Career & Professional Development

At UW Oshkosh you can earn academic credit for participating in internships. Once you have an internship opportunity, gaining academic credit may be an ideal situation to gain elective credits or credits in your major.

Courses for students interested in credit for internships, co-op, externships, field placements, and experiential education are available by college.

Learn more:

• College of Business
• College of Education & Human Services
• College of Letters & Sciences
• College of Nursing

To learn more about the College of Letters and Science Internship Courses sponsored by Career & Professional Development download the Internship for L&S Credit Brochure.

• Develop a resume and cover letter, all tailored to each position you apply for.
• Talk to the appropriate internship director, coordinator or faculty.
• Check the internship postings on Handshake.
• Set up a job agent to receive email updates on your chosen search.
• Attend job fairs and career workshops to network with prospective employers.
• Check with your major’s department for possible internship leads or to check bulletin boards that may have postings.
• Improve your interviewing skills by attending mock interviews.
• Be active in your search by following up on any possible leads or applications you may have sent out.
• Alert family, friends, faculty and those in your network you are searching and include a copy of your resume and criteria for your search.
• If there is a specific company or organization that you are interested in, check their website or give them a call about internship opportunities.
• Utilize On-Campus Interviewing for internships that are posted in Handshake.
• Stay after class to talk to class speakers and guests about your interests in your field and their connections or opportunities.

Internship Maximization Tips

• Learn as much as you can about the organization.
• Keep a weekly journal of your experience (i.e. activities and projects).
• Sit down with your supervisor and establish mutually agreed-upon goals so you know what is expected of you.
• Become familiar with all technology used.
• Develop positive traits (i.e. punctuality, dependability).
• Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions and be sure to follow the rules and regulations.
• Understand that some general office work is part of the job.
• Introduce new ideas gradually and avoid trying to change too much too soon.
• Ask for more responsibility and actively look for things to do.
• Network! Build bridges with the people who are doing what you think you would like to do in the future. They may be able to help you in your current position or lead to contacts for future opportunities.
• Become familiar with other interns in the office. Provide a support group for each other and develop friendships. (This will help you when your internship is far away from your normal activities.)