Academic Internships

Academic Internships for Students

What is an academic internship?

An academic internship is a high-impact learning experience that engages students in meaningful opportunities that integrate knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting.  A high-quality internship includes collaborative community partners that provide mentoring, to help students achieve personal and professional growth, and skill development to gain a competitive advantage in the global workforce.  

You can receive academic credit for your internship by enrolling in a department or college level internship course. Course information and requirements are set by each department and/or college.
Select your college below to learn more about internship opportunities in your college:

COED and CHHS have program specific requirements.
For more assistance, please make an appointment with the appropriate advisor.  

Students should being their search by contacting their department. Many departments provide lists of organizations where students can intern. In addition to that, students can access internship search resources from the Career Development Center website. View a comprehensive list of internship search resources on the CDC Job & Internship Search page.

National and State Internship Programs
Local Internships 

I have a job. Can I use my job for my internship experience? 

Check with your internship faculty to see if your current employment can be used to receive academic credit. Typically, the work will need to be aligned with your major and you will need to develop professional, or skill develop learning goals and objectives beyond your daily work responsibilities. Your work supervisor will also need to approve the use of your worksite as an internship for the purpose of your internship course. 

How do I receive academic credit for my internship? 

You can receive academic credit by enrolling in a college or department level internship course. Speak with your academic advisor to identify the appropriate internship course for you. Check the CSULB Course Catalog to see if your department or college offers an internship course. 

How do I find internship opportunities?

Depending on your major, some departments have a list of approved internship sites. Visit your department’s internship website information or speak with a college or department internship director/coordinator for information specific to your major. You can also utilize internship resources from the Career Development Center to assist with searching for internship opportunities. 

Who can assist me with applying to internships?

To receive assistance on internship applications, resume writing, cover letter writing, and interviewing prep, schedule an appointment with the Career Development Center. You can do drop-in advising or schedule an appointment with a career counselor. 

What CSULB coordinated internship programs can I participate in? 

CSULB offers on campus internship opportunities. The Center for Community Engagement houses two of these programs- the Long Beach Community Internship Program and College Corps @The Beach. Additional programs include Project Resilience Internship Program, Catalyst for Change, and ASI. 

Students can visit the Career Development Center for more information about internship opportunities. 

My internship starts before the semester begins; can I count those hours towards my internship course? OR my internship extends beyond the end of the semester; can I count those hours towards my internship course?

This depends on your department policy. Please check with your internship faculty or department/college internship coordinator to see if you can start your internship early or extend your internship beyond the end of the semester. 

My job duties at my internship site are different than my offer letter. What are my options? 

If you find yourself in a situation where the work you are completing at your internship site does not align with the job description, first (if you feel comfortable) have a conversation with your site supervisor. You can bring in the job description and address your concerns. 

Some sample language: 

  • “I am really excited for this internship because on the description it mentioned I would be learning how to do X. I wanted to check in with you to see when I might be able to start learning more about X and do that type of work at the internship.”
  • “I appreciate the opportunity to do different types of work at the site, but I am concerned that I am not getting hands on experience with X. In the internship description it mentioned interns would have an opportunity to do X. Can we talk about how to incorporate X into my current internship?” 

As part of your internship course, you might also have developed learned goals or a learning contract with your site supervisor. You can refer back to those goals/contract to try to realign the work you are doing with the goals you have set. If after speaking with your site supervisor and no changes have been implemented, you can bring your concern up with your internship faculty. 

What do I do if there is an issue at my internship site? 

If it is an emergency or you feel like you are in immediate danger, follow the emergency protocols at your internship site and call 9-1-1. 

If you feel you are being harassed or discriminated against at your internship site, report this to your internship instructor as soon as possible. Your internship instructor can try to facilitate a conversation between you and your internship site supervisor and then decide if it is appropriate for you to continue at the internship site. Issues of discrimination and harassment may be reported to the CSULB Title XI department. 

If it is an issue of miscommunication, lack of appropriate work, or other interpersonal or workplace issue, we encourage students to have a conversation with their site supervisor to address the issue. If you are not comfortable having that conversation on your own, you can speak with your internship instructor for support.