Undergraduate Internship Information

Will I get a job after I graduate? Will I be able to make a lot of money? This depends on a lot of factors: How is the economy overall doing? Are you willing to relocate? What career path will you choose; i.e., government, private industry, NGO? Do you have an advanced degree? Some of these questions are either beyond anyone's control. Most of them are up to you.

Developing the skills and contacts needed to obtain the PERFECT JOB FOR YOU through an internship is one of the best things you can do before you graduate. Internships are a great way to make the transition from student to employee. They allow you to develop on-the-job skills and contacts that will be valuable for your post-graduation job hunt. Both unpaid and paid internships are available in many parts of the government, and from many businesses and other organizations. As you can imagine, unpaid internships may be easier to get than paid ones. To view a current list of South Florida-based internship opportunities, click here. To view a list of national and international internship opportunities, click here.

The International Relations Department Internship Program allows students to obtain course credit (one course, 3 credit hours) for completing an approved internship. The University will not allow more than 6 total credits of internship, and students can only register for these credits once in their FIU career. 6 credit internships are for those going out-of-town or abroad full-time over the summer or during an entire semester. For additional credits, consider an Independent Study linked to your internship (subject to prior approval by the professor who will direct the Independent Study). Internship credits are Pass/Fail only.

Internship credits can be simply upper-division credits in your major. For INR majors, they can also count as the fourth Group II course. If you will have had an "AS", "G", and "IP" course by graduation time, Internship can be the final 3 credits in Group II. For Geography majors, Internship can count as a T1, T2, or T3 requirement. (Note: Geography Internships will be available beginning Fall, 2003). For the internship agreement form, please click here.

You are welcome to devise your own internship, using contacts you may have at your current job, relatives, friends, and associates. This kind of internship can be done either for credit or not for credit. If you wish to utilize the list of local internships developed in the INR Department, however, you must register for Internship credits. Note: your regular job does not qualify as an internship.

The requirements are as follows:

Eligibility

Normally, students must have junior standing (i.e., have completed at least 60 credit hours), including at least two classes in International Relations (or Geography if you are a Geography major), and have a GPA of at least 2.5, in order to be eligible for the Department's internship program. In some very rare circumstances, these requirements may be waived.

Procedures

First, students must meet the normal requirements to work as an intern (see the section on eligibility, above), or be cleared by the Department's Internship Coordinator.

Second, students must identify an appropriate institution in which to conduct the internship. It is up to the student to contact this institution and to arrange the internship. The Department's Internship Coordinator maintains a list of local, national, and international internship opportunities (This internship list is also available online, but interested students should check with the Internship Coordinator for the latest changes and additions, as well as contact information.) Students are welcome to identify other appropriate institutions, but the following requirements should be kept in mind.

  • Interns are expected to work 10-12 hours per week for at least 15 weeks (a regular academic term) in their internship position. Summer internships should be adjusted accordingly (i.e., 22-25 hours per week in a 7-week term).

  • Interns are expected to work in a pre-professional, rather than simply a clerical, capacity. Evidence of exposure to substantive problems in international relations is required.

  • Sponsoring institutions must name a supervisor for each intern. This person will direct the intern's activities and provide a brief report on the student's performance at the end of the internship.

Third, once students have a signed Internship Agreement Form from an approved institution in hand, they may register for INR 4943, Internship in International Relations. To do so, they must present the form to the Internship Coordinator, who will provide them with a course permit form.

Fourth, to receive a grade (Pass/Fail only), student interns must prepare a either a report of 8-10 pages on their internship experience, describing how the internship contributed to their knowledge, or weekly emails to the internship coordinator describing that week's duties. This report must be submitted before the beginning of the finals period, along with the supervisor's evaluation. A "Pass" grade does not affect the student's GPA.

On-line Internship Resources

There are a wide variety of on-line resources providing information about internship opportunities. First, FIU's own Career Services website offers a great deal of information about internships, including online orientation programs and a good list of links to online internship resources.Career Services can also help you with your cover letter and resume, as well as access to databases of jobs and internship opportunities. The modest, one-time fee charged is worth it.

The following online resources may also be helpful:

How can I learn more about internships?

For more information about local, state, national, and international internship programs, contact the International Relations Department Internship Coordinator: Dr. Majid Al-Khalili.