Work-based learning experiences can be paid or unpaid, and taken for academic credit or not for credit. 

Internships

The most familiar type of work-based learning is an internship. Internships can be paid or unpaid. They may be in-person or virtual. They may be full-time (such as during the summer) or part-time (such as during the academic semester). An internship typically requires at least 150 hours of work. 

Depending on your degree program, you may be able to earn academic credit for your internship; this usually involves taking a designated course at the same time that you complete the internship. Check with your academic advisor about whether your internship can earn academic credit towards your major or count as an elective. At JMU, some majors require an internship and offer a corresponding internship course (for example, Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication, or WRTC). Other majors, such as Business, do not count internships for academic credit but encourage students to pursue a paid internship for career development.

Log in to Handshake to search for a relevant internship that matches your career idea or interests.

Micro-Internships

If a full internship does not fit into your schedule or meet your financial needs, consider a micro-internship. A micro-internship can be paid or unpaid and focuses on a very focused project. Unlike a full internship, it only takes 10-40 hours of time. Because of the short time, it will not qualify for academic credit, but it allows the participant to connect with a potential employer and learn from a hands-on experience. A micro-internship may be more feasible for students who already have a paid job or for students who have heavy commitments such as being a student-athlete, parent, or caregiver. 

Local businesses may benefit from micro-internships if they have a specific project that a student can learn from but do not have capacity to fund or supervise a full internship. 

Curricular Work-Based Learning Experiences

Some examples of curricular WBLEs are co-ops, a course project that involves partnering with a local business or non-profit, or community-based learning.

Capstones, lab research, clinical rotations, student teaching, and field research may also qualify as work-based learning.

You can look for courses with the WBLE tag when making your course schedule. For undergraduate research opportunities, reach out to a faculty member or the academic unit head in your discipline or area of interest. 

Community-engaged learning, sometimes called service-learning, is an area of strength at JMU thanks to the Community Engagement and Volunteer Center. 

JMU started its first co-op program in Engineering in 2025.

On-Campus Employment as WBLE

Some campus employment opportunities may qualify as work-based learning if there are designated learning objectives, regular supervision, and meaningful reflection activities that help the student draw connections between what they do at work and what they learn in their classes. Ask your supervisor or campus employer whether your position may count as work-based learning. The WBLE Advisory Group has a goal of increasing this type of WBLE at JMU. 

Students benefit from work-based learning by developing career competencies that can be useful in future career and/or public contexts. Students who engage deeply in work-based learning, whether paid or unpaid, have the opportunity to explore different career trajectories and are often able to find more satisfying work as a result.

Research has shown that some work-based learning experiences, such as paid internships, are correlated with higher-paying jobs earlier in one's career. 

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), there are eight core competencies for a career-ready workforce. They include career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, and technology.

The Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (VTOP) offers a free online course to help students develop their career competencies. Register to take the free online course through their website.