What is an academic internship at Dillard College of Business Administration? It is work experience relevant to a student’s chosen major during which students have the opportunity earn academic credit for 150 hours of work during a fall, spring, or summer term at MSU. If the student’s schedule permits and the business agrees, the student may put in additional hours beyond the minimum requirement.
Why should my business or organization participate in the academic internship program? The employer benefits from the internship by building a potential employee pool, utilizing staff assistance during peak times or special projects, and providing supervisory and mentoring experience for future managers in the company.
In turn, students gain real-world experience and explore careers in their chosen major, network with potential employers, and learn about jobs that are available . . . all while earning academic credit.
Should the academic internship be paid? Although the primary purpose of the internship program is to give a student relevant business experience in his or her chosen field, compensation during the internship experience is certainly an incentive. Monetary compensation also helps to create the atmosphere of employment. It is encouraged but not required.
What is expected of the employer? The employer will agree to terms and provide a job description. (See Employer Forms) The employer will provide meaningful duties for the student to perform to enhance the student’s understanding of his or her career area. The student’s supervisor will work with student to set learning objectives at the onset of the experience and provide an evaluation at the end of the experience in accordance with course deadlines.
How do I post an internship opportunity?
Mustangshire.org takes you to the Handshake platform for MSU. There you can agree to terms, set up an account for your company or organization, and create a job posting. (You may need this link to Handshake to log in after you have already created an account. Or, just search for “Handshake login” on the web.)
Here are some specifications for the posting if you want to hire a Dillard College business student:
- Begin Title with “DCOBA Internship: __.”
- Internship
- Temporary/Seasonal
- Work Study: No
- The rest is up to the employer, keeping in mind that the Department Chair will review the job description for evidence of meaningful duties for the student to perform to enhance the student’s understanding of his or her career area.
- Notify Internship Coordinator if and when this is done to facilitate the approval process.
What if I have a Dillard College student already selected as an intern but need to have the internship approved for the student to earn academic credit?
The Internship Coordinator needs from you an Employer Agreement and Job Description.
- The paper or digital forms need to be turned in to the Internship Coordinator to secure approval of the experience.
- The Job Description could be submitted as the URL of a description that already exists.