Internship Guidance

Elements of a Well-Coordinated Internship

The internship is a relevant discipline-related supervised work experience with intentional learning outcomes and goals for students. Our students can greatly benefit from engaging in a well-coordinated and meaningful internship that is carefully planned and monitored by a UMD internship coordinator in collaboration with internal and external partners. 

A well-coordinated internship includes the following elements: 

• The student directly learns from a professional in his/her intended career field.
• The student receives regular mentoring through weekly in-person meetings or video conferencing.
• The internship site provides educationally enriching projects tied to learning objectives.
• The internship has a mentor who provides quality training, supervision, and evaluation. 

For best practices in remote work during internship experiences, please view the “virtual internships” section in our Internship Guide for Employers.

Internship Guidance During Extenuating Circumstances

There are times, such as the recent pandemic, when traditional on-site internships cannot be accommodated. The following guidelines apply to such circumstances to allow for the completion of the internship as long as clear safety precautions are in place and all parties agree to adhere to those precautions.  These guidelines reflect key UMD principles guiding decision-making: 

1. Prioritize the health and safety of every member of our campus community;
2. Protect and support the educational and research missions to maintain academic excellence;
3. Make decisions grounded in our values of equity and inclusion;
4. Provide timely and transparent communication and obtain input from internal and external stakeholders about the proposed reopening plans.

ACADEMIC CREDIT Internships*

This section provides guidance for students engaging in an internship for academic credit. When a significant disruption prevents a traditional on-site internship from taking place, the student should first contact his/her university instructor serving as the UMD academic internship coordinator to discuss options. In some cases, this discussion will include the internship host or supervisor from the site where the internship was to take place.  Two options are possible: 

Option 1: Converting an in-person internship to a virtual format.

If the internship host is able to assign remote projects and work responsibilities and provide mentoring virtually, the internship may proceed. The student, UMD internship coordinator/instructor and  internship supervisor/host should agree on the alternative arrangements.

Option 2: Alternate approaches to obtain academic credit.

If completing an internship remotely is not an option, the intern should alert the internship supervisor to explore alternative learning activities that may substitute for the internship experience. If alternative learning opportunities cannot be accommodated, withdrawal from the course or changing the grading option may be considered. 

Please note that if the student cannot or is not comfortable continuing in-person (presuming the internship site is open), he/she should immediately speak with the internship supervisor.

*Including 099 courses.

NON-ACADEMIC CREDIT Internships

If the internship is NOT for academic credit, the student and internship supervisor/employer should decide on an appropriate course of action. There are two possible approaches: (1) arrange for remote project-based work, and (2) conclude the internship.

Please note that a student who is in a paid internship but not receiving academic credit is considered to be independently employed and should discuss any employment matters related to COVID-19 with their employer. The University is not a party to, and has no control over, a private employment relationship.

If additional guidance is needed, please reach out to: 

Erin Rooney-Eckel
Senior Associate Director 
University Career Center & the President’s Promise
erooney@umd.edu

Last updated January 2023