Career Center

Internships: Students

Randall Internship Program:

Click here for Information

Guide to Finding Internships:

Click here for Helpful Hints (PDF)

Internship FAQs

What is an Internship?
How will I benefit?
How do I find an Internship?
Paid, Unpaid or Credit?
How do I receive credit?
What are prospective employers looking for?
Thinking about getting an internship?
How do I contact my Faculty advisor or division?
Can I be exempted from Convo?
I'm still confused!

 

What is an Internship?

An internship is an opportunity provided by an employer for the purpose of providing a substantial learning experience about a particular field while gaining real world work experience.

Academic Internships should include the following:

• Registration for Fall and Spring semester, end of the first week of the term. Registration for summer 2nd day of each summer block

• Authentic, structured and meaningful work experience with increasing responsibility

• Participation in a planned learning environment.

• Well-defined learning objectives, which are measurable and can be completed over the course of the internship. Learning may be creative in nature, project-oriented, facilitate the acquisition of new knowledge, and/or personal development.

 

How will I benefit?

• Gain experience in the marketplace
• Engage in career exploration and preparation
• Apply academic learning in a professional environment
• Contribute to an organization in a meaningful way

 

How do I find an internship?

• Review the list of current posted positions http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/careercenter/internships/search.htm

• Conduct an online search of companies of interest

• Review online search sites such as monsterTRAK

• For internships in other parts of the USA search UCAN, Click here.

• For international listings in Buenos Aires, London, Shanghai and Switzerland contact International Programs: Click Buenos Aires, Shanghai, Switzerland or London.

 

Paid, Unpaid, or Academic Credit?

Interns must be provided with compensation for their work. There are three options:

• Paid internship, minimum wage laws apply
• Academic credit
• Combination of both

 

How do I enroll in an internship course?

• Make sure the internship meets the requirements of an academic internship (see above)
• Each unit of credit requires 45 internship hours
• Contact your faculty advisor to request enrollment information. To view Course Offerings, click here.
• An interdisciplinary Experiential Learning class, GSGS 595, is also available for all majors. Please contact Internship Office, TCC 275, for more information.

 

What are prospective employers looking for?

• Students with essential skills
• Students who participate in clubs or activities related to their major
• Students who participate in volunteer activities

 

Thinking about getting an internship?

1. Start by preparing a semester in advance
2. Seek assistance from the Career Center
3. Update your resume. Use the Resume and Covers Letters to get you started
4. Seek faculty guidance
5. Make sure you are familiar with Internship Etiquette
6. More Resources

Look for an internship that offers you a substantial experience. Determine how this experience will benefit your education and career goals. Ask how closely you will work with top professionals in the field. Ask what types of orientation, ongoing training, and periodic reviews will be scheduled. Finally, design an educational objective.

 

How do I contact my faculty advisor or division?

Business Division
Communication Division
Fine Arts
Humanities/Teacher Education
International Studies and Languages
Natural Sciences Division
Religion Division
Social Science Division

 

 Exemptions and Exceptions

Graduate, non-degree seeking, and part-time students (as of add/drop) are automatically exempt from enrollment in the Chapel/Convocation Series. The review committee may also grant exemptions for the following reasons, but students MUST fill out an Exemption Request Form for each semester:

1. Mandatory internship or student teaching for your major, supported by a letter signed by a department chairperson
2. "Lifetime Learners," defined as students who are over the age of 30; nontraditional students with children; "5th Year Seniors" (students who have completed 8 semesters of Convocation); or students commuting more than 30 miles to campus, with proof of residency
3. Adverse medical conditions with documentation signed by a licensed physician
4. If students miss 6 weeks of school due to documented medical reasons, they can petition to be dropped from Seaver 200. If students withdraw from all classes they will be dropped from Seaver 200 up until the date of the last Convocation

Students wishing to request an exemption from attending the Chapel/Convocation Series must submit the request through an Exemption Request Form located in the WaveNet "Convocation" pagelet by the date indicated.

 I'm still confused!

Email the Internship Office for assistance at internship@pepperdine.edu or call x4184 to make an appointment.