Internships & Co-op

The College of Engineering encourages you to participate in one or more internships that are related to your major.

Alternately, you might want to consider a co-op experience, where you alternate periods of full-time study and full-time employment at college-approved employers. Learn more about co-op

Internships

An internship is an integral part of engineering education. Professional learning experiences in industry and government let you to apply classroom learning to real-world situations. They can help you:

• acquire professional experience
• discover your interests within your major
• develop practical engineering skills and judgement
• explore the types of employment available in the field
• build resume credentials
• enhance career and graduate school potential

Faculty oversight is an important part of the process. Internships must have:

• clear learning outcomes
• training and supervision, both on the job and by a faculty sponsor

Finding an internship

Use a variety of approaches when searching for an internship.

College resources: consult with your faculty advisor, your professors, and the Dean’s Office for recommendations.

Your own network: mention to classmates, family, friends, neighbors, etc., that you’re seeking a professional internship.

College credit

Be sure to get pre-approval of your internship in order to earn academic credit through EGR 490: Engineering Internship. No credits are rewarded retroactively.

Juniors and seniors are invited to apply for internships, and may earn academic credits during the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Sophomores with at least 60 credits earned toward the major may also apply.

EGR 490: registration steps

1. Contact your department chairperson.

• Share information about the internship.
• Request a recommendation for a faculty sponsor.

2. Once you have identified your faculty sponsor, contact the College's Associate Dean to review your internship plans.

3. Then, download the required internship forms and information:

• Internship Application
• Internship Guidelines
• Internship Syllabus

4. Work with your faculty sponsor and industry supervisor to complete the forms, with internship description, details about educational and professional goals, and statements by your sponsor and supervisor.

5. Once your application is approved, you will be registered for EGR 490 as part of your full-time course load during the fall or spring semesters. EGR 490 is a variable-credit course: a student may receive 1, 2, or 3 credits, depending on the number of hours spent on internship activities directly related to the major.

• 1 credit: equivalent to working at least 10 hours/week for 14 weeks
• 2 credits: equivalent to at least 15 hours/week for 14 weeks
• 3 credits: equivalent to at least 20 hours/week for 14 weeks

Summer internships: Students enroll in EGR 490-8101 through Online & Continuing Education. Fees and tuition apply to the course based on the number of credits and as set by Online & Continuing Education.

At the end of your internship, you’ll complete a written report that will include:

• your projects and duties on the job
• what you learned about the engineering profession, the industry, and the organization
• technical skills you acquired
• your goals and plans