Experiential Learning & Internships

Experiential Learning & Internships

GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN YOUR CHOSEN INDUSTRY

An internship program through the College of Business is the best way to gain real-world experience while enrolled in a degree program. Internships are available for all majors and levels. Academic credit is available for undergraduate students starting at the sophomore level and graduate students at all levels. 

Internship Benefits

Strengthen your resume and test-drive your chosen career path with an industry specific internship! An internship gives you valuable insights regarding the types of work you may perform after graduation and helps you make a decision on a long-term career path.

Gain experience in:

  • Interviewing 
  • Résumé preparation
  • Working with teams
  • Community involvement

Eligibility

To be eligible for college credit internships, individuals must:

  • Be a College of Business undergraduate or graduate student
  • Be an undergraduate who has completed a junior level class in the discipline of the internship (subject to approval of the Director of Career Development Center)

For details about requirements, please contact the Career Development Center, or download the Internship syllabus (subject to change). 

Note: Non-business students earning a minor in business cannot receive internship credit towards their minor coursework.

Job Board

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) posts nationwide internships, jobs, and events being offered by organizations on Handshake for the convenience of students. Postings do not represent an endorsement of any organization, job posting nor event, and UCCS makes no guarantees about posting accuracies, the information provided by the employer, nor if the posting meets any legal requirements of such posting within the state. It is the responsibility of student to perform due diligence in researching employers, postings, and events. If you suspect a fraudulent employer, job posting, or event has been posted, please contact the UCCS College of Business Career Center at cobplace@uccs.edu or by phone call to 719-255-3120.

Internship Application Process

  • Step 1: Review prerequisites
    Step 1: Review prerequisites

    BUAD 2960 – Sophomore standing, 2.5 GPA, INFS 1100

    BUAD 4960 – Junior standing, 2.5 GPA, ENGL 1310, ECON 1010 & 2020, MATH 1040 & 1120, INFS 1100, ACCT 2010 & 2020, QUAN 2010 & 2020, Students must have completed a junior level class in the discipline of the internship.

    ACCT 4960 – Accounting Major, Junior standing, 2.5 GPA, ENGL 1310, ECON 1010 & 2020, MATH 1040 & 1120, INFS 1100, ACCT 2010 & 2020, QUAN 2010 & 2020, Students must have completed a junior level class in the discipline of the internship.

    BUAD 6960 – Graduate student, 3.0 GPA

    ACCT 6960 – Accounting Major, Graduate student, 3.0 GPA

    Required Hours

    The amount of time on the job relates to the number of credit hours for the internship.

    • 3 Semester Hours:  150 hours of work experience (e.g.: 15 weeks, 10 hours per week).
    • 2 Semester Hours:  100 hours of work experience (e.g.: 10 weeks, 10 hours per week).
    • 1 Semester Hour:  50 hours of work experience (e.g.: 5 weeks, 10 hours per week).
  • Step 2: Contact your advisor
    Step 2: Contact your advisor

    Please contact your advisor to understand where an internship would fit in your degree plan. Below is an outline of common options for students.

    Undergraduates

    • BUAD 2960 can count as an open elective.
    • BUAD 4960 and ACCT 4960 can count as an open elective or upper division business elective.
    • With prior approval, BUAD 4960 may count as an elective in your area of emphasis (not available to accounting students).

    Graduates

    BUAD 6960 and ACCT 6960 count as an elective course. Graduate students are not able to count internship experiences as an elective in their area of emphasis.

  • Step 3: Review application checklist
    Step 3: Review application checklist

    Please review the required documents and information prior to starting your internship application. 

    Required Documents

    • Job Description
    • Resume
    • Acceptable files include pdf, doc, docx, jpg, png not to exceed 50 MB.

    Required Information

    • Your contact Information, including student ID
    • Desired internship course (BUAD 2960, BUAD 4960, ACCT 4960, BUAD 6960, ACCT 6960)
    • Desired credit hours (1-3 semester hours)
    • Internship semester
    • Anticipated Start Date
    • Anticipated End Date
    • Organization Name
    • Supervisor name, email, phone, and address
    • Pay rate
    • Workers’ Compensation: Does your internship provider pay for Workers’ Compensation? If you are not covered by your providers’ Workers’ Compensation you are required to contact Jamie Duvall, UCCS Risk Management at jduvall@uccs.edu or 719-255-3525.
    • Whether you prefer the paper or presentation as your final assignment
  • Step 4: Submit internship application
    Step 4: Submit internship application

    Fill out application form.

  • Step 5: Wait for approval
    Step 5: Wait for approval

    Once you have submitted the internship application, the Career Development Center will review your documents and contact you if additional information is required.

    If your internship experience is approved for academic credit you will receive an email from cobplace@uccs.edu and instructions to enroll in the internship course. Please wait at least 72 hours for processing before contacting the Career Development Center regarding the status of your application.

 

Resources

INTERNSHIP FAQ's

HOW CAN I USE AN INTERNSHIP?

A College of Business internship can give you the opportunity to gain experience and training in your major field of study by working for a business or other organization while still enrolled in a degree program. An internship gives you valuable insights regarding the types of work you may perform after graduation and helps you make a decision on a long-term career path. You'll also gain experience in interviewing, résumé preparation, working with teams, and community involvement. Ultimately, the internship program benefits students, employers, and the College of Business.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR AN INTERNSHIP?

Internships are open to all students. However, to receive credit you must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be a College of Business undergraduate or graduate student
  • Experience must be less than 30 days old. If experience is more than 30 days old, must be assigned a new role or project that is completely outside the scope of current role during internship.
  • Undergraduates must have completed certain pre-requisite courses for eligibility. Refer to the application for exact information.
  • You must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (undergrad) or GPA of 3.0 (graduate)
  • Accounting majors may have additional requirements.

Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor before applying to ensure they have room in their degree plan for an internship.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, begin the internship application here.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS DURING MY INTERNSHIP?

In addition to work experience requirements, students are required to complete: weekly discussion boards, work samples, final report, and student evaluations. For more information regarding these requirements contact the Career Development Center.

CAN I USE MY CURRENT INTERNSHIP/JOB FOR CREDIT?

Current internships/jobs cannot be used for credit except on a case-by-case basis. For more information regarding these requirements, please contact the Career Development Center in Dwire Hall 301 or by clicking here.

HOW MANY CREDIT HOURS CAN I RECEIVE?

The amount of time on the job relates to the number of credit hours for the internship.

  • Three-Credit Internships: 150 hours of work experience.
  • Two-Credit Internships: 100 hours of work experience.
  • One-Credit Internships: 50 hours of work experience.
HOW WILL MY INTERNSHIP CREDITS BE APPLIED?

Students may enroll in an internship for 1, 2, or 3 credit hours to be applied toward a business degree. Undergraduate internships will qualify for COB electives, whether in the emphasis area or in the general elective pool. Graduate internships will be used as an open elective. Students can enroll in a maximum of 6 credit hours.

Please make sure and consult your adviser before attempting to take an internship for credit to ensure you have room in your degree plan.

WILL I BE PAID DURING MY INTERNSHIP?

Pay depends entirely upon the organization where you are interning. While all internships offer valuable real-life work experience, some will also offer financial incentives.

DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR MY INTERNSHIP?

Internships for credit cost the same amount as any regular class in which you enroll. When you take an internship for credit, it is taking the place of one of your business electives.

UCCS does not charge anything for internships if they are not for credit.