Internship Course Resources for Faculty

Resources and answers to frequently asked questions (and the answers to questions you might not have known to ask) related to Internship course creation, development, and support.

To help ensure accurate tracking of URI Experiential Learning offerings and adherence to University and federal policies, connect with the CCEE (Sarah Miller) when you add or are considering adding an experiential component to a course.

Internships are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as: “a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied, authentic experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.” In addition, an internship is a semester (fall, spring, summer) in duration, may or may not carry credit, may be paid or unpaid based on the Department of Labor criteria.

Internship Course Best Practices:

  • Incorporate essential assignments and evaluations (see sample syllabi below for ideas)
  • Confirm site and supervision support
  • Ensure hours align with credits earned
  • Review important logistical processes related to agreements, risk, and transportation
  • Integrate critical reflection activities and assignments
  • Incorporate resources to draw a connection between your class content and industry

National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance-education courses and programs. As part of the University’s membership in NC-SARA, we are required to collect basic placement site information from students enrolled in Internship courses. As such, students enrolled in Internship courses receive an e-campus to-do request titled “Internship Site Information,” and we ask for your assistance in reminding your students to complete this request. Questions can be sent to Sarah Miller at sgmiller@uri.edu.

Most Requested Information:

  • Supervision is a required and critical component to an internship not only because it ensures a quality and high impact experience for your student and employer, but supervision is required for legal and insurance coverage.
  • In order to sustain clear and consistent communication, you should utilize various methods including Site Supervisor contact sheets, pre and post surveys, check-ins, and site visits. At minimum we recommend an initial introduction and a final evaluations, but your course experience (or site partners) might require additional contact points.

CCEE recommends the following hours per credit breakdown, as shown in the ITR Internship Program:

Internship Tips for Advisors

Consider the following when assisting students to find an appropriate internship or experiential opportunity to meet their current learning goals:

  • Understand the types of experiential education opportunities available
  • Does the student have elective credit available for an internship or other experiential course?
  • If the student can enroll in an Internship course, what type of course would best fit? Some Internship courses are highly structured, like the ITR Internship Program, which means the student will have significant guidance and support throughout the entire experience. Other Internship courses might be more “low-touch” courses and provide pass/fail credit (no seminar) with minimal professional career reflection and touchpoints.