Welcome! Completing an internship is a great opportunity for your career development. This experience allows you to dive into the world of work to build your skillset and find out what you like, and don’t like (which is great to learn before graduation). Use the guide below to navigate your internship for credit experience:
Step 1: Find an Internship
Apply for an internship just as you would apply for a job after graduation. Follow this checklist as a guide to help you locate and land an internship for credit:
- Prepare your Career Search Tool Kit (resume, cover letter, Handshake profile, LinkedIn profile, interview prep, etc.)
- Search for opportunities through online strategies as well as through networking
- Online Strategies
- Handshake (smumn.joinhandshake.com)
- Aggregate Web sites (Indeed.com, Careerbuilder.com, etc.)
- Industry and other Niche Job Boards (Justtechjobs.com, Idealist.org, etc.)
- Networking Strategies
- Career Fairs (posted in Handshake)
- Connect with faculty, professionals in the field, family and friends
- LinkedIn and other social media outlets
- Connect with your faculty advisor (or department chair) to discuss an internship for credit. Be sure to include such topics as:
- Is this a fit with my major and career plans?
- Where have previous students from this department conducted internship in the past? Take a look at our collections
- Would this internship for credit serve as a graduation requirement, general elective, a substitution for a course in the major?
- Would the internship follow the university guidelines for grading (1st 3 credits for a Letter Grade (A,B,C), all credits above 3 for a Pass/No Credit grade?
- Ask for assistance in developing the Learning Plan for your internship.
- Online Strategies
Are there any special programs with whom SMUMN partners?
The Washington Center Internship Program combines real-world work experience with academic learning in a unique environment that fosters success and achievement. For one semester, students can work and earn college credits in their chosen academic field in the heart of the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. Internships can be arranged in government agencies or in private non-profit organizations and are available for all majors.
The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Medical Examiner Office Internship – Forensic Science Rotation (Minnesota). This internship brings students who are interested in the field of pathology or more specifically, forensics, into the medical examiner’s office. It introduces a variety of the responsibilities and career opportunities surrounding being a medicolegal death investigator, autopsy technologist, pathologists’ assistant, pathologist, or medical examiner. The Medical Examiner’s Office Internship admits one trainee each semester. Up to five candidates are accepted on a competitive basis each year.
Step 2: Read The Guidelines & Policies
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), an internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional workplace setting (across in-person, remote, or hybrid modalities). Internships provide students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience, develop social capital, explore career fields, and make connections in professional fields.
An internship should include:
- A learning experience with a real-world opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or replace the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
- Learned skills and knowledge that are transferable to other employment settings.
- A defined beginning and end that is mutually agreed upon and consistent with institutional sponsor guidelines and schedules.
- A position description with clear responsibilities and required/desired qualifications.
- Clearly defined learning objectives/goals supportive of the student’s academic program goals and institutional requirements.
- Direct supervision by a professional(s) with relevant expertise and educational and/or professional experience who provides productive feedback, guidance, and the resources and equipment necessary to successfully complete the assignment.
Why Would I Do An Internship?
Benefits of an internship are vast. An internship gives you the opportunity to:
- Receive financial compensation (depending on site).
- Apply classroom knowledge in a workplace environment.
- Gain valuable hands-on work experience.
- Choose specific learning objectives so that you walk away with skills in that field.
- Test personal aptitudes, abilities, and interests in relation to your career choice.
- Achieve personal growth by improving your interpersonal skills, confidence, and decision-making in a lower stakes setting.
- Receive structured support and guidance through the class to stay focused on your goals
- Develop reference and professional contacts (networking), which may lead to future job offers.
- Gain job search skills.
- Obtain academic credit.
Students may choose to participate in an internship on their own or for college credit. While different majors approach the internship experience in different ways (for example, some majors require an internship for credit, while others allow & encourage them without requiring them), you can receive the first three credits for a letter grade (A,B,C, etc.), or for a Pass/ No Credit Grade (P/NC). You may earn a maximum of 17 credits toward your major.
The following programs have these set outlines for their students completing an internship as part of a degree requirement:
- Criminal Justice: Students must complete at least 270 hours (1 credit minimum)
- Health Humanities: Students must complete at least 90 hours (2 credits)
- Psychology: Students must complete at least 315 hours (1 credit minimum)
- Sport Management: Students must complete at least 90 hours (One 2 credit internship or two 1 credit internships)
As a reminder every credit = a minimum of 45 contact hours. If you have questions about your program requirements, please connect with your faculty advisor.
Am I eligible to participate in an internship for credit?
In order to participate, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Students must have completed 56 or more semester credit hours (Junior or Senior classification).
- Students must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA and a 2.0 major GPA. [NOTE: Some departments require higher GPA’s to be eligible for an internship. Check with your department]
- Students must have at least 12 credits completed in their major.
- Students must be enrolled at Saint Mary’s at least one year prior to participating in an internship.
- Students must register for their internship at least four weeks prior to the start of the internship semester.
- Students must obtain approval from the designated academic department internship supervisor.
What are the policies and procedures for an internship for credit?
- Between 1–17 credits can be obtained for an internship, depending on your department. Credit is awarded based on the following formula: 45 contact hours = 1 credit hour.
- A student enrolled in 3 credits must complete at least 135 hours. A student enrolled in 1 credit could still complete 135 hours at their site, but they just need to meet the minimum amount of 45 hours.
- Your academic department determines the number of internship credits applicable to the fulfillment of an academic major and can range from 0 –17 credits. The distribution between graded and ungraded internship credits will be as follows unless specific departmental guidelines have been established: three credits graded; remaining credits will be Pass/No Credit.
- The number of internship credits for which a student registers is based on a number of factors including: departmental curriculum requirements, duration of the internship and the intern’s time commitment, a student’s concurrent course load, the number of elective credits desired, and credits previously earned through experiential education. Seventeen credits is the maximum a student can earn for any combination of internship and field exploration experiences throughout their academic career.
- Absolutely no retroactive credits will be awarded. Internships need to be approved and registered for prior to the start of the internship. You are not allowed to start working at your internship site until you have completed the paperwork and registered for academic credit. Any hours worked prior to registration for credit will not be counted as part of your internship.
- Students must carry 12 credits to maintain full-time student status while on an internship. In some instances, state regulations governing financial aid mandate that students register for 15 credits.
- Students may not participate in an internship where members of the immediate family either partially or wholly own the business. In addition, students may not participate in an internship where a member of the student’s immediate family supervises, oversees, or evaluates the student performance during the internship.
- To maximize the learning experience (and financial aid when applicable), students should complete registration for an internship PRIOR TO THE DROP/ADD DATE FOR THE SEMESTER. Registering after the drop/add date will incur a late registration fee of $50. Students may not request to register an internship after the midpoint of the semester or summer.
- Internships are normally limited to one academic term or the summer period. Some special placements require longer time commitments than one term. Should an internship extend longer than the summer or an academic term, additional credit (not to exceed the 17 credit maximum) may be negotiated for the following term if the faculty supervisor approves.
- Should early termination of an internship appear necessary, either by the intern or the sponsoring organization, you must give at least two weeks written notice to the site, faculty supervisor, and the Director of Career Services. You should remember that all students submit a Learning Contract, signed by the intern, the site supervisor, and the faculty supervisor. This form reflects a commitment to fulfill the prescribed program of internship for the entire period. The commitment should be honored except in extraordinary circumstances.
- If the student is involuntarily terminated from his/her internship, the faculty supervisor and department chair will determine if any credit will be awarded after a discussion with the student and site supervisor.
What are the costs and other financial considerations associated with an internship for credit?
PROGRAM COST AND FEES
- Fees for internship credits are the same for course work. Refer to the Tuition and Fees page for costs. Please note that the tuition rate during summer is on a per credit basis. Contact Cardinal Central for questions regarding summer tuition, fees and financial aid.
- Refer to the university catalog for other fees that may be assessed while you are off campus (registration/housing confirmation deposits, graduation fee, transcript fee, etc.).
FINANCIAL AID
- Any financial aid you receive is applicable toward expenses associated with an “approved” academic credit internship. If, however, you wish to increase your aid package to accommodate unusual costs (ex. transportation), you must contact the Financial Aid Office to determine your eligibility.
- If needed, students should pick up the FAFSA or any other form from the Financial Aid Office before leaving campus. Should these not be available before you leave campus, request that they be forwarded to you.
- Interns are responsible for all other expenses involved in an internship: telephone, insurance (if required), housing, food, transportation, uniforms, personal expenses, etc. Interns not living on campus or taking SMUMN courses while interning are exempt from the “On-Campus Activity Fee.”
- Students are not eligible to register for an internship until the Business Office has cleared prior tuition obligations. Transcripts and/or semester grades cannot be released so long as a balance remains on a student account.
OPTIONAL FORMS/SERVICES
- OFF CAMPUS HOUSING DURING FALL OR SPRING SEMESTER
- The housing request form (available through the Residence Life Office) needs to be completed by those students who will be off-campus during an academic term and who desire campus housing for a subsequent term. This form should be submitted directly to the Office of Residence Life. Please refer to the housing assignment guidelines available through Residence Life for additional information.
- ON-CAMPUS HOUSING OPTION FOR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS
- You may be eligible for summer housing on Saint Mary’s campus provided that your summer internship is within a reasonable commuting distance from the Saint Mary’s Winona campus. Costs and restrictions apply. Contact Residence Life for more details if you are interested in learning more about this housing option.
- COURSE REGISTRATION FOR A SUBSEQUENT SEMESTER
- If you will be off campus for the entire semester you are interning you will need to work with the Student Success Center to assist with your registration. Your registration as an intern is not given special consideration should you miss the published deadlines. In other words, your registration “priority” is the same as if you were on campus.
- To facilitate your registration, you are encouraged to identify courses you will need to take for a subsequent semester in conjunction with your academic advisor. Identifying one or two alternatives in the case of schedule conflicts is also recommended.
Step 3: Submit Your Experience in Handshake
Registration Key Dates
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | Summer 2027 | |
| Registration Deadline | August 27, 2026 | December 18, 2026 | April 29, 2027 |
| Internship Period | August 31-December 11, 2026 | January 4-April 23, 2027 | May 3-August 6, 2027 |
Step-by-step Registration Guide
Before you complete the form to register for your internship, make sure you have the following information:
YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
- First and last name
- Student email address
- Student address (while participating in the internships)
- Student Phone Number
- Major
- Faculty Advisor
- # of Credits applying for
- Total # of contact hours
YOUR INTERNSHIP SITE INFORMATION
- Which semester are you planning on taking this internship for credit?
- Name of Your Internship Site
- Address of Internship Site
- Will this internship experience be on site, virtual, or hybrid?
- Name of Site Supervisor
- Title/ Role of Site Supervisor
- Email Address of Site Supervisor
- Phone Number of Site Supervisor
- Are you being paid for this internship? (e.g. hourly rate/stipend)
- Will the course be graded or P/NC
- How many credits
YOUR FACULTY AND CONTACT INFORMATION
- Faculty Advisor First and Last name
- Faculty Advisor Email Address
🛑Stop! Make sure you have reviewed the information needed in the drop-down above before moving forward. The application form must be done in one sitting as it does not save any of your answers until it is submitted! If you need to edit your request after you submit the form you can do so, but note, once the experience is approved you will need to contact internships@smumn.edu to make any changes.
Follow the steps below to submit your registration request. We recommend submitting your request 4 weeks prior to the start of the semester to help move your registration process along. Once a decision has been made, you will receive an email notification from Handshake. Be sure to check your course schedule to confirm the registration went through (allow 1–2 business days). Note, you can check the status of your application in Handshake at any time.
⚠ Important: You may not begin your internship until you have received approval and are successfully enrolled in the course. Any hours worked before your approved start date will not be counted toward your credit requirements.
Part 1: Complete Your Learning Plan
The learning plan consists of a description of your internship, the academic component, and evaluation & grading. This MUST be done in order to be approved for an internship. Keep a copy for your records. We recommend using the internship posting/job description to help guide you through the skills you will be developing.
Step a. Download and complete the fillable Learning Plan PDF below. If you need an alternative format, please contact internships@smumn.edu
Part 2: Submit Your Experience in Handshake
Step a. Log into Handshake (https://smumn.joinhandshake.com/edu) using your Saint Mary’s login credentials. First-time users will be prompted to complete a profile — you may skip this for now and return to it anytime by clicking your initials, then selecting My Profile or My Career Interests.
- Note: If you previously opted out of Handshake emails, re-enable them now so you receive important alerts. Go to your initials → Settings to update your email preferences.
Step b. In the left-side menu, click Career Center, then select Experiences, and click the blue “Submit an Experience” button.
Step c. Complete the “Details” section:
- For experience type, select “Winona: Internships for Credit”
- For the term, select the semester in which you will complete your internship
Step d. Enter your Organization & Experience details. Select the employer from the dropdown if it appears — some fields like Industry will auto-fill for employers already in Handshake. If your employer is not listed, enter the information manually; fields that cannot be completed may be left blank.
Step e. Enter your supervisor/approver’s email and contact information. If your supervisor is already in Handshake, their information will auto-fill. Have their contact details ready in case you need to enter them manually.
Step f. Complete all the following sections of the application form, then click “Request Experience” to submit:
- Your Information
- Program Information
- Registration (course code & number, credit hours, and weekly hours)
- Internship Details
- Pre Self-Assessment Survey: Career Competencies
- Liability Agreement
Step g. Upload your completed and signed Learning Plan under “Attachments” in the left-side column of your Handshake Experience.
View a step-by-step tutorial of the Handshake registration process:
Step 4: Review Assignments and Due Dates
As part of the course you will complete midterm and final assignments. Certain programs may have additional assignments as part of the required internship course – please connect with your faculty internship advisor to ensure you are aware of any additional assignments. All internships for credit will require the following:
- Midterm Assignments:
- Midterm Reflection Paper
- Timesheet (or paystub) of completed hours
- Midterm Evaluation (Completed by site supervisor)
- Final Assignments:
- Final Reflection Paper
- Timesheet (or paystub) of completed hours
- Final Evaluation (Completed by site supervisor)
- Post Self-Assessment Evaluation
You will submit your items by sending an email to both your Faculty Internship Advisor and internships@smumn.edu. Note, part of your grade includes an evaluation from your site supervisor. This will be sent to them in an email from Handshake, but it is your responsibility to ensure they complete & review it with you by the due date.
Below you will find the due dates for your midterm and final assignments. We recommend you save these dates in your planner or calendar.
Due Dates
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | Summer 2027 | Fall 2027 | |
| Midterm Due Date | October 23, 2026 | February 26, 2027 | June 18, 2027 | October 22, 2027 |
| Final Due Date | December 11, 2026 | April 23, 2027 | August 6, 2027 | December 10, 2027 |
Need Help?
If you have any questions related to internships, please feel free to contact us at internships@smumn.edu or set up an appointment here.