Internships

Internship Frequently Asked Questions

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Internship FAQs
Review answers to commonly asked internship registration questions.

The questions below pertain specifically to for-credit internships. Not all internships have to be registered for school credit.

Contact Career Development with any additional questions.

 Internships allow students to gain professional experience and put what they are learning in the classroom into practice. Most importantly they are able to explore career paths in different industries and establish professional connections. All of these benefit the student by developing marketable skills that will make them a more competitive candidate in their future pursuits.  
A good internship offers students career-related experience and professional practice in their field of interest. The experience should align with or help to clarify the student's professional goals. Having a supportive supervisor at the internship site to mentor the intern is extremely important. The supervisor should give the student real projects and provide constructive feedback.
 
Review Build Your Internship Program for employers for elements of successful internship programs.
In most cases no, it is not a requirement. Credited internships are a wonderful compliment to a student's on-campus studies by practicing skills learned in the classroom in a real world setting.
Students in certain programs of study are required to complete a for-credit internship as part of their degree plan. For-profit employers may require the student to receive school credit, especially if it is an unpaid experience. F-1 international students interning in the United States are required to be enrolled in internship credits as part of the work authorization process for CPT.

Complete the Internship Orientation and submit an Internship Learning Agreement in MICAnetwork before your internship begins. Learn more about the process by visiting Register an Internship.

Internships can be registered for either 1.5 credits or 3 credits depending on the number of hours a student works. 60 hour experiences are registered for 1.5 credits, and 120 hour are registered for 3 credits.

Complete the Online Internship Orientation when you begin applying to opportunities to familiarize yourself with MICA's requirements and learn what experiences will qualify for school credit. The Orientation can be completed online at anytime, but plan ahead. This very important first step that cannot be missed. Completing the Orientation gives you access to the Internship Learning Agreement in MICAnetwork.

No. If you have already completed a for-credit internship in the past, you do not need to complete the Internship Orientation a second time. Simply submit your Learning Agreement in MICAnetwork for approval before your internship begins. The Orientation is available to you in your Canvas portal should you need it as a reference, or refer to the Register an Internship page.

Only submit an Internship Learning Agreement if you have been formally hired to and accepted an internship offer. Do not submit an agreement for every internship you apply to or interview for.
When registering an internship, always plan ahead and be mindful of MICA's Academic Calendar. Internships must be registered and approved before the internship begins and before the semester's Internship Add Deadline. Internship Agreements received after the semester's Add Deadline may have to have its credits applied to a future semester. Late agreements will not be accepted. 
 
Internship Learning Agreements are approved through an automated, digital process. The time required for your approval depends greatly on those approving the agreement. Though it may only take a few days to process, give yourself at least 1-2 weeks lead time prior to the start of your internship to confirm your eligibility and that all parties approve. 

It is an option to apply your internship credits to a future semester or split your credits over multiple semesters to accommodate your other coursework. Credits can be applied up to two semesters forward. Many summer interns add their credits to the following fall semester. Contact Career Development and your Academic Advisor if you need guidance on adding your internship to your schedule. F-1 international students completing an internship in the United States are required to add their internship credits to the semester when the work is completed, or for summer internship the next term of enrollment, which is the fall semester. 

We do not recommend starting an internship before registering it with MICA, because there is a chance the experience is not eligible for school credit and will not be approved. F-1 students interning without work authorization violates their visa status.

If you begin the internship before it is registered for credit with MICA, any hours worked prior to the approval of your Internship Learning Agreement will not count toward the required total hours you must complete. 

An internship counts as a general studio elective. We encourage you to speak with your Academic Advisor in advance to strategize how this internship will best fit into your schedule and degree plan. Some students have successfully used course substitutions to have internships fulfill specific electives, which requires departmental approval. 

Yes, MICA allows students to intern remotely. Many students benefit from hybrid opportunities where they can gain on-site experience with the flexibility to also work on projects from home. Think about the work environments you work best in. Some students thrive working remotely with proper support from their internship sites, while others have expressed  feeling very isolated and disconnected.  Students should prioritize regular check-ins with their supervisors, and ensure they are available to speak with the intern during their scheduled shifts. There is a lot of valuable learning that comes from working face-to-face with others, including the importance of professional etiquette along with presentation and communication skills. We encourage students to work with their supervisors to build as much structure and support into a remote experience as possible.

Of course! Most summer internships are not in Baltimore. Many students find opportunities near home or in major US cities. International students often intern in their home countries.

Yes. Our faculty members are professionals in their fields, and will often hire interns to assist them in their studio practice or with projects conducted outside of the classroom. Faculty cannot host an intern while the student is enrolled in one of their classes. 

Grad students who wish to be a teaching assistant (GTA) or intern (GTI) will follow a different process facilitated through Graduate Studies. 

Yes. Students often intern with MICA alumni. Young alumni must be at least two years post-graduation in order to host a for-credit intern.

Absolutely! They can intern in their home country, or in the United States if eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT). After two consecutive semesters in F-1 status, students can complete off-campus internships in the United States through CPT. Remember, school credit is required for off-campus internships in the United States. Review Internships for International Students for further details.

MICA has a Leave of Absence Internship Policy to allow students to register internships while on a leave of absence. Review this policy for further details.

We will only provide credit letters for eligible experiences that meet MICA's internship guidelines and requirements. Email your letter request to careerdevelopment@mica.edu. Allow 2-3 business days to process your request. Include the following details:

  1. Name of the company or organization and their mailing address
  2. Link to the internship job description 
  3. Contact info for the person requesting the letter (full name, job title, email)
  4. Method in which they want to receive the letter (digital, mailed, through the student, or sent directly by the Career Development staff) 
  5. Any other specific instructions from the company or organization

Yes. MICA allows students to complete two internships for studio credit, but they must be at different sites under different supervisors. Career Development recommends students to complete multiple internships to broaden their experiences and learn about different industries, regardless of whether or not they receive credit.

You cannot register a second internship for credit with the same site under the same supervisor. The only time this may be approved is if the student is interning with a large organization with different departments and supervisors. 

If completing a 1.5 credit internship, there is a chance the experience could be increased to 3 credits if the students can accumulate the required 120 hours. Contact Career Development for further guidance.

Students cannot earn more than 3 credits No. If you complete more than the required number of hours at your internship site, you will not receive additional credits. The requirement is not a limit, and many students often work over 120 hours throughout their experience.

Contact Career Development if you have any issues or concerns about your internship experience. We cannot help you if we are not aware of the issue. We can either coach you through a challenging situation, or intervene if there is a serious issue. We are open year-round and are more than happy to work with you.

For serious issues, you can or will be asked to submit a Employer Conduct Incident Report form to properly address your concerns. 

Contact Career Development immediately. A for-credit internship is a class and will be listed on your transcripts unless Career Development is notified that you discontinued the experience. If you are not withdrawn from the internship, you run the risk receiving a failing grade.

We're here to assist you. Contact the Career Development Office for help.

Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Career Development

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