Interdisciplinary Studies Internships

To qualify for an internship, you must:

• Be a registered UT Dallas undergraduate, graduate or non-degree seeking student
• Have completed at least 12 hours at UT Dallas
• Have a minimum 2.60 GPA in your major and 2.30 overall at UT Dallas
• Discuss internship site possibilities with the internships director
• Present a complete application with accompanying documents

Before you apply, make an appointment with the internship director to discuss your interests, possible sites and schedule for the next semester.

You may do an internship in a company where you currently employed. To qualify as an internship, you must be undertaking a new learning experience and learning new skills, which you must include in your letter of intent. Some suitable situations might be broadening your responsibilities, undergoing training for a new position or transferring to a different function in the company.

An internship, in general:

• Relates to your interdisciplinary concentration or major.
• Takes place during the your junior or senior year.
• Is taken in conjunction with no more than 12 additional hours of course work during the semester.
• Requires that you maintain a minimum of 140 hours of supervised work for 3 credits (280 for 6), about 10 hours per week for the 14 weeks of a regular semester. You will document these hours and other observations in a journal.
• Requires that you do academic work agreed on with a faculty supervisor: usually a 10-page paper and a reflective journal. All hours must be documented (in the required journal) and your supervisor must supply all required performance evaluations.
• Carries 1-6 hours credit.

Finding an Internship

Early in the semester preceding the internship semester, decide what sort of internship you would like to do and how it relates to your major. You can begin an internship at any time during the semester (with prior approval) and register for the next formal semester, unless you are an international student doing Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

• Use contacts through family, friends, volunteer work, professors in the field, or your own initiative to set up interviews and find your own internship site. Many students already have the contacts to do this, particularly in specialized fields. Use all the resources you have.
• Visit the Career Center. The Center keeps listings of paid jobs, co-ops and internships, which may qualify for credit. Register with their office to use their resources. Placements found through the Co-op office can also be used for credit as an internship (or for co-op credit).

Complete the internship application and submit it to HH 2.110, or mail to the following address:
Internship Program
The University of Texas at Dallas
800 W Campbell Road, HH30
Richardson, TX 75080

You may apply to start an internship at any time. If it is too late to register for the current semester long term, you may register for a second eight-week section or the following semester. However, international students must be concurrently registered.

Note:Internship hours are not recorded until the application is formally accepted.

When a site agrees to host you as an intern, the site supervisor must fill out our supervisor approval form, or send a letter on company letterhead to the internship director.

If you are doing an internship at your regular workplace, the letter must also mention the new responsibilities or skills you will be learning as part of your internship.

Your employer may contact the internship director with questions.

To receive credit for an internship, you must file your application, complete with signatures from your site sponsor. You only receive credit for hours worked after you have received formal approval from the internship office.

After your internship has been approved by the internship director, you will receive registration information and an assignment packet. If you have not received your assignment packet by the beginning of the semester, contact our office.

Note: BIS 4V04 is an academic course taken for university credit. You must pay for this course at the Bursar's office after you register.

You will find important internship information on eLearning such as:

• Internship Grading
• Journal Keeping
• Internship Paper Guidelines
• Rules of Writing
• Internship checklist
• How to format Your references

Site Supervisor

• Assigns work that develops professional skills
• Makes sure you complete the work assignments satisfactorily
• Certifies that the work experience has been a learning experience that will contribute to your career aspirations

Internship Director

• Serves as supervising faculty.
• Gives academic assignments (usually reading assignments, a journal, and written assignments requiring either library research or research at the work site).
• Decides on the grade for an internship, based on the student’s academic accomplishment and the site supervisor's evaluation.
• Certifies that the internship merits the hours of academic credit.
• Meets you and your fellow interns as a group for orientation and midterm to discuss assignments and career issues.
• Handles problems or concerns about your internship.

Both you and the site supervisor are required to complete an evaluation of the internship experience.

Information for Applying

Internship Application (word document)
Intern Application Supervisor Form (PDF)
Indemnification Form (PDF)

During Your Intern Semester

Student Learning Agreement (PDF)
Midterm Evaluation for Supervisors (PDF)
Final Evaluation for Supervisors (PDF)
Paid Internship Information (PDF)
Unpaid Interns Information (PDF)