Setting up an Internship/Co-op

At Minnesota State University, Mankato, internships and co-ops are “decentralized,” which means that there is not one central department that oversees the processes for these experiences. Here is some information on how internships and co-ops are run on campus.

Internships

Students may choose to complete an internship for academic credit, or just for the experience. For a student who plans to receive academic credit, they are required to meet with the Internship Coordinator for their academic major or department. Each department has their own guidelines, application process, assignments, and/or documentation requirements. The STUDENT is responsible for completing the appropriate steps to receive credit, and it is the STUDENT’S responsibility to share with the hiring organization any and all relevant information regarding these requirements. It is our intent to make the process as easy as possible for the employer.

For students who do not register to receive academic credit for completing an internship, we still suggest that the student identify, with the individual who will be supervising them at the internship, the following prior to the internship beginning:

• Position requirements
• Expectations
• Learning objectives
• Length of internship
• Days/hours
• Compensation
• Evaluation process
• Supervision/management

Co-ops

Enrolling for a co-operative experience allows a student in junior or senior standing to work for an employer in a profession related to the student’s major for one summer and one fall or spring semester. The student arranges this co-operative experience in consultation with an internship coordinator or other designated faculty or advisor in his or her department. The student earns zero credits during the co-op experience but is coded and reported as a full-time student through the National Student Clearinghouse. Student loans do not become due during that time, and the student can maintain health insurance through his or her parents if eligible. At the end, students return to the University and finish their degree; the co-op experience can help them later to find an interesting field of work and connect with an employer.

Employers who would like assistance with, or have questions about, starting an internship/co-op program can contact the Career Development Center at cdc@mnsu.edu.