Graduate School

Internships

Today, more graduate students are looking for an internship as part of their graduate education.

Graduate internships are built into some graduate students’ education and can last for a few months to a year or even longer. Other graduate programs do not have an internship, which means that these graduate students might be missing out on two things:

  • crucial work experiences which employers generally are looking for
  • opportunities to function in a job as an intern leading to employment

Internships can range in duration from a few months to more than a year. Internships serve as a way for graduate students to develop confidence, make industry or higher education contacts, and might lead to employment. It is not unusual for graduate interns to be hired as permanent employees.

There are many opportunities for graduate students to find an internship and get paid for the work they do at their internship. There are other internships that do not pay, but still will give the graduate student the work experience. These internships might cover the graduate students’ expenses, but no other funding is provided.

Depending on the graduate degree students are working toward, they might have an internship build into the program requirements, sometimes these are accreditation requirements. Other graduate students might want to have that internship experience, even though it is not required. There are opportunities to do an internship to learn more about the profession, but also gain work experience and make themselves more employable.

Internship Resources

Check out the many internships we have here in Ohio. Remember that internships can lead to employment. You do not need to be well connected in Ohio to find an internship or co-op. Reach out to your faculty advisor and career services. Career Fairs and other events where industry and other employers come to campus to provide a great opportunity to learn about that industry partner, business, or organization. It also creates an opportunity to make a first contact or learn about available internships.

Make sure you have a good understanding what you will be doing during your internship. Does it meet your expectations? Are the requirements reasonable. Are doing very little and not getting the learning experience you hoped for? It is helpful to establish clear expectations before you accept the internship. If you have an internship coordinator, that person can help you with any difficulties.

Internship Applications

Internship applications should be treated like a job application. This means you submit a resume and a cover letter; The cover letter should be internship specific.

There are many internship opportunities in Ohio