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Career Services  —  Internships  —  Goshen College Internship Policy

Goshen College Internship Policy

This Goshen College internship policy provides guidelines for the non-professional majors at Goshen College (all majors except accounting, education, nursing, and social work, which are governed by the state and accrediting agencies).

  • A student may earn credit for completing an internship with a business or not-for-profit agency as a part-time employee or as a volunteer.
  • To receive credit for an internship, a student should consult first with a faculty member, preferably his or her academic adviser.
  • Together, they can agree on ways to pursue an internship to meet both the student’s and department’s goals.
  • The student’s academic adviser must approve the registration for internship credit before the internship begins.

The following procedures and policies serve as guides to students and faculty in pursuing for-credit internships:

  1. Students may register for internship credit (usually a course numbered 409 at Goshen College) after completing 60 hours of college credit. (Lower-level students should register for 209, Field Experience.) In consultation with an appropriate faculty member, students will identify possible internships. Students may take the initiative in identifying an organization or mentor from whom they would like to learn in a professional setting. Faculty members may also recommend internships possibilities to students.
  2. After gaining approval from an appropriate faculty member, students may make contact with one or more organizations to explore internship options. Students should make initial contact by telephone and ask for an appointment for an interview. Ideally, they will present a résumé during the interview and, if relevant, a portfolio or other documentation of their interests and skills. The interviewer should also receive a copy of the Goshen College Internship Policy.
  3. After the student and an employer have reached an agreement concerning an internship, the student should inform the faculty member supervising the internship. The faculty supervisor should follow up with a letter and/or written agreement with the employer to confirm the internship arrangements.
  4. Goshen College requires a minimum of 40 hours of on-location experience in a professional setting for every hour of academic credit earned for the internship. Internship hours may be accumulated in a variety of patterns, e.g., 10 hours weekly for 12 weeks or 40 hours weekly for three weeks, but the experience should not extend beyond a Goshen College semester or May term. By mutual agreement between the employer and the student, the internship may involve more than 120 hours, with the student being paid for any hours worked beyond 120. For full-time internships lasting nine weeks or longer (usually during the summer months), students may use the credit-by-experience registration option. See the catalog, p. 85.
  5. The learning that occurs within an internship constitutes a form of payment for interns who serve as volunteers. The Goshen College faculty place greater value on the educational quality of the internship than in having students work for pay in unchallenging positions. However, employers are encouraged to compensate interns whenever possible.
  6. Evaluation of the student’s performance during the internships will be coordinated among the student, faculty supervisor of the internship, and on-location supervisor. Evaluation should consist of a combination of measures. These might include a self-evaluation written by the student (to be shared with the supervising faculty member and on-location supervisor); a portfolio or other documentation of completed work (to be submitted to the supervising faculty member for review); and a written evaluation by the work supervisor to be shared with the supervising faculty member and the student. The work supervisor is encouraged to conduct an exit interview with the student at the end of the internship. Other forms of evaluation may be devised and required by the faculty member supervising a given internship.
  7. If problems develop at any point – before, during, or after the internship-the supervisor and the student are asked to consult with the supervising faculty member and with Career Services administrators.