The College of Business co-op or internship is a short-term learning experience for students in a professional work environment and is typically related to the student’s major or career goal. The opportunity generally involves a student working in a setting under the supervision of and mentoring a business professional. The work can be paid or unpaid and may or may not be eligible for academic credit.
Highlights
- Flexible range of time periods and start dates to serve business needs: part-and full-time co-ops, and internships
- Co-op and internship students typically receive an hourly compensation, ranging from $10-23 per hour
- Interns from a variety of majors and minors, including:
- Accounting
- Business Administration
- Computer Information Systems
- Economics
- Equine
- Finance
- Management
- Marketing
- On-site supervision means an opportunity to provide a unique student experience and help professionalize tomorrow’s workforce
- Dedicated support from the Ulmer Career Center
Hiring Steps
- Post position to Cardinal Careers
- Make sure the following criteria are being met for the position. (The post will be reviewed by our team for approval):
- Follow NACE best practices on internships
- Know the Department of Labor’s laws regarding hourly employees
- Develop a student assignment with a thorough job description
- Ensure that at least 75% of the student’s tasks are related to their major and no more than 10-15% administrative
- Describe the supervision structure and whether there will be an on-site supervisor
- Receive student applications
- Interview candidates
- Make your selection
- Welcome your new intern
FAQs
What are the expectations of an intern?
Internships are learning experiences for students. Although interns are students and still in the learning process, they are expected to behave as employees of the company and to adhere to the company’s policies, guidelines, and privacy procedures. Professional expectations of the interns include behavior, time commitments, and dress codes.
What are the expectations of internship sites?
- Complete a semesterly evaluation for the intern
- Provide the intern with onsite training, supervision, guidance, and mentoring
- Remain in contact with the Ulmer Career Management Center throughout the duration of the internship
How are internship/co-op postings evaluated and approved for course credit on Cardinal Careers?
The review process will look at the following criteria:
- Specific job duties & responsibilities
- Internships should be substantial and practical, including analysis, evaluation, and application of business concepts
- 75% of job responsibilities should be directly related to the major or minor of the intern. It is inappropriate for an intern to function as a “go-fer” or move from one clerical task to another
Although not all students will choose to receive academic credit for their internship, the College of Business will only advertise a position as a co-op or internship if it has been reviewed for academic credit.
While we strongly encourage all students to complete a co-op/internship and agree that all experiences are beneficial, not all requests for academic credit will be approved. If a job description is not approved for academic credit, we would be happy to advertise it as a part-time or temporary position as long as all federal labor laws are met.
If a co-op or internship is unpaid, it must meet the 7-factor primary beneficiary test published by the Department of Labor https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm.
When do students normally begin a co-op/internship?
Students complete a co-op/internship during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Since we know that employers do not work on semester schedules, we allow students to start at any point in the semester and can work with employers to establish start dates.
Does the College of Business have any prerequisites for a student interested in receiving academic credit for an internship?
Students must be in good academic standing and have completed the pre-req course for the major or minor they want to receive credit for. Students must contact the Ulmer Career Center before they start their co-op/internship or within their first 2 weeks of working if they want to receive credit.
Are business students required to complete a co-op/internship before graduation?
Management and CIS majors are required to complete a co-op/internship. However, we strongly encourage all students to complete a co-op/internship before graduation. It is up to the student to determine whether they would like to receive academic credit for it.
Are most of the co-ops/internships paid?
Yes, the majority of co-op and internship students receive hourly compensation, ranging from $10-23 per hour.
How many hours must the student work with my company?
Students must work 75 hours per credit hour they are requesting. Most students request 3 credit hours, requiring a minimum of 225 work hours.
LEARN MORE
Ulmer Career Center
(502) 852-7756
Ulmer@louisville.edu