The Internship Learning Experience 

• For an internship to qualify for credit, you must be mentored by a professional on staff who has at least 2 years expertise in the area of your internship. For example, a photography intern would be supervised by a professional photographer on staff. This supervisor will offer training throughout the internship and will complete a midterm and final evaluation of your progress during the internship
• Your internship tasks should be related to your area of study and help prepare you for your future career. Tasks will need to be clearly outlined when you register for credit, and you will be asked to explain how your supervisor will mentor you during your internship.
• You will also be asked to set some goals for what you want to learn during your internship, describe how it connects to your career goals, and explain how the internship is related to your major.

Student Eligibility

• Current MassArt students enrolled in a degree program may register an internship for credit. This includes F1 international students as well: the process is the same and the CPT process is built into the registration process. For graduate students, the requirements are similar to what is outlined here, with a few exceptions listed in the Graduate Internship Policy.
• Most undergraduate students choose to complete internships after their sophomore year through the first semester of their senior year. Students may do internships at other times with special approval from their chair.
• Students taking a leave of absence would not be eligible for internship credit.

Internship Employer, Location & Equipment

• The internship employer may be an established business, organization, or professional artist. For businesses and cultural organizations, this means having a business location, a demonstrated (2 year minimum) history of providing products, services, or public engagement. For professional artists, this may include having a professional studio, grants, residencies, commissions, publications, teaching and a history of exhibits, programs or events, and at least 2 years professional experience.
• The internship must be located at a business location, on location (like for a film shoot), or remote/hybrid. Internships cannot take place at a residential location.
• The employer is responsible for providing all resources, equipment, and software needed to complete the internship. The use of MassArt equipment or facilities is not permitted for an internship.

Required Hours

• You will need to complete a minimum of 135 hours within 15 consecutive weeks of one semester: Fall, Spring, or Summer. Internships cannot straddle semesters.
• Internships that go above the minimum hours, or that continue beyond one semester are not eligible for additional credit.
• Typically, students intern 10-20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters. Over the summer semester there is more flexibility and students may do up to 40 hours per week.

Paid/Unpaid Internships

• Most students can register either a paid or unpaid internship for academic credit. However, there are some departments that will only approve paid internships for credit. Please consult your department faculty if you have questions.

Credit & Deadlines

• MassArt students may register eligible internships for 3 elective credits. Up to 2 internships (6 credits total) may count toward graduation requirements. Additional internships may be registered for credit with special approval from your department chair.
• Internships must be registered for credit by the add/drop deadline of the semester and before the start of the internship. Retroactive credit is not permitted.
• Once you have confirmed an internship, you will apply for credit by submitting a form (through Handshake) with the details of your proposed internship. Your information will be reviewed/approved by the Internship Supervisor, Your Faculty Internship Advisor, and the Registrar’s  Office. Additional reviewers may be added as needed (Such as a Department Chair, or the International Education Center for issuing CPT.)
• Your faculty internship advisor has final approval on credit for your internship. 
• To undergraduate students there is no tuition cost to register a summer internship for credit.

1. Planning 
   You will want to do an internship before you graduate- you will have more opportunities available to you since many employers require interns to be current students.

   We recommend you start planning for internships in the fall semester of your sophomore year.

   As you get closer to doing an internship, the following timeline will be helpful for knowing when to start the application process. View our internship application timeline

2. Prepare 
   The first step of the process is to update your Resume. We recommend that you start with this basic resume template.Once you have a rough draft, you can schedule a resume critique with our office through Handshake.

   Some internship roles may ask for samples of work as well.

3. Search 
   Start your search by logging into your

   Handshake account– all current internship opportunities will be posted there and there are new ones added every week.

   You can also sign up for email alerts to get notified when new internships are posted.

   You are also free to look for opportunities on other job boards as well or research companies directly, and we have additional support on our resources page.

   If you need help with your internship search, you can make an appointment with us.

4. Apply 
   We recommend that you apply to multiple internships (5-10) and craft customized applications that are relevant to the position. You should follow the application instructions on the internship posting exactly- you are demonstrating your attention to detail and it will also make sure your application doesn’t get passed over.

   Always include a cover letter or an email of interest customized for the position. This message will introduce who you are and what you are applying for, and explain why you are interested in the position.

   Apply early! Employers may not wait until the posting deadline to start reviewing applications-you may miss out if you wait to the last minute

5. Interview 
   They like your resume, now they want to meet you! View our

   interview resources or make an appointment if you have questions.

Once you have confirmed an internship, the next step is to submit the application for 3 elective credits. This must be submitted by add/drop deadline for the semester you are doing the internship, and before you start the internship:

1. Select a Faculty Internship Advisor- this can be your regular advisor or another full-time faculty member in your major. They have final approval on academic credit for the internship, and will give a grade at the end of the internship.

2. To submit your application for credit, login to Handshake with your usual MassArt web ID and password:

   Select to “Career Center” in the menu on the left and then select the “Experiences” button in the middle of the page

   Select “Submit an Experience” button in the center of the page

   A form will appear- complete it with as much detail as possible. This is what your faculty internship advisor will review to determine if it is approved for credit.

   Then click “Submit an Experience” to submit the form.

3. Career Development will then review the information you submitted and be in touch if there are any questions.

4. Next, it will be set for approvals by email and *in order* to (1) your internship supervisor, (2) faculty internship advisor, (3) any other approvers, if needed, and then (4) to the Registrar’s office. This process moves as quickly as each reviewer responds to the email. If a person does not respond, it delays the entire process.

5. After you have submitted the form, you can go to the Experiences section on Handshake at any time to see your internship details, documents, and approval status.

Once you register your internship for credit, it is a class! The internship syllabus covers what is expected and the requirements during your internship for credit. Here are the key things to know:

• Assignments: During your internship, you will complete a midterm and final progress evaluation. Your internship supervisor will also complete a midterm and final evaluation for you. These are required for your grade
• You faculty internship advisor may give additional assignments
• Take a photo of you “in action,” here are some examples.
• At the end of the internship, your faculty internship advisor will review the four evaluations and any additional assignments and give a grade.

If you have any questions or issues, or there are changes to your internship hours or status, please contact Career Development immediately for assistance.