So, you want to do a domestic internship—good for you! Internships can provide invaluable experience, learning, and opportunities to improve your education and career.
If you want to receive academic credit for your internship, follow the steps outlined below. If your internship is for Global Women’s Studies, look for italicized notes under some steps—your process will be slightly different.
If you have any questions, contact the Kennedy Center Advisement Office at 273 HRCB, (801) 422-3548, or kennedy_advisement@byu.edu.
Step 1: Find an Internship
Students are responsible for finding and securing their own internship opportunity. To locate internship opportunities you can explore companies and job fairs, use your personal network, or use any other avenues available to you. The following resources could be a good place to start looking. If you are having trouble finding an internship and/or would like to discuss possible ideas, you can set up an appointment with Lesa Snyder by contacting Kennedy Center Advisement.
Resources:
http://handshake.byu.edu
www.indeed.com
www.internships.com
www.idealist.org (nonprofit internships)
www.linkedin.com
Your internship CANNOT be with an organization that is owned/managed by a family member.
Step 2: Receive Permission from Your Faculty Coordinator
If you want to apply your internship credit toward a major or minor requirement, you must obtain written permission from the faculty coordinator for your major or minor. Your faculty coordinator will determine whether your internship experience aligns with the academic goals of the major or minor and will work with you to decide where the credits will count. You must receive this approval before your internship begins. See http://kennedy.byu.edu/kc-directory/ and filter for “Faculty Coordinators” to find out who is in charge of your program.
GWS Students: Rather than receiving permission from a faculty coordinator, you will seek permission from Anna-Lisa Halling, anna-lisa_halling@byu.edu.
Step 3: Obtain a Master Agreement from the Internship Provider
University policy requires all internship providers to have a Master Agreement with the university. If your organization has had BYU interns before, this agreement may already be on file.
Check BYU’s internship database to see if your organization has a current Master Agreement. If there is not a current one on file, you will need to have your internship provider complete one before you may register for your internship credit (you will also need to bring this with you when you meet with the internship coordinator).
Step 4: Complete the Internship Application
Complete the required BYU internship application through the Experiential Learning and Internships web site.
Step 5: Meet with a Domestic Internship Coordinator for Pre-Internship Orientation
Once you have completed the internship application and have a master agreement from your internship provider, set up an appointment with Lesa Snyder (domestic internship coordinator) for a pre-internship orientation meeting. To schedule an appointment, visit 273 HRCB, call (801) 422-3548, or kennedy_advisement@byu.edu.
During the meeting, the internship coordinator will review and approve your BYU internship application. If your internship provider does not have a current Master Agreement with BYU, please bring a new signed agreement to the meeting.
The coordinator will also give you a copy of the syllabus and explain BYU’s internship policies, the registration process, and the course requirements/expectations.
Step 6: Register for IAS 399R
After meeting with Lesa Snyder, wait for an e-mail verifying that your internship application was received and approved. You will then register for IAS 399R (the section with Lesa Snyder listed as the instructor). (If it is after the add/drop deadline, the internship office will e-mail the registrar’s office to get you registered—it is still your responsibility to make sure the class is added to your schedule!) Students should register for the number of credit hours as discussed in the pre-internship orientation meeting with the internship coordinator.
GWS Students: Register for GWS 399R, not IAS 399R.
Step 7: Complete Internship Coursework on Canvas
Throughout the semester, you will view and submit assignments online through Canvas at https://byu.instructure.com. Sign in with your BYU net ID and password. Once you have signed in, you will be directed to the Canvas dashboard page, where you will see the IAS 399R class icon. Click on the icon, and it will take you to the course.
GWS Students: Your coursework will be on Learning Suite instead of Canvas. Talk to Anna-Lisa Halling about the process for receiving your grade. Lesa Snyder will also give you a syllabus and explain more about your coursework in your pre-internship orientation meeting.