Internships at CGPS

The Professional Experiences and Networking Program at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies is distinct from the internship program offered to students enrolled at the Fredericksburg campus.

Are you eligible to participate in an internship for academic credit?

BPS Students must:

• Be currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.
• Have transferred/accumulated at least 45 credit hours towards the degree with at least 12 credit hours completed at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies as a degree student and meet all pre-requisite experience and course requirements for participation in the Professional Experiences and Networking Program.
• Have recorded a current grade point average of 2.5 or higher.
• Meet any and all requirements outlined by the Academic Program granting the credit, including a formal statement of interest and a preliminary interview conducted by the Academic Program.
• Meet all pre-requisite experience and course requirements for participation in the Professional Experiences and Networking Program.
• Register for the Professional Experiences and Networking Program course at the proper level for the approved number of academic credits and pay the appropriate tuition and fees.
  

Graduate Students must:

• Be currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.
• Have previously completed at minimum of six (6) semester credit hours in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies coursework as a degree student.
• Have a recorded College of Graduate and Professional Studies grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
• Meet any and all requirements outlined by the Academic Program granting the credit, including a formal statement of interest and a preliminary interview conducted by the Academic Program.
• Meet all pre-requisite experience and course requirements for participation in the Professional Experiences and Networking Program.
• Register for the Professional Experiences and Networking Program course at the proper level for the approved number of academic credits and pay the appropriate tuition and fees.

Approval for BPS and Graduate Students:

Students seeking to participate in an internship assignment or project must obtain the appropriate approval from the Academic Program and the Director of the Professional Experiences and Networking Program.

Work Cycles for BPS and Graduate Students:

Work Cycles coincide with the semesters (14 weeks)

• Fall Semester (end of August to mid-December)
• Spring Semester (mid-December to mid-May)
• Summer Semester (mid-May to end of August)

Academic credit for participation in the Professional Experiences and Networking Program is awarded if:

• The internship project is relevant to the Academic program granting the credit.
• Clerical work is limited to the necessity of the internship project content.
• The number of the internship project hours logged is adequate.
• The quality of work performed is acceptable as evidenced by the product.
• Proper paperwork (all necessary and required forms) is submitted requesting grade and credit designation based on project approval and the Professional Experiences and Networking Program guidelines.
• The student has fulfilled satisfactorily the terms of the contract.
• The student evaluation, company evaluation, faculty advisor evaluation, oral or written presentation and other required paperwork (including professional internship project logbook) have been submitted according to the established deadlines to the Professional Experiences and Networking Program director.

Professional Internships may be identified in the following ways:

• Students may review the listing of the internship assignments and projects maintained by the Office of Career Services at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.
• Students may participate in an internship assignment with previous or current employer; however, the assignment or project must be different from regular work assignments and duties.  Students must receive approval from the Academic Program and the Director of the Internship Program.  Normal “on the job” work does not count as a Professional Experiences and Networking Program project. Prior or required assignments to special projects by the company at which a student is employed will not be approved for earning PEN credit.
• An employer may contact the College of Graduate and Professional Studies identifying an internship project or assignment—announcements regarding available internships will be posted on the CGPS bulletin boards and the CGPS website.

Academic Credits and Project Hours

All PEN projects require a base minimum number of logged project hours. Simply meeting the required number of project hours does not guarantee credit. It is important to note that project hours may often exceed the required minimum.

Minimum Requirements for Professional Internship Project Hours

• 1 credit 75 hours
• 2 credits 100 hours
• 3 credits 150 hours
• 4 credits 200 hours
• 5 credits 250 hours
• 6 credits 300 hours

In addition to a required minimum number of project hours, academic credit assignments for PEN projects is based on:

1. project complexity and scope
2. employer requested project end product
3. academic program evaluation and approval of the project proposal

Work Schedule:

Work schedule is flexible and the majority of the work may be accomplished during the evening and weekend hours.

If you wish to participate in the Professional Experiences and Networking program, please call 540-286-8030 for more information.