SCHOOL of INTERNATIONAL SERVICE

American University · Washington, D.C.

INTERNSHIP REGISTRATION

Download Internship Registration Form [pdf]

Minimum Requirements

  • 180 hours of service, ideally 15-16 hours per week for 12 consecutive weeks for 3 credits; 35 hours per week for 12 consecutive weeks for 6 credits.
  • Service hours should lie between the first and last class days of the semester in which the internship is registered (consult your advisor for exceptions)
  • Up to 6 credits may be applied towards degree requirements, however consult with your advisor prior to registering for more than 3 credits (3 credits can be applied to the research requirement if minimum grade of "B" is achieved, and 3 additional credits may possibly be able to fulfill an elective requirement)
  • Service provided for your internship must be related to your field, and should consist of at least 85% substantive work (ex. research, report writing, etc.)

Registration Procedures

  • Students are responsible for finding a faculty supervisor to determine the academic requirements and grade the internship. It is recommended that you look for a faculty supervisor as early as possible.
  • Create a unique title to appear on your transcript (must be no longer than 30 characters, including spaces)
  • Complete all spaces on the Registration Form, Preregistration Form, and the Consent and Release Form; incomplete forms/signatures will delay the registration process, however you do NOT need to obtain the Career Center SIS internship advisor signature (unless as indicated below). Your academic advisor will obtain the Dean/Dept. Chair signature for you.
  • Return the completed forms to your advisor as soon as possible.  If you are only registering for the internship project (or are not registered for anything else), the registration paperwork is due by the Friday before classes begin (for Spring 2009 this will be January 9).  A student registered for at least one credit by January 9 will have until February 2, 2009 to add an internship to his/her registration.
  • Input the course number: SIS-691 for domestic internships, SIS-692 for international internships. You can leave the section number blank, as the registrar's office will create a unique section for each internship
  • Copies of hiring letters and/or job descriptions should be submitted with registration paperwork

Important Information

  • Credit registration can be divided between semesters (ex. 2 credits in the Fall, 1 credit in the Spring); International students usually cannot divide credits per SEVIS regulations
  • Tuition cost for the internship is based on the number of credits registered-for the 2008-2009 Academic Year, tuition will be $1178 per credit hour. A 3-credit internship will cost $3534 in tuition.
  • The Graduate Advising Office will send evaluation forms to the internship supervisors at the end of each semester, and will forward completed forms to faculty supervisors
  • For assistance with learning more about the process of obtaining internships, contact the Career Center (Butler Pavilion 5th floor, ph: 202-885-1800), however, the responsibility of finding an internship ultimately lies with the student. You can also get additional info from the Career Center website about SIS internships.
  • New or current permanent full-time employment may be used for internship credit. However, this requires taking on or initiating an additional project(s) (students must consult their advisor to determine if this is appropriate)
  • Internships with any portion taking place overseas require attending a brief International Internship Orientation at the Career Center (Butler Pavilion, 5th floor, 202-885-1800), and obtain Career Center SIS internship advisor signature on the registration form. Students interning overseas aare also required to complete a Graduate Global Practicum Orientation with their academic advisor.

International Students F-1 or J-1 Visas

 

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