Internship Policies, Procedures, and Waiver

Every student wishing to participate, report, and enroll in an internship for credit must agree to the terms listed in each section below. All students participating in internships (both for-credit and noncredit internships) must agree to the Student Waiver & Release for Internships.

Section 1: Internship Policy

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To establish uniformity and give our students the best possible educational application and learning outcomes, Marymount University Center for Career Development applies the following definition from the National Association of Colleges and Employers as the basis for an acceptable internship:

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.

Below is a simple breakdown and explanation of the NACE definition to better understand what we are looking for in an internship for credit.

  1. The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides ample opportunity for the student to utilize the information learned in the classroom in a professional setting. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
  2. Administrative tasks (i.e. general office work) should comprise less than 30% of the internship.
  3. The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
  4. The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
  5. There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
  6. There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.
  7. There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.
  8. There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.
  9. All for-credit Internships must be pre-approved by the Center for Career Development and the Academic Internship Mentor (AIM) before the student begins the internship experience.

Additionally, we apply the Department of Labor primary beneficiary test to determine who is the primary beneficiary of the internship and the validity of a successful internship placement. These factors include:

  1. the extent to which the intern and the employer clearly understand that there is no expectation of compensation;
  2. the extent to which the internship provides training that would be similar to that which would be given in an educational environment, including the clinical and other hands-on training provided by an educational institution;
  3. the extent to which the internship is tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit;
  4. the extent to which the internship accommodates the intern’s academic commitments by corresponding to the academic calendar;
  5. the extent to which the internship’s duration is limited to the period in which the internship provides the intern with beneficial learning;
  6. the extent to which the intern’s work complements, rather than displaces, the work of paid employees while providing significant educational benefits to the intern; and
  7. the extent to which the intern and the employer understand that the internship is conducted without entitlement to a paid job at the conclusion of the internship.

The following also must be followed by the student for the internship to be considered viable for a credit-bearing internship opportunity:

  1.  All internships and sites must abide by the Department of Labor and National Association of Colleges and Employers for employment standards. It is the responsibility of the student to be familiar with these standards and report any problem.
    1.  Department of Labor – www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/71-flsa-internships
    2. National Association of Colleges and Employers – www.naceweb.org/about-us/advocacy/position-statements/position-statement-us-internships/
  2. Restrictions on internships:
    1. Internships need to be in a professional business setting. Internships in locations with residential placements/addresses are not acceptable.
    2. On-campus internships are not acceptable unless the internship is approved by the Center for Career Development.
    3. Employers should employ a professional brand including email addresses that have a company-branded domain.
    4. Internships for credit cannot be with a company/organization owned by an immediate family member. Additionally, site supervisors also cannot be related to the student to maintain fairness and professionalism.
  3. Please be advised that all internships can take 2-3 business days after all information is fully and correctly submitted to be reviewed and approved by the Center for Career Development. Approval processes will not be started unless all information is correct and thoughtfully filled out. This includes accuracy of information, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
  4. Internship-for-credit positions require submission of an offer letter from your employer that includes the following information:
    1. Job/Internship Title;
    2. Start and end date agreed to by the organization/site supervisor;
    3. Estimated weekly internship hours the student plans to work;
    4. Address of the organization/internship including statement if it is in-person or virtual;
    5. General position duties that align with the above-mentioned definition and beneficiary test;
    6. Site supervisor contact information including a company-branded email address.
  5. Any student applying for an internship for credit MUST have a reviewed and approved resume on Handshake. Students can make an appointment on Handshake to speak with a Career Development staff member to start the development or revision of their resumes. This process can take time and last-minute requests are honored at the discretion of the Director of Career Development.
  6. Every student must read and agree in Handshake that they have read and acknowledged our policies, procedures, and waivers. This encompasses your responsibilities and your understanding that you are voluntarily participating in the internship at your own risk.
  7. All students participating in an internship opportunity must complete all approvals in the Marymount University Handshake System before beginning their internship for credit. All of the approvals required from Career Development, site supervisor, and faculty members must be completed by the deadline for a complete application. This process can take time and last-minute requests are honored at the discretion of the Director of Career Development.
  8. Students may work before or after the registered semester time frame, but the hours required for internship credit completion must take place in the registered semester.
  9. If Marymount University Center for Career Development determines that updates and corrections are needed to a student’s internship application, Career Development will contact the student to review the submission with the faculty advisor and correct the application. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure the submission is filled out with accuracy. After making corrections to the application, the student must notify Marymount University Center for Career Development in a timely manner that corrections are complete. Corrections not made within 2 business days may require the student to resubmit the application.
  10. If Marymount University Center for Career Development determines that the internship does not satisfy the above definition and/or is not feasible for educational credit, the application will be denied. If this occurs, students are encouraged to meet with the Center for Career Development staff and faculty to discuss alternative internship options. Additionally, the denial may be appealed to the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs.
  11. Marymount University Center for Career Development reserves the right to deny any submitted internship application for any reason.
  12. Students have the right to appeal their process to the Associate Provost. All decisions made by Associate Provost are final. By submitting an appeal, students agree to this stipulation.

Section 2: Internship Appeal Process

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All students whose internships are denied by the Marymount University Center for Career Development, but would like to appeal that decision, must submit the following, in one email, to the Center for Career Development at careerdev@marymount.edu within two business days of the application denial. Your completed appeal will be sent to the Associate Provost for review and a final decision issued.

  1. A letter that explains how you believe the internship aligns with the internship definition set by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, mentioned at the beginning of this policy. This letter should also include learning outcomes you hope to apply to your academic coursework;
  2. A letter from your Academic Internship Mentor (AIM) in support of the internship and reasons that it would benefit your learning outcomes;
  3. A copy of your Handshake application submission;
  4. A copy of the job/internship offer letter.

After submission, the Associate Provost will review your request and notify both the student and the Center for Career Development of the final decision. The Associate Provost has the right to discuss the reasons for denial with the Center for Career Development prior to issuing a final decision.

All decisions made by the Associate Provost are final.
By submitting an appeal students agree to this stipulation.

Student Waiver & Release for Internships

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Every Marymount University Student acknowledges that they voluntarily participate in any internship for their own educational purposes and personal career development. Any work performed relating any internship experience will not be as an employee of Marymount University. Even if the student is an employee of the University in a work study, College Work Award program or some other capacity, each student understands that the work performed in the internship is not on behalf of the University.

All students agree that their participation in any internship shall be undertaken by them at their own and sole risk and that the University shall not be liable for any and all claims, demands, injuries, damages, actions, or causes of actions, whatsoever resulting from any injury or damages to any student or property arising out of or connected with the internship. Students agree to do due diligence for their own safety when accepting the internship and agree upon the location of the internship is understood and students take complete responsibility. If any internship should occur in a private home or a close and isolated working environment sponsored by the client, students understand that they may be exposed to heightened risk and understand those risks. Students are encouraged to reference the safety resources available in the Center for Career Development.

By taking part in any internship during their time at Marymount University, all students expressly release the University, employees and agents from any and all present or future claims resulting from participation in the internship, no matter non or for-academic credit, including but not limited to, claims arising or allegedly arising from loss, damage or theft of personal property, personal injury or death arising as a result of participation in the internship and/or engaging in any activities in any way incidental thereto, whenever, wherever and however the same may occur, and freely and fully assume all risks, hazards and losses which may occur in connection with any participation in the internship.

Additional Internship Resources