Faculty and Staff Involvement in the Cooperative Education and Internship Program

The Cooperative Education and Internship Program (CEIP) offered through the Career Services Office provides junior and senior level students the opportunity to gain professionally oriented, practical experience before they graduate. The internships provide students with career exploration, hands on application of classroom skills and knowledge and academic credit that may count toward graduation requirements. Students can apply year round for internships offered locally and throughout the United States. The Cooperative Education and Internship Program is open to undergraduate students from all academic programs, however it does not coordinate required experiences in Education, Exercise Science, Recreation, Health Education, Health Professions and other clinical programs.

Career Services utilizes an on-line system, Eagle Opportunities, to advertise available internships to students and to monitor and maintain student and information and documents. Students can login to Eagle Opportunities to view currently available internships posted with UW-L and receive assistance from Career Services staff with resumes, interviewing and other aspects of the application process. Employers make all internship hiring decisions, not the staff of Career Services.

Students who secure an internship may have the option to earn academic credit for their experience (see summary of the credit options, check the University Catalog details) depending on whether they meet established prerequisites. Many students opt for non-credit internships because they do not need the credit or do not want to incur the expense of additional tuition associated with internship credits-especially during summer terms.

Faculty Internship Advisor Responsibilities

Students who seek credit for an internship are required to have a faculty advisor for their internship. This advisor does not have to be their assigned faculty advisor, but must be from the department granting the credit for that internship. Some departments have a pre-determined internship advisor and other departments allow any faculty/staff member to advise a student during their experience. Specific responsibilities of internship faculty advisors include:

Sign the Credit Approval Form to approve credit for students. All internships done for credit by students are approved in advance by a faculty/instructional academic staff member from the department granting credit. This approval process varies according to department and is facilitated by the Career Services Staff.
Monitor and review periodic work progress reports & employer evaluations. Work progress reports and supervisor evaluations are forwarded to faculty/staff advisors from Career Services.
Optional: Many faculty/staff assign additional papers, journals, presentations or projects to students. This optional assignment is discussed with the student at the time the credit approval form is signed by their faculty internship advisor.
Assign a final grade (pass/fail or letter grade depending on the department) for students at the end of the semester.

Student Intern Procedures for Registering for Internship Credit

Students who secure an internship and wish to register for credit for the experience must work through the Career Services to be registered for the internship credit. Students should follow the following procedures:

Once a student has found an internship, they should contact Career Services immediately to discuss credit options and to obtain the necessary paperwork to register for academic credit .
Students pick-up a Credit Approval Form from Career Services and take this form to their selected internship faculty advisor and department chair person to secure signatures of approval for the internship credit. This approval process can vary according to department. Please review department guidelines on internships listed in the undergraduate catalog. The student assumes responsibility for completion of the Credit Approval Form and returning it to Career Services
Students must attend an Internship Orientation Session prior to starting internship. Students will be notified about the session by Career Services staff.
Paperwork Requirements: Student/Employer Work Agreement, Work Progress Reports (on-line form), Employer Evaluation (s) & Student Final Evaluation. It is the student's responsibility to submit all paperwork including the employer evaluations.

Completion of additional assignment (optional) arranged with faculty internship advisor.

International Internships:

All internships outside of the U.S. are coordinated through the Office of International Education. Career Services does not assist with international internships or registration for credit for international internships. Career Services does assist with internationally oriented internships within the U.S. and works with graduates seeking international employment.

For more information on the Internship Program, contact a Career Services staff member.