4 unit, credit or no-credit academic internship course, which are offered most semesters. Consult PROWL to find out which courses are being offered and when, and take note of how many units the course offers. Enroll within the university deadlines, listed on the academic calendar.

I am an international student, what do I need to do to participate in an internship?

All international students first step is to speak with OISS to understand and review the guidelines, process and timeline to obtain CPT.  Securing an internship before the semester is imperative, to ensure CPT application and course enrollment meet all university deadlines.  Visit OISS's website to learn more.

What happened to the LIBA internship courses in CPD?

The CPD-led LIBA internship courses ended summer 2019, and were replaced with academic internship courses within each college at LMU. The new academic internship courses are available in PROWL, offering 0-1 units for credit/no-credit:

How do I select one (1) unit for a 0-1 unit course?

Login to PROWL. While in registration mode, enroll into the course of your choosing. Once enrolled, select the "Schedule & Options" tab, highlight the "Hours" field, and edit to the desired unit (0 or 1).

What if I need more than one unit?

Consult with your academic advisor to identify the best solution or course to satisfy your academic requirements.

Can I enroll in more than one academic internship course at a time?

No. You can only enroll and earn credit for (1) internship, in (1) course at a time, during a single semester. Consult with your academic advisor to select which course is best for your internship and academic program needs.

Can I complete two internships to meet the 60 hour minimum?

Yes, you can hold two internships at the same time to reach the 60 hour minimum, however, you can only receive credit for one (1) of the courses.

Does the CPD academic internship course meet weekly? And will I receive a grade?

No. The CPD academic courses are virtual, with all assignments managed in the Brightspace course and via Handshake. Students will receive credit or no-credit for completing all assignments during the semester.

How will I know if I completed all requirements for a CPD academic internship course?

Students enrolled in a CPD academic internship course must complete 60 internship hours, a Handshake Experience form and all assignments outlined in the course syllabus for credit or no-credit.

If my internship is outside of my major, can I enroll in a different college's academic internship course?

It is best to enroll in the college academic internship course where your major/program resides (i.e. biochemistry major will enroll in ICSE 2100 FSCSE Internships). If you are a double-major, consult with your academic advisor to identify which academic internship course is best for the experience.

My internship supervisor wants proof that I am enrolled in an academic internship course. How can I provide this?

To provide an internship supervisor with proof of course enrollment, fill out the Internship Credit Confirmation Form.

How can I expect to be compensated for my internship?

Compensation for internships is at the discretion of the employer, but generally, internships are unpaid-for-academic-credit, paid via an hourly wage, or paid via a stipend. Unpaid and stipend-paid internships must meet the Department of Labor Guidelines for unpaid internships.

Are there any prerequisites for the internship courses?

CPD suggests any student interested in participating in an internship enroll in LIBA 2050 Strategy of Career Development. It is offered in Fall and Spring for two (2) units, Credit/No-Credit. The course is open to all class years and majors at the undergraduate level.