Miami uses Handshake for the approval, registration, and completion of all internships.

1. Please be sure to identify and contact a supervising POL faculty member BEFORE applying for an internship.

2. You will also need to include 2-3 Learning Objectives in your application that will be signed by the student, the faculty member, and the internship site supervisor.

INTERNSHIP POLICY

Highlights of the internship policy:

1. Extra-curricular Internships are internships that are initiated by the student, are not required for the degree, and do not receive academic credit. Students seeking to fulfill the Miami Plan Experientiual Learning requirement should apply for a 0-credit internship (at no cost to the student).
   
   
2. Co-curricular Internships are not required for the student’s academic degree or major. However, because Co-curricular Internships relate to the student’s program of study (e.g., major, minor, certificate program), these internships qualify for undergraduate academic credit. This includes the 0-credit Experiential Learning requirement in the Miami Plan. NOTE: POL only offers internships to declared majors (POL, DGP, PA, & PH-PA). NOTE: internship credits do not count towards major requirements but are considered elective credits applied to the total needed to graduate.
   
   ★ Minimum time commitments are required:
   
   0 credits = less than 37.5 work hours
   1 credit = 37.5 total work hours
   2 credits = 75 total work hours
   3 credits = 112.5 total work hours
   4 credits = 150 total work hours
   5 credits = 187.5 total work hours
   6 credits = 225 total work hours
   
   NOTE: The total time AND your Learning Plan will determine how many credits you will earn.
   
   ★ Students may not earn more than six (6) credits per term or semester or ten (10) credit hours per year in internships or independent study work of any type. Co-curricular internships may not be substituted for degree requirements.
   
   ★ Retroactive credit for an internship is not permitted.
   
   ★ Co-curricular Internships require a written Learning Plan signed by the student, the faculty member, and the internship site supervisor.
   
   ★ Co-curricular Internships may be paid or unpaid.
   
   ★ Co-curricular Internship credit appears on the transcript and may be offered as credit/no credit or for a letter grade.
   
   
3. Curricular Internships are a requirement for the student’s declared degree or major.
   
   ★ POL majors do not currently have any required internships.

Getting started in Handshake

updated: 7/27/21