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Internships for Credit

Internship/co-op criteria

Internships are typically one-time work experiences related to a student’s major or career goal. Co-ops may span multiple semesters, but back-to-back co-ops are not allowed. The internship/co-op involves a student working in a professional setting under the direct supervision of experienced, practicing professionals.  You can find resources to help with your internship search here.

Internships/co-ops can be paid or unpaid and the student may or may not receive academic credit for performing the internship. If your internship/co-op requires college credit, or you want to maintain your student status while completing an internship/co-op, below are options for receiving credit through LAS Career Services. Students may also want to check with their academic department to see if there is an applicable course which would allow credit to be applied toward their major.

For an internship to qualify for any of these courses, the internship should require at least 10 hours per week for a minimum of 8 weeks. Please make sure that your internship/co-op meets the following requirements:

  1. Internships cannot be a continuation of a full-time, part-time or summer job.
  2. Students must start their internship and be enrolled in course credit during the same semester (no retroactive credit will be awarded).
  3. Internships are not allowed with organizations owned or managed, fully or in part, by family members nor can internship positions be supervised, directly or indirectly, by family members.
  4. Internships involving direct payments from clients and customers to students are not allowed.
  5. Internships at organizations that have student ownership or promises of ownership to the students are not allowed.
  6. Internships cannot be used to receive credit for any other class.

*Please note application process my take up to 10 business days depending on response time of supervisor approval, faculty approval (for LAS 4990 only), processing of registration add request and CPT application (international students only).

*If you are completing your internship outside of the United States, you need to apply for permission through ISUAbroad and be enrolled in the university’s international insurance plan.  More information can be found here.

*International students can review Curricular Practical Training (CPT) information here.

Internship/co-op options

Note: These options are for LAS undergraduates only. Graduate students should work with their departments to find an appropriate course

Academic Credit (LAS 4990)

  • Combines a supervised work experience with a structured academic learning plan for which a student receives academic credit
  • Recognition on your transcript (letter grade)
  • 1-4 academic credits (1 credit per 10 hours worked per week)
  • Tuition charged for number of credits taken
  • Faculty sponsor is selected by the student and academic work is assigned and graded by them
    • Past faculty sponsors have assigned relevant readings, weekly reflections, papers, and presentations.

R-Credit (LAS 2980 and 4980)

  • Can be an internship or co-op
  • Recognition on your transcript (S/F)
  • Credit does not count toward graduation, but keeps a student enrolled
  • No tuition is charged, may qualify for fee exception
  • Freshmen and sophomores are enrolled in 2980, juniors and seniors in 4980.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

  • LAS 2980 and 4980 are commonly used for F-1 visa holders (international students), since they are tuition-free
  • Final authorization through International Student Advisor
  • Students enrolled in the ISU Students and Scholars Insurance Plan–including international students and graduate students on assistantship (C-Base)–are required to pay the health fee.

Apply to register an internship for credit

Each internship must be vetted and approved by LAS Career Services before permission will granted to enroll in an internship for credit course. Only LAS Career Services staff can register students for an internship for credit course. Internship for credit courses can not be added by the student in Workday.

Please complete the application on CyHire in as much detail as possible.  Reasons an application may be denied include:

  • Incomplete/Insufficient student learning outcomes
  • No offer letter
  • Internship is less than 10 hours per week
  • Internship is less than 8 weeks

Steps for completing the internship application on CyHire:

  1. Log into CyHire using your ISU netID and password: https://cyhire.iastate.edu/
  2.  In the menu to the left, click ‘Apply for Intern Course.’
  3. Click the ‘+New Experience’ red button in the top right corner.
  4. Complete the ‘Create New Experience’ form and click the red ‘Save’ button.
  5. Upload a pdf of your offer letter under the ‘Documents and Forms’ menu by clicking ‘Upload File,’ selecting the file and clicking ‘Save.’
  6.  Click ‘Submit for Approval.’

The syllabus for internship/co-op for credit can be found here.  Each internship opportunity requires learning outcomes to be created and completed. Evaluations of a student’s performance are to be completed at the end of the internship experience.

Resources and policies on workplace discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct can be found here.

Frequently asked questions

These experiences connect classwork to a professional work environment. Students can gain clarification on career exploration and career goals through collaboration with team members and project assignments. Many employers view these experiences as an enhanced learning opportunity where students have gained professional work experience. To see how much an internship experience influences employers, see these statistics from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

An internship is a supervised work-based learning experience designed to give students practical experience in a professional field. The length of time for an internship is typically 3-4 months and can be paid or unpaid.

A co-op is a more immersive work-based learning experience where a student gets a deeper level of professional skills and takes on more responsibility. The length of time for a co-op typically extends over 2 semesters, including a summer term plus a fall or spring term. Co-ops are often paid since the duration of the experience is longer and involves more responsibility. Since a co-op is typically a full-time work experience, taking classes during that time period is not advised.

Since the overall application to hire process can take 3-6 months, it is best to begin planning for an internship 6-12 months before your desired start date. Factors affecting hiring timelines include industry, company size, application timing and applicant competition.

A student cannot be enrolled in an internship course until their registration appointment is open in Workday Student. The application in CyHire can be submitted sooner, but a student will not be enrolled in the course until all necessary approvals in CyHire are completed and registration holds are removed. Course enrollment will be done by LAS Career Services. Students will not be able to enroll in the internship course on their own.

A final course evaluation will be available for students to complete during the final 3 weeks of the semester. Students will assess their internship or co-op experience and how it connects to their career goals. Students will also be asked to provide examples from their experience that connect to the eight career readiness core competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. This course evaluation is separate from an evaluation the company may also administer on the intern’s work performance.

The maximum number of semesters a student can take an internship course for 0 credit (LAS 2980/4980) is 2. An exception may be granted for international students who need the course for curricular practical training (CPT) or academic training (AT).
The internship course for credit (LAS 4990) has no maximum limit.

Iowa State scholarships and financial aid will generally be put on hold while a student is enrolled in an internship course. Check with the Office of Financial Aid with questions.

An offer to extend an internship demonstrates that a student is performing well, and the employer sees value in continuing the experience. If enrolling in the internship course again, the student will need to complete another application in CyHire for the next semester. International students will need to complete the CPT or AT process again.

Internships will likely not delay graduation since they most often occur during the summer or on a part-time basis during the fall/spring semesters.  A co-op may delay graduation by a semester since it is longer. However, the professional development and competitive edge these experiences provide when seeking post-graduation employment are often worth it. Students should check with their academic advisor for specifics related to coursework and graduation completion.

Unpaid internship scholarships

The College of Liberal Arts and Science awards a limited number of scholarships to LAS undergraduate students who secure an unpaid internship with a non-profit or government employer; on-campus positions will not be considered. Student teaching is not eligible for this scholarship, however there is a separate scholarship available for student teaching here.