The most important thing to know is that an internship is not just a job! Rather, it is a learning experience. You take a classroom course in order to gain specific learning outcomes - an internship has the same objective. An internship provides you with the unique opportunity to gain "real world" experience in your chosen career field while pursuing your classroom studies. It provides the opportunity for you apply knowledge and skills that you learned in the classroom to practical situations and problems under the supervision and guidance of a practicing professional. It will also help you to build extremely valuable "networking" relationships with those already working in your area of interest.
Do I have to meet any academic requirements to be eligible for an internship?
Yes. You must be well advanced in your degree program. As a general rule, this means that you will have taken the majority of courses required for your degree and that you are classified as a Senior. In addition, your overall GPA must be at least 3.0 at the time you start your internship.
Who are the people involved in making your internship a quality learning experience?
Intern: You!
UWF Career Services: The Career Services office, located in Building 19 and at http://uwf.edu/career on the web, is the primary clearinghouse for all Marketing and Economics internships. The Career Services staff assesses your career and internship objectives and helps you find the internship position that best meets your goals. They are also responsible for maintaining the records of your internship that are necessary for the awarding of academic credit.
Internship Advisor: The person responsible for evaluating and approving the internship for the awarding of academic credit. The Internship Advisor also reviews the Sponsor's evaluation of your performance, evaluates your Internship Report, and assigns your grade for the internship. Dr. Nestor Arguea is the Internship Advisor for all Marketing and Economics students.
Internship Sponsor: The person directly supervising your internship experience and evaluating your performance at the firm or organization where you do your internship. Typically, this person is a mid- to upper-level manager in the firm or organization.
Do all internships earn academic credit?
Not necessarily. Internships must meet the Department's academic standards in order to qualify for course credit. It is possible for students to arrange non-credit internships on their own, but we don't recommend it. Usually if we don't think the internship worthy of awarding academic credit, you're taking a chance on the quality of the learning experience. All the information in these FAQ's applies only to internships that qualify for academic credit.
How much academic credit can I earn?
Typically, you can earn up to 3 hours of academic credit (i.e., the equivalent of one elective course in your degree program). In certain circumstances, the Internship Advisor may approve the awarding of additional credit, up to 6 hours. For example, some large firms offer very high quality, well-managed intern programs where students interns may work as much as 40 or more hours per week while earning a professional-level salary. Exceptions to the standard 3 credit hour policy must be approved by your Internship Advisor.
How does an internship count in my degree program?
For those in the Marketing Research and Economic Research Specializations, internships are a required part of your degree program. You must consult with your Faculty Advisor (Marketing Research - Dr. Bush; Economic Research - Dr. Arguea) in the semester before you plan on doing your internship.
For Marketing and Economics majors in all other Specializations, an internship can count as a MAR or ECO elective. Internships cannot be used as substitutes for College of major core courses required in your degree program.
How am I graded for my internship?
Internships are graded on a "Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory" (S/U) basis. A "U" counts as 0.0 grade points (same as an "F") while an "S" has no impact in the calculations of your GPA. Your Internship Advisor determines your grade based on the performance evaluation provided by the Internship Sponsor and the Advisor's evaluation of your Internship Report.
How is my performance evaluated by the Internship Sponsor?
Click on this link (PDF) to view the Evaluation Form used by the Internship Sponsor.
What is an "Internship Report"?
You are required to write and submit a report of your internship experience. The deadline for the report is the last day of regularly scheduled classes in the semester in which you do your internship. In general, the report will consist of four sections: (1) a summary of your activities during the internship; (2) a discussion of how you applied knowledge and skills that you learned in our courses in your degree program during your internship activities; (3) a discussion of new knowledge and skills that you acquired during your internship; and (4) your assessment of your personal career possibilities in the industry in which you did your internship. Specific guidelines for your report will be agreed on by you and your Internship Advisor.
Where are good internship opportunities geographically located?
Literally, all over the world. Opportunities are available just about anywhere you want to go, from here on the UWF campus to all over NW Florida to Atlanta to New York and beyond. However, depending on your learning goals for your internship, your selection might be somewhat limited geographically.
Can I do an internship where I am already employed?
In most cases, no. Rare exceptions may be made if the proposed internship is not related in any way to your current job responsibilities. Exceptions must be approved by your Internship Advisor.
How do I find a good internship position?
There are two ways to find an Internship Sponsor. Both can give you excellent results. The most common way is to work with the professional staff at Career Services to locate the perfect opportunity from among the many that they have developed or can develop to fit your personal goals. The other way is to find your own! If you locate an opportunity that you find attractive, just remember that your candidate Sponsor will have to be approved by the Career Services staff and the Internship Advisor. You must contact either Career Services or your Internship Advisor to obtain an "Internship Position Description" form for the candidate Sponsor to complete and submit before approval will be considered.
How much time does it take to do an internship?
Total time spend "on the job" for a 3 credit hour internship will be at least 160 hours and should not exceed 180 hours during the internship period. Usually, it's best to divide hours evenly during the term, as in the following examples, but exceptions may be made by mutual agreement of the Internship Sponsor, the Internship Advisor, and you.
| Hours Worked Per Week (based on minimum total hours; rounded to the next whole hour) | Minimum Total Hours | Academic Credit Earned | ||
| Fall/Spring Term (15 weeks) | Summer Term (12 weeks) | Summer Term (6 weeks) | ||
| 11 | 14 | 27 | 160 | 3 hours |
| 7 | 9 | 18 | 105 | 2 hours |
| 4 | 5 | 9 | 54 | 1 hour |
Will I be paid by my Internship Sponsor?
Maybe. The best internships usually compensate you in some manner, although opportunities may arise where unpaid positions are a perfect match for your interests and you may decide to forgo compensation. The bottom line is that it's your decision; if you decide that you must receive compensation, then you are free to limit your search to that that pay!
When do I have to start the application process for an internship?
You should start a minimum of six weeks before the beginning of the term in which you plan to do the internship. It can take some time to find the perfect match for your goals. The best internship experiences are those that are carefully planned and carefully selected.
Ok, I want to do an internship. How do I start?
Follow these steps; each is important and each must be accomplished.