Internships are hands-on experiences that relate to a specific major or career interest and usually involve training and responsibilities for which the student has already completed appropriate academic coursework. An internship may be full-time or part-time for the duration of a semester or summer. Internships can be paid or unpaid. Mount students may also register to receive college credits for an internship.
Four Mount students explain why they think internships are important, and what they learned from their experiences in fields from public service to law and business to the environment.
Excited to start your internship and earn academic credit for it? Be sure to read about the credit-based internship program through the policies and guidelines document. Make sure to submit your learning agreement to the Career Center before the term's registration deadline. Undergraduate deadline dates usually take place during add/drop week, and graduate deadline dates are usually set for two weeks prior to the term's start date.
Students are responsible for ensuring that all information is complete and accurate. Failure to submit a complete learning agreement or registration items (if needed) by the internship registration deadline date may result in denial of credit registration.
Registering an internship starts with completing the credit-based internship learning agreement.
“An internship is an opportunity to create a stepping stone toward a great career. I am thankful that Mount St. Mary’s provided resources that allowed me to easily discover and prepare for my internship. The staff focuses on working with employers and students to develop a unique opportunity of learning and professional development that will prepare you for the future."
An internship is an essential experience to complement your Mount education. That is why the Career Center has dedicated resources for students and alumni looking for the right match.
"I’ve met with community-based organization (nonprofits) leaders/founders and have been given several opportunities to attend high-level meetings with officials and community navigators. The Mount has instilled within me the importance of moral integrity; I am able to better understand the importance of the work being done at my internship site and move toward the furtherance of collective action."
Not sure how to get started with getting an internship? The Career Center staff helps students prepare resumes, provides resources and information on how to find internship sites, and gives advice on how to narrow down your choices or work your personal network. Make an appointment to discuss your next steps in completing an internship or search our internship resource links.
"My internship experience permitted me to learn more about the criminal justice field and to grow personally and professionally. The Mount provided training and answered any and all of the questions I had. As a transfer student, I was not sure what I was getting myself into, but the Career Center walked me through the process."
“You aren’t doing just busy work or being a small part of a bigger picture; you are brought onto a team of very dedicated individuals who rely on your commitment; you are preparing your own lesson plans and instructing the youth most of the time unsupervised, so you are an actual vital piece to the organization’s success."
While all internships involve a great deal of personal commitment, an international internship promises to be even more challenging and rewarding. Many international organizations offer students significant responsibilities and experiences that cannot be taught in a classroom. Former Mount students who have interned abroad have regarded these higher levels of responsibility and expectations to be some of the best experiences of the trip—outside of the chance for traveling and exploring a different country. Interning abroad helps students develop personal strengths and skills that are useful in marketing themselves for future job opportunities.
Contact the Career Center if you’re interested in interning abroad.
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“Studying abroad is about challenging yourself and stretching your limits. I have experienced this in many ways in London, but especially through my internship. This opportunity has given me a taste of how a business outside of the U.S. operates, which is valuable knowledge considering how global and interconnected the business world has become. When I get back to the states, I will bring this knowledge and sense of confidence with me and use it as I prepare for my career.”
Reading about how to get an internship is one thing—sometimes you just want to see where others have been. Here are some sample internships from Mount students: