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Internship Guidelines

Student at Internship

Purpose  |  Learning Objectives  |  Eligibility  |  Mentorship  |  Internship Employer  |  Tasks  |  Hours  |  Semesters  |  Deadlines  |  Location  |  Equipment  |  Compensation  |  Credit  |  Graduate Internship Policy

Purpose

The MassArt internship program provides structured internship experiences for academic credit that help prepare MassArt students for careers. Through internships, students can apply their skills and experience in a professional environment, acquire business skills, explore potential career paths, and start building a professional network.

Learning Objectives

When you register your internship you will be asked to articulate your learning objectives and the career goals you expect to achieve during your internship. Your chosen Faculty Internship Advisor will review your learning objectives and career goals for connections to your academic coursework.

Eligibility

  • You must be an active current MassArt student enrolled in a degree program in order to register an internship for credit
  • Students taking a leave of absence are not eligible to register an internship for credit
  • Most undergraduate students choose to complete internships after their sophomore year through the first semester of their senior year
  • Contact the Internship Manager in Career Development with questions about special circumstances

Mentorship

  • You must be mentored and supervised by a professional on staff who has expertise in the area of your internship. (Example: a photography intern must be mentored by a professional photographer on staff.) This is similar to a teacher-student relationship but with a working professional in your field.
  • The supervisor will offer training and routine feedback
  • The supervisor will complete a midterm and final evaluation of your progress during the internship

INTERNSHIP EMPLOYER

  • The internship employer may be a business, organization, or professional artist
  • The internship employer must have an established history and business operations. (Example: For businesses and cultural organizations, this means having a business location, a demonstrated history of providing products, services, or public engagement. For a professional artists, this may include having a professional studio, grants, residencies, commissions, publications, teaching and a history of exhibits, programs or events.)

Tasks

Internships tasks must be pre-professional, art and design related, and clearly defined at the start of the internship.

Hours

  • You must complete 135 hours of internship related work within 15 consecutive weeks. Internship hours beyond 135 are not eligible for additional credit
  • Your internship work schedule is determined between you and your Company Internship Supervisor
  • Typical students intern 10-20 per week during the Fall and Spring semesters. Over the summer semester there is more flexibility. Students cannot intern more than 40 hours per week

Semesters

  • You may complete an internship during the Spring, Summer, or Fall semesters
  • There is no tuition cost to do a summer internship for credit for undergraduate students

Deadlines

  • You must register for credit before beginning your internship and before the add/drop deadline of the semester. All internship hours and work must be completed by the end of the semester
  • Contact Career Development with any questions about special circumstances

Location

  • The internship employer must be an established business, organization, or artist with a business location/address.
  • Remote internships for academic credit are permitted for through the Summer 2021 semester.

Equipment

  • The company/organization must provide the necessary resources, equipment, and software needed for the internship
  • Use of MassArt equipment or facilities is not permitted

Compensation

  • Internships can be paid or unpaid
  • You can register either a paid or unpaid internship for credit

Credit

  • You must be a currently enrolled MassArt student matriculated in a degree or certificate program in order to register an internship for credit
  • Eligible internships may be registered for 3 elective credits
  • Once you have confirmed an internship, you will apply for credit and go through an approval process and the Registrar's office will register your internship for credit
  • Your faculty internship advisor has final approval on credit for your internship
  • To receive credit, you must register before starting your internship and by the add/drop deadline for the semester; internship credit cannot be given retroactively
  • You can register either a paid or unpaid internship for credit
  • There is no tuition cost for undergraduate students to register a summer internship for credit
  • You must register your internship for credit for you to be eligible for any available internship awards

    Graduate Internship Policy

    • The graduate program follows the BFA internship guidelines and process listed above, but with minor differences and specifications which are listed here in the Graduate Internship Policy