Internships are an excellent way to experience the workforce in a field that interests you. As an intern, you will be exposed to many different aspects of the field. You may be responsible for some specific tasks, and you may also have the experience of attending meetings, asking questions, shadowing different workers and learning about the organization as a whole. You will meet people in the area you are interested in, make contacts, and earn referrals when you seek permanent employment. Internships can often lead to full-time jobs. Internships are also very valuable work experience to include on a resume.
Additional Internship Information
Q: How many hours a week will I work?
A: This will vary, depending on the site you apply to, their needs, and your schedule. Most internships will be flexible when setting up an initial schedule, but generally will be between 8 and 20 hours a week. Credit hours are based on the number of hours worked. 45 internship hours over the semester is equal to one credit. See the internship hours chart here.
Q: Will I be paid for my internship?
A: Some internships do pay minimum wage or slightly higher, but most internships are unpaid. Some employers require students to earn college credit as an intern, while others (usually nonprofit organizations) do not.
Q: Will I get college credit for my internship?
A: You can receive college credit, based on how many hours you work in your internship each week. You can find out about the hours/credits here.
If you earn credit for your internship through SHPRS, the internship should have some relationship to your major (History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Asia Studies, or Jewish Studies). As a SHPRS intern, you will receive upper-division credit on a pass/fail basis. You will need to work with the SHPRS Internship Coordinator (Katarina Schenkel), to determine if your potential internship will be viable for this situation. Internship credits cannot be used toward your major, since they do not use letter grading, but they will apply to the 45 upper-division credits you need to complete your degree at ASU. Other departments at ASU may have different policies.
Q: How do I get an internship?
A: Internships are competitive because they are in great demand. You will need to identify and apply for an internship, just as you would for a job. It will be your responsibility to procure the internship prior to enrolling in a credit-bearing class. If needed, ASU’s Career and Professional Development Services can help you line up possible internship sites, write a cover letter, and prepare a resume. Visit ASU’s Career and Professional Development Services page for more information on finding an internship.
Q: Do I pay tuition for this?
A: Yes. Since you are receiving college credit, the cost of the internship is the same as any other class. If you are receiving financial aid, please check with that department to see if your aid will apply.
Q: I am an online student. Can I still do an internship?
A: Yes, you can do an internship in your area, and we can work with that site to complete the paperwork. Your tuition will be based on the number of credits you complete.
Q: Can I set up a volunteer opportunity for internship credit?
A: No. To set up an internship for academic credit, an agreement is put in place between ASU and your site supervisor. This agreement guarantees the number of hours that the internship site can provide during the time that a student will work there. Additionally, an internship is meant to provide a more hands-on experience than a typical volunteer opportunity.
Q: OK, I am ready to do an internship. What are my next steps?
A: See below.
Prepare a cover letter and resume
- Career and Professional Development Services Website: Resources for students on both employment and internships. You will need to register with Handshake to utilize many of these resources.
- Interview Stream: Students and alumni can practice interviewing from the comfort of their own home. At the end, the students have the option to send the recording to a professional staff member for review and feedback.
Research and apply to potential sites
Places to look for an internship
Museums
Research local, state, federal and private museums and check for internship possibilities.
Libraries
Research local and private libraries and check for internship possibilities.
State, County, and City Government
City planning offices, legal offices, public relations, archives, and more. Check your own local government offices for opportunities near your place of residence.
You will find internship opportunities at a local level in government offices in Tempe, Phoenix, Glendale and Mesa.
At the State level in Arizona, try:
Please do your research, as websites and programs are constantly changing. If you do not live in the ASU area, you can use these ideas to do some research in the areas near you.
Some additional ideas:
Federal Agencies
FBI
CIA
Homeland Security
Complete the enrollment process:
All paperwork must be received by the first day of classes for the term in which you would like to complete the internship. Click here to view the academic calendar.
Schedule an advising appointment:
Use this link to schedule an appointment (in-person, phone, or Zoom) with Katarina Schenkel, SHPRS Internship Coordinator: (please choose Internship as the reason for scheduling). If your appointment is in-person, please bring the completed paperwork with you. If your appointment is via phone or Zoom, please e-mail the completed paperwork to SHPRSAdvising@asu.edu prior to your appointment.
Complete Student Placement Agreement
The link below is a sample document. The Internship Coordinator will send the Student Placement Agreement electronically to your internship site supervisor.
We encourage students to pursue internships that are related to their career aspirations and bear directly on the disciplines housed within the school. Internships provide practical experience for students that complement their formal academic class-based studies. Depending on the internship site, internships may be voluntary or paid.
The number of credit hours received for an internship is based on the total internship hours completed. 45 internship clocked hours = 1 ASU credit hour.
| Credit Hours | Total Hours | Hours per Week (15 weeks) | Hours per Week (7.5 weeks) | Hours per Week (6 weeks) |
| 1 | 45 | 3 | 6 | 7.5 |
| 2 | 90 | 6 | 12 | 15 |
| 3 | 135 | 9 | 18 | 22.5 |
| 4 | 180 | 12 | 24 | 30 |
| 5 | 225 | 15 | 30 | 37.5 |
| 6 | 270 | 18 | 36 | 45 |