Silva Document {}
 
  • BU Home | 
  • News | 
  • Events | 
  •  | 
  •  

Career Services

Internships at Bethel

[(u'Internship Postings', u'postings'), (u'Internship Links', u'internship-links'), (u'Academic Internship Policy', u'policy')]

Bethel University defines an internship as "an off-campus learning/practicing experience in which students apply a body of knowledge and skills in a structured real world setting" (Bethel University College of Arts & Scieneces Catalog). The supervised work-learning experience combines meaningful reflection with career-related activities. Internships help students learn by doing. Through internships, students develop professional, personal, intellectual, and spiritual competencies that match their life goals. Career Services can assist you with your search for an internship.

What Career Services Can Do For You

  • Career Services can help you identify your interests, skills, values, and goals so you are better able to articulate your interest in a position and what you hope to gain from it.
  • Recommend a variety of organizations and employers you can contact about potential internships. In 2002-2003, Career Services was contacted by over 170 different employers looking to post internships and connect with Bethel students.
  • While Career Services can offer a lot of assistance, there are some things we can't do...such as: Find your internship for you. However, we can help you brainstorm possibilities and give you the tools you need for a successful search.


For-Credit vs. Non-Credit Internships
Strategies for Finding an Internship Site
Checklist
Words of Wisdom

Top Five Reasons to Complete an Internship

  1. Explore a career through hands-on experience. Internships provide you with a way to learn about career fields and discover what you want to do after graduation; or equally important, what you don't want to do. If you are uncertain about what direction you should take with your major, an internship allows you to test out several options while you are stillin college.
  2. Sharpen and gain skills. Through work-learning experiences, you practice the knowledge gained in the classroom in a complex, real world setting.
  3. Increase your marketability. Employers are more likely to be interested in you after graduation because you will have education plus experience. Internships help to illustrate your initiative and ability to learn outside the classroom.
  4. Build a network of contacts. Meeting co-workers, clients, and others in the field of your choice gives you access to potential employers that you would never have had.
  5. Gain confidence in your strengths, abilities, passion, and skills. When you find the work that fits you best, you can have a sense of confidence as you head toward your lifework.

For-Credit v. Non-Credit Internships: What's the Difference?

For-Credit Internships Non-Credit Internships
Emphasize a reflective, academic component in addition to gaining professional experience and general work skills. You intentaionally connect your coursework with the world of work. Emphasize professional experience inside or outside the student's discipline. Focus on exploring and gaining general work skills
May be required by department. Check with your academic advisor for details A variety of placements are available outside the Twin Cities and internationally but often require 6-8 months to plan and implement
Minimally required to have a 2.0 cum GPA and a 2.5 GPA in your major; have junior or senior standing and 10 credits in the major Career Services encourages all students who have completed or are completing their sophomore or junior year to participate in an internship
Work individually with a faculty member to formulate learning goals and partner with Career Services to prepare for the internship search Partner with Career Services for the internship search. Draft a learning contract signed by the student and their site supervisor and filed it in Career Services
3 credits = 135 hours
4 credits = 180 hours
Work 12-15 hours/week for the length of the internship 		Recommend working at least 12-15 hours per week for a minimum of three to six months to gain a good sense of the postion
Recorded on official transcript; faculty member assigns a grade; pay for credits earned Can be included on a resume or in a portfolio. No fees associated with it.
Can be paid/unpaid--amount & type of compensation varies. Could be paid a wage, for parking/meals, or memberships/conferences Can be paid/unpaid--amount & type of compensation varies. Could be paid a wage, for parking/meals, or memberships/conferences
Complete during the fall, spring, or summer terms Complete during the fall, spring, or summer terms

For complete details, check out the Bethel University's Policy for Academic Internships. If you do not meet the requirements, you can still participate in an internship, just not for credit.

Strategies for Finding An Internship Site

Check out the Career Services webpage for links to databases & postings.
We list information about internship openings and can direct you to a variety of links and databases with positions in Minnesota, the US and abroad. You can find complete information on our website and in the binders in our office. If you are unable to find any leads, contact our office at ext 6460 to schedule an appointment with a career counselor to brainstorm ideas.

In February, plan to attend the MN Private College Internship Fair. Career Services helps you become an expert at the internship search.

Talk to a faculty advisor. Ask faculty what students in the department have done in the past, what possible career choices are related to your major, and where students have found internships.

Network. Students are encouraged to develop their own leads as well. Talking with friends and family about possible opportunities, and asking other students about where they have interned, volunteered, or worked are all excellent sources for internships.

"Networking is really the key. After eight months of searching, it was only through networking with one of my contacts that I got my job."
— recent graduate

Checklist

Things to Do Done
Research sites (see strategies for finding a site section)  
Prepare a résumé and cover letter  
Apply to sites  
Follow-up with phone calls, schedule interviews  
Interview & Write Thank you notes  
Decide on offer(s)  
Inform Career Services or faculty advisor of placement & file paperwork  
Start!  

Words of Wisdom from the Experts

"Career Services was a big help to me for finding an internship. They did their part but they let you also search on your own." (Bethel University junior)

According to NACE (National Association of Colleges & Employers), Employers in the 2003 Job Outlook Survey said that 54% of new hires had internship experience gained through their company or another organization (11/1/2002).

Another NACE survey results show that students who have participated in internships received more than twice as many job offers as those who had not (NACE Journal, Winter 1999).

Questions about Internships? Email Career Services, call 638-6460 or visit the Career Services Office CC 322.