The internship is an opportunity to gain real-world experience that supports your career while earning credit toward your degree.
Internships are available for the following graduate degree fields:
- Biotechnology
- Museum Studies
Finding an Internship
We suggest that you search for internship opportunities through Career Services and the Crimson Careers database.
Most internships take place during regular business hours, so you should plan your schedule accordingly.
Registering for an Internship
You register for the internship after your internship proposal is approved and you receive a letter of authorization from the Dean of Academic Programs. You need to have your project approved by:
- August 1 to register in fall
- November 1 to register in spring
- April 1 to register in summer (museum studies only)
To meet these registration deadlines, you submit the biotechnology or museum studies internship proposal form (see below) at least two months in advance.
Internship Grading and Policy
You complete the internship within the time period agreed upon on the internship application, ordinarily one semester, but no longer than nine months.
Museum studies internships are pass/fail and biotechnology internships require a letter grade of B– or higher.
If you fail to complete substantial work for the internship, you will earn a grade of E, a failing grade, which will count as zero in your cumulative GPA.
You will need to petition the Administrative Board for permission to enroll in the internship for one final time. The Board will only review cases in which extenuating circumstances prevented the successful completion of the internship.
Biotechnology Internship
The Biotechnology field of study has a specific internship track, where you complete a 200-hour internship. The internship is an opportunity to apply newly acquired computation or biotechnology management skills to address a pressing business problem.
The internship is completed within the biotechnology industry or at a field-affiliated institute (i.e. hospital). You are required to identify an internship-site supervisor who will oversee your work. Your current place of employment is an option provided the internship falls outside your responsibilities and department. Internship work cannot overlap at all with your existing job duties and the site supervisor cannot be your manager.
Please note: Internships can be completed only by students residing within the United States. The company must also be located within the United States.
Internship advising and approval
Once you’ve completed 32 credits, you meet with Dr. Steven Denkin to discuss how an internship is critical to your biotechnology career plans and preliminary internship ideas as well as possible internship directors.
Once your internship is provisionally approved by Dr. Denkin, you’ll submit the formal internship proposal, which requires approval from both the intended internship-site supervisor at the place of business and Dr. Denkin before you can register for the 4-credit internship course.
Once fully approved, you register for internship course offered in fall or spring. The course requires submission of weekly progress reports, biweekly check-ins, and a final paper, which is a 20-page summary of your experience and achievements. Failure to check-in with the internship instructor, provide weekly progress reports or final summary will result in a failing grade.
The final grade is determined jointly by the internship-site supervisor and internship instructor.
Museum Studies Internship
As a museum studies degree candidate, you may receive academic credit for a 200-hour internship in lieu of one required elective course. The internship is an opportunity to work in a museum under the guidance of a museum professional.
You are required to identify an internship-site supervisor who will oversee your work. Your current place of employment is an option provided the internship falls outside your responsibilities and department. Internship work cannot overlap at all with your existing job duties and the site supervisor cannot be your manager.
Please note: Internships can be completed only by students residing within the United States. The museum must also be located within the United States.
Internship Advising and Approval
After you have completed 24 credits towards the degree, with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, meet with Kathy Jones to discuss your internship ideas and obtain approval for internship placement.
Once your internship has been approved by Kathy Jones, submit a completed and signed internship form for fall, spring, or summer registration approval.
The internship requires the submission of weekly progress reports and a final comprehensive summary of your experience. Failure to provide weekly progress reports or final summary will result in a failing grade.
The final grade is determined jointly by the internship-site supervisor and Kathy Jones.
