High-quality internships foster student development by bringing theories and classroom-based learning to life in real-world settings. Furthermore, internships give students the opportunity to explore careers related to their major, gain relevant experience in their field(s) of interest, and develop a better understanding of what is expected in a workplace by performing the tasks of a professional.
Students in the School of Human Ecology are required to complete an internship as part of their degree requirements. This means that the student will work in an internship, while simultaneously taking a 3-credit internship course.
Read on for more information about the internship-for-credit criteria and process.
Searching for an Internship
Looking to develop an internship search strategy? Use this worksheet to plan out your strategy and search plan, and check out our Job & Internship Search Resources page to start the process.
Students must:
- Be enrolled in one of the six SoHE majors.
- Have at least junior standing (54 credits completed prior to the internship).
- Have completed prerequisite coursework if applicable.
- Community & Nonprofit Leadership: N/A
- Consumer Behavior & Marketplace Studies: Cnsr Sci 257
- Human Development & Family Studies: N/A
- Interior Architecture: DS 322
- Personal Finance: Cnsr Sci 275
- Textiles & Fashion Design: N/A
- Work a minimum of 150 hours at the internship site.
- Have an on-site supervisor that is not a relative.
- Develop and complete an independent project.
Internships must:
- Directly relate to the major.
- Provide a clear and detailed job description.
- Emphasize training, learning, and development.
- Not include more than 25% solicitation or prospecting, sales associate duties or cashiering, or clerical/reception duties.
- Occur while student is enrolled in the internship course.
- Last at least 12 weeks over the fall/spring term.
- Last at least 6 weeks over the summer term.
Process
- Meet with your Career Advisor to develop an internship search plan about 6 months before you plan on completing the internship.
- Begin searching for an internship a few months before your desired start date.
- Apply, interview, get hired.
- After you’ve accepted an internship offer, complete the internship verification form no later than 1 week before the semester begins. If you need an extension, please reach out to careers@sohe.wisc.edu. There are no guarantees that an extension will be approved.
- Once you submit the verification form, your supervisor will be emailed a form to get their approval as the supervisor of your experience. It is imperative that this step is completed in a timely manner. Otherwise, your approval process will be delayed.
- Once we receive that form, we will begin to review your internship verification form submission.
- To check the status of your Internship Verification Form, visit the Status Checker.
- If your internship is approved, you will be emailed with permission to add the concurrent internship course for your major (3 credits) to your schedule.
Internships abroad
- All in-person internships abroad must be vetted through the International Internships department and students will take their Worldwide Internship Program course, which can count for your SoHE internship requirement.
- If the internship is in conjunction with your study abroad program and you’re taking an internship course as part of your program, connect with careers@sohe.wisc.edu to explore getting your study abroad course substituted for your SoHE internship requirement.
- If the internship is virtual with an organization abroad, you do not need to work with IIP. You’ll just take your internship for credit with SoHE.
- International students, please connect with your career advisor and/or International Student Services (ISS) to explore this. Different regulations may apply due to your student visa.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Does the experience need to be called an internship to be considered for credit?
No. We focus primarily on the role/duties and the training provided when reviewing experiences for approval.
Am I taking an actual course?
Yes. Students with approved internships must enroll in the appropriate 3-credit internship course and complete assignments while engaged in the internship. A letter grade is assigned upon completion of coursework and required internship site hours. Students must commit to the full course duration regardless of the internship duration.
When can I take the internship course?
Internship courses are offered in fall, spring, and summer. Students must have completed at least 54 credits to qualify for the internship course.
How many credits is the internship course?
The internship course is always worth 3-credit hours.
Can I do more than one internship for credit?
Yes. Students can take the internship course in their major up to 2 times, assuming the second internship meets the criteria and is a distinctly different experience than the first.
We encourage students to complete multiple internships, but only one needs to be taken for credit.
When is the deadline to apply for credit?
Students must submit the internship verification form no later than 1 week prior to the start of the term in which they enroll in the internship course. Please see official term dates and deadlines on the Office of the Registrar’s website. Internships do not need to be secured by a student’s class registration date since the courses are permission only.
If you need an extension on the internship verification form, please reach out to careers@sohe.wisc.edu. Please note that there is no guarantee that an extension will be granted.
Do I have to pay tuition for the internship course?
Yes. During the academic year, students will see no cost difference if enrolled in 12-18 credits. During the summer term, students pay for 3 credits, but there are many scholarship opportunities available. Tuition rates can be found here and information on scholarships can be found on our Scholarships page.
Can I do a virtual internship for credit?
Yes! Virtual or remote internships are a great way to practice what you’re learning in the classroom and build professional skills. To ensure a quality experience in the virtual environment, we will ask additional questions about supervision, communication, and feedback in your internship verification form.
Check out our Virtual Internships Resource Guide for more tips to succeed in the virtual/remote environment.
Can I get paid for my internship?
Absolutely! Students may take an internship-for-credit and get compensated. While a paid internship is not required, we encourage students to seek out opportunities where they will be fairly compensated for their time and contributions.
If you have an internship that is uncompensated or uncompensated (or are considering one), please take advantage of our SoHE Internship Scholarships (available year round) or chat with your career advisor.
I am an international student. What do I need to consider as I plan for my internship experience?
Check out our International Student Internship Guide!
This guide is intended to help international students through the required internship process for the School of Human Ecology. The timeline in the guide is a general outline of the steps involved and when to do them. Please note that this timeline is just a framework to help you start to think about internships. Your individual internship search process may vary depending on the types of internships you look for and when you begin the process
Internship Sites Around the World
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Personal Finance
Interior Architecture
Human Development & Family Studies
Cnsr Behavior & Marketplace Studies
Community & Nonprofit Leadership
Textiles & Fashion Design
Students at the School of Human Ecology participate in internships around the world. This map showcases the internship sites students have interned at over the past few years. To learn more about the internship sites and employers, expand the map in the upper right hand corner and filter by your major!