Career Success Center

What is an internship?

An experiential learning opportunity designed to enhance your university education through practical experience that is related to your field of study.

This can be a traditional internship (paid or unpaid), or you may be able to use a current job by having your employer incorporate a project that aligns with your university education.

Need help finding an internship? Meet with the Career Success Center to chat about internship search strategies or check out our Career Success Guide.

Schedule a Career Support Appointment

Why should I register my internship?

• Credit - You can get academic credit for your internship that could count toward your degree completion. Meet with your academic advisor to see if you will need the credits to graduate. Not all students do, and if not, then they register for BA 004, which recognizes completion of an internship on your transcript but is non-credit and does not charge tuition. 
• Requirement - Some majors at the COB require that you fulfill an experiential learning opportunity, such as an internship – check with your academic advisor.
• Transcript - Registering your internship will add it to your official OSU transcript.

What are my internship registration options?

When you register your internship, you'll add it to your course load for the term by using a CRN - just like any other course at OSU. There are four course options, so pick what works best for you:

Credit-based options: You will register for one of the three options like any other course, for the amount of credits you would like (based on your eligibility from the chart in the information form), and you will pay for them the same as any other credits

• BA 210 - For students with less than 90 credits.  This elective course is intended to help lower division undergraduates explore interests and does not apply to experiential learning requirements.
• (COB) 410 - For students with 90 credits or more.  Offered for the following subject codes: ACTG, BA, BANA, BIS, DSGN, FIN, MGMT, MRKT, SCLM.  Subject codes should align with major or, generically, BA for business majors and DSGN for design majors.

Non-credit option: If you are registering your internship to fulfill a requirement for your major, or simply would like it on your transcript, and you do not need the credit toward your degree completion. You will register for BA 004 like any other course, but you will not have credits from it and you will not have to pay for it. Hours and equivalent credits must still be determined prior to registration.

• (COB) 004 - For students with 90 credits or more.  Offered for the following subject codes: ACTG, BA, BANA, BIS, DSGN, FIN, MGMT, MRKT, SCLM.  Subject codes should align with major or, generically, BA for business majors and DSGN for design majors.

How many credits should I register my internship for?

Use this chart to determine how many credit hours (or equivalent credit hours you are eligible to earn.

Note - You are not required to earn credits for all of your internship hours. Please consult with your advisor to determine the number of credits you need based on your degree plan.

What do I need to register for an internship?

Use this form to help gather the information you'll need to complete the registration process. 

• Secure an internship through the OSU Handshake website or search independently for opportunities
• Collect the following internship documentation from the internship organization
  • Name and contact information of supervisor(s)
  • Job description/objectives
  • Duration of internship:
    • Start and end dates of the internship
  • Total estimated hours for the internship for the term
  • Hourly wage
• Find a College of Business faculty supervisor. This can be any COB faculty member, but you should work with one who has experience in the field that you're working in for your internship.
  • Your faculty supervisor will provide you with an assessment assignment, or work with you to create one. This assignment is what your faculty supervisor will use to assess your learning from your internship, and once successfully completed, will be used to give you a "Pass or No Pass" grade for the course.
  • If you do not belong to one of the majors below, you can reach out to any faculty member you feel comfortable working with.  But, if you need help finding one, email us at cob.csc@oregonstate.edu.
    • Business Analytics students - Xiaohui Chang will serve as your COB faculty supervisor for BANA 004 or BANA 410.
    • Business Information Systems students - Nicholas Roberts will serve as your COB faculty supervisor for BIS 004 or BIS 410. 
    • Marketing students - Amanda Terhes will serve as your COB faculty supervisor for MRKT 004 or MRKT 410.
    • Organizational Leadership or Management students - Pauline Schilpzand will serve as your COB faculty supervisor for MGMT 004 or MGMT 410.
• Request your internship through Handshake as an "Experience." The process is fully electronic, quick, and easy! Check out the following important things below and then submit your internship request.
• Check your email. Once your application is submitted, the Career Success Center will be in touch with any missing information needed to move your application forward for approvals.
• Register for your course using the provided CRN. Once your application has been approved, you will receive an email with course registration instructions.

International Students

International students must apply for off-campus work authorization for paid and unpaid internships.  F-1 and J-1 visa holders should contact the Office of International Services to receive Curricular Practical Training (F-1) or Academic Training (J-1) work authorization at least two weeks prior to the start of the internship.