Internships provide hands-on work experience that connects academic learning with real-world applications and helps students build professional networks. In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), internships can be:
- Located on campus or off campus.
- Paid or unpaid.
- Completed for credit or as a non-credit experience.
Why Complete an Internship?
Internships and other hands-on experiences let you apply your academics to real-world situations, connecting your studies and interests to potential career paths.
Benefits of internships include helping students become career-ready and developing transferable skills. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has identified key skills, known as core competencies, that employers highly value. These competencies include:
- Career and Self Development
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Equity and Inclusion
- Leadership
- Professionalism
- Teamwork
- Technology
As a UConn student, you develop these skills through your academic experiences, projects, work opportunities, and campus involvement. Internships allow you to refine and apply these competencies, preparing you for the workforce or graduate school.
Earning Credit for Your Internship
CLAS students may apply up to 15 internship credits toward the minimum number of credits required for graduation. Some restrictions may apply. Consult with your major advisor or the CLAS Academic Services Center to discuss earning credits for an internship. Please refer to the CLAS Internship Policy for more details.
Most CLAS programs offer course credit for internships. The Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills also offers a one-credit course available to students in any major. For a complete list of CLAS majors and minors that include internship courses, please visit the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills website.
Finding an Internship
There are many ways to find internships. Here are a few places to start:
Department Resources and Internship Programs
Many departments maintain a list of active internships sites or popular opportunities, along with instructions on how to apply. Some also offer specialized internship programs. Visit your department’s website or contact your major advisor for more information.
Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills
The Center provides resources on finding internships or co-ops and earning course credit for your internship. They can also help you prepare for an interview and develop your resume and cover letter.
Find Your Own Internship
You are also welcome to find your own internships with an organization, an agency, or a business of your choice.
If you find your own internship and you would like to earn credit for the internship, please consult with an academic advisor about how to earn course credit before you apply for the internship. If your major offers course credit for your internship, then your internship must be approved before you begin the internship.
Your advisor can also provide tips on how to represent your internship experience on a resume.