Professional Development and Engagement - Internships for Academic Credit
Internships and externships are important steps in preparing for a career in your field of study. They can also enhance your transcript and even be used as course credit.
The economics, management and marketing departments award academic credit for internship experiences, and the CIS department offers transcript acknowlgement of your internship. The basic requirements for the CoB and further requirements for each individual department are as follows:
Economics | Management | Marketing | Computer Information Systems*
- Find an internship in any state that is a member affiliate of NC Sara, currently any state except for California.
- Internships will be three credit hours per experience.
- Internships in more than one program are permitted. However, double counting (i.e., receiving credit for one experience in more than one program) is not permitted.
- Interns must complete at least 200 hours work experience to receive three hours of credit.
- Interns must have at least junior standing.
- Internships must be approved in advance, and the intern must register for class credit during the work experience. The intern must also adhere to all application requirements of the program that grants the credit hours.
- Each program shall require at least one program evaluation by the intern's immediate supervisor.
- Internships require a final written paper and exit interview with the department's internship coordinator.
Credit for internships in economics is handled through ECON 394: Economics Internship. Internships are subject to CoB and economics department requirements as follows:
- The internship experience must involve analytical thinking, and the nature of the internship experience must be approved before the student registers for the course. An internship should involve some clearly identifiable analytical thinking that is similar to what would be experienced in an economics course.
- A written statement from, or phone conversation with, the organization employing the intern is necessary to verify the nature of the responsibilities expected of the intern. If these are deemed sufficiently analytical, a course approval form can be signed and the student can register.
- There should be a minimum of 200 supervised hours.
- A journal must be kept and turned in to help document what happened.
- A supervisor's report - either in writing or through a phone call - is a requirement for an internship and an important part of the evaluation process that leads to a grade for the course.
- A student paper plays a role in eliciting the analytical thinking that the internship experience should create to warrant academic credit; therefore, a paper is a requirement for internship credit. The specifics of the paper should depend on the nature of the internship responsibilities of the student but should be explicitly included in the approval form that is signed before registration.
Need help? Contact the internship coordinator, professor Dr. Andre Neveu (neveuax@jmu.edu), for questions about the application process and course requirements, or to discuss an internship.
Management students are encouraged to complete one or more internships before graduating. Students can earn academic credit, which will count as a management elective, by completing MGT 494: Management Internship.
Internships for credit courses in the management program provide an opportunity for students to develop and apply their management coursework in a real business setting. The objective of the internship is to provide students with an opportunity to synthesize classroom theory and real-life experience and apply management skills in an organizational setting. Requirements of an internship for credit course include:
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.8 or higher prior to the start of the internship.
- Junior standing or permission of the internship coordinator.
- Completion and submission of the Management Internship application materials to the Management Internship Coordinator.
- Approval of the application prior to the start of the internship.
- Registration for course credit for the semester in which the internship hours are completed.
- A minimum of 200 hours of work experience during the internship experience.
- A performance evaluation by the intern’s immediate supervisor done prior to the end of the internship, and submitted to the Management Internship Coordinator.
- A detailed activity log and weekly journal compiled by the student during the internship.
- A final written paper based on the internship experience.
- Participation in an exit interview with the Management Faculty Internship Coordinator.
Need help? Contact the internship coordinator, professor Dr. Dan Zisk (ziskds@jmu.edu), for questions about the application process and course requirements, or to discuss an internship.
Marketing students can earn three academic credits for work associated with an internship through MKTG 494: Marketing Internship, which counts as a marketing elective for all marketing majors.
To earn three credit hours for the MKTG 494 course, students must meet all the following requirements:
- Students are responsible for securing an internship of their choice. Many current and known internships are posted on Handshake as well as the JMU Marketing Opportunities Canvas course. Contact Professor Canessa Collins (collincn@jmu.edu) if you need assistance looking for other opportunities.
- If you have an internship lined up and are ready to apply for the class, complete the MKTG 494 Application.
- If you need help finding an internship, complete the Internship Interest Survey so that Professor Collins can provide help in finding an internship.
- Important deadlines are listed below and are strictly enforced.
- Receive an email message from the internship coordinator, Professor Collins, that indicates acceptance or non-acceptance. If accepted, the marketing advisor, Ms. Bradshaw, will provide an email approval for an override that allows you to register for the MKTG 494 class.
- Students are responsible for registering for MKTG 494 in MyMadison based on the calendar dates and deadlines set forth by the JMU Registrar.
- Pay in-state, or out-of-state, tuition for the 3-hour credit class, whichever is applicable.
- Work a minimum of 200 on-the-job hours during the span of the internship with 80% of the job responsibilities being marketing related.
- Fulfill all course-related assignments and requirements as outlined in the MKTG 494 Syllabus.
Need help? Contact the internship coordinator, Professor Canessa Collins (collincn@jmu.edu), for questions about the application process and course requirements, or to discuss an internship.
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Internship Interest Survey - Only if you do not have an internship lined up |
October 1, 2022 |
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MKTG 494 Application Due - Internship must be lined up |
November 1, 2022 |
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Students Notified of Acceptance or Non-Acceptance |
November 3, 2022 |
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Special Permission Granted by the ASC to register on your designated registration day the week of registration |
November 5, 2022 |
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Registration Begins |
November 8, 2022 |
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Classes Begin |
January 18, 2023 |
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Internship Interest Survey - Only if you do not have an internship lined up |
January 31, 2023 |
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MKTG 494 Application Due - Internship must be lined up |
March 18, 2023 |
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Students Notified of Acceptance or Non-Acceptance |
March 23, 2023 |
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Special Permission Granted by the ASC to register on your designated registration day the week of registration |
March 25, 2023 |
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Registration Begins |
March 28, 2023 |
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Classes Begin |
May 16, 2023 |
Enroll in CIS 361: Computer Information Systems Internship.
CIS 361 enables students with a major in CIS to receive acknowledgment (*NOT credit hours) on their JMU transcript of successful completion of a information technology-related internship experience. The internship requires 300 hours of approved computer information systems work experience. All students must have declared the CIS major and have completed COB 300. An additional requirement is that your internship supervisor provides feedback on your performance.
The internship transcript acknowledgement requires that:
- You have declared the CIS major and have completed COB 300.
- You complete 300 hours of approved computer information systems work.
- Your internship supervisor provides feedback on your performance.