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Internship opportunities are centrally coordinated through the Office of Student Success and Engagagement, by the Director of Career Services. Internships are structured and designed so that dual supervision is provided by both an on-site supervisor and a Lakeland College faculty member, and a student is earning academic credit. This type of external study course does require a minimum GPA and junior/senior standing.
Students seeking a credit-bearing internship must contact an Academic Advisor and a Student Success and Engagement Coach at least one semester in advance of the planned internship. Students are encouraged to utilize Career Connect – an online career management tool – to explore opportunities and submit application materials.
Required Process to be Completed by the Registration Deadline
Once an internship is identified and secured, students are expected to report the experience in Career Connect to obtain necessary electronic signatures from all individuals involved - a faculty member, a site supervisor, the Director of Career Services, and the Registrar’s Office. Once all necessary signatures are submitted, a student will then be registered for academic credit. Students must complete this process by the end of the add/drop period for the term in which the internship is to occur.
Any exceptions to the policies will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and must have the written sponsorship of a member of the Lakeland College faculty.
International Students and Curricular Practical Training
Generally, international students in F-1 visa status are eligible to work off-campus in internships under Curricular Practical Training (CPT), if the student and the internship meet certain eligibility requirements. In addition to completing the standard required process to register for an internship experience, the following process must be completed by the registration deadline and prior to beginning work.
- A job offer verification must be completed by the student and the supervisor.
- Complete the Career Connect process.
- Visit the Office of the Registrar where a new I-20 will be processed for CPT authorization. Students may not begin the CPT/internship without a SEVIS I-20 authorizing the internship.
Eligibility Requirements for Internship Courses
Any Lakeland College student who completes the course prerequisites and meets the eligibility requirements listed below may take up to 15 semester hours of course credit from Lakeland College in the form of full-semester internship. The following policy is intended to address all such programs where course credit is awarded through Lakeland College, whether credit-bearing activities are coordinated and evaluated by Lakeland College staff or by the staff of other institutions.
In some exceptional cases, up to 30 semester hours of credit may be awarded for year-long internships, which are required for the completion of an academic major. Where they are part of the standard program offerings of the college, the exceptions to the 15-hour limit on external study will be clearly noted in this course catalog.
- Grade-Point-Average Requirement
Except where other specific GPA requirements are indicated, the student must have an overall Lakeland GPA of at least 2.50 to be eligible for internship credit.
- Enrollment Requirement
To be eligible for internship experience credit from Lakeland College, the student must have completed two full-time semesters or their equivalent (30 semester hours) at Lakeland and must be registered through Lakeland College for that term.
- Contact Hour Requirement
To qualify as an acceptable internship experience, the out-of-classroom coursework must involve a minimum of 50 contact hours of educational activity for each semester hour of credit to be awarded. A minimum of 3/4 of the internship contact hours must be completed within the registered term.
- Approval Requirement
To qualify as an approved internship experience site, the institution or location at which the out-of-classroom coursework is to be completed must have the signed approval of Lakeland’s internship coordinator and a sponsoring member of the Lakeland faculty.
- Financial Aid Eligibility
To be eligible for full financial aid support during the semester in which the internship experience is to occur, the student must be registered as a full-time student through Lakeland College. Students who are registered on a part-time basis may be eligible for partial aid support, but eligibility will vary on a case-by-case basis. In all cases, the Director of Financial Aid will determine financial aid eligibility and level of support.
Internship Opportunities
- Education Internships
Teaching-experience internships are required of all education majors who are seeking teaching certification. Prerequisites are determined and arrangements are made within the Education Division, and all inquiries should be directed to the chair of the division.
- Semester Internships
Internships may be taken for 1 to 15 semester hours of credit in any one semester and are available to all eligible students through application to the internship coordinator. An overall GPA of 2.5 or better and junior or senior standing are prerequisites. A minimum of 3/4 of the internship contact hours must be completed within the registered term.
- May Term Internship
While internships are periodically offered during May Term, finding project-based work for such an experience may be difficult due to May Term’s short time frame and the limited benefit host organizations receive. To be eligible for a May Term internship, students must meet all previously stated guidelines. It is recommended that graduating seniors do not rely on a May Term internship to complete his/her degree requirements if planning a spring graduation. A minimum of 3/4 of the internship contact hours must be completed within the three (3) week May Term.
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