Policy Statement: An internship provides an applied, supervised experience, normally off campus in business, industry, academe, or government. An internship course bears academic credit (Other non-credit bearing internship experiences may be available to students, e.g., OCAST.)  The intern may receive a salary.  See attached guidelines.

Each department is responsible for developing appropriate supplementary internship guidelines and for maintaining a file copy.

Each college/department offering internships will designate an appropriate internship coordinator. 

The department may request that an internship begin outside the normal semester guidelines.  An incomplete grade (“I”) will be granted for internships extending beyond the normal semester.

Background:   University guidelines for internships did not previously exist.

Purpose:  Establish university guidelines.          

Implementation Date: Spring 2003

Related Procedures:  see attachment

Coordinating Offices: Deans, Department Chairs, and Internship Coordinators

Academic Affairs Point-of-Contact: Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

Policy approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs on October 2, 2002.

Key Words: Internship

The University of Central Oklahoma
10-02-2002

University Guidelines for Internships

Students must:

Ø      have successfully completed designated prerequisites, including prerequisite GPA’s (consistent with graduation requirements) prior to beginning the internship.

Ø      be in good academic standing (not on academic probation or suspension).

Ø      enroll and pay all fees.

Ø      not have an internship for credit with their current employer.

Ø      not be granted credit retroactively, e.g., for experience already completed.  

Internship coordinators or designee must:

Ø      maintain a student file with appropriate documents.  Examples may include copies of internship agreements, reports, evaluations, irregular enrollment forms, verification of prerequisites.

Ø      serve as a liaison between the internship site supervisor and intern.

Ø      monitor intern progress through regular interaction with intern and site supervisors.

Ø      submit a final grade in accordance with university guidelines.

Site supervisors must:

Ø      maintain student information confidentiality.

Ø      evaluate intern candidates to ensure an effective match prior to employing.

Ø      provide the intern with professionally relevant work experience.

Ø      meet with the internship coordinator and intern, preferably on site.

Ø      discuss with the internship coordinator any problematic issues or potential termination of an intern before taking final action.

Ø      assist the internship coordinator in evaluating the intern's performance.

Ø      provide appropriate guidance and mentoring during the course of the internship.

Ø      not be required to release proprietary information.

Ø      submit a final report to the internship coordinator within one week of internship completion.

The University of Central Oklahoma
10-02-2002