College of Arts & Sciences Internship Overview
Internships and Cooperative Education are full-time or part-time, experiential programs in which students participate in professional work related to their major or career goals outside of the classroom.
Internships and Co-ops integrate academic and professional experiences. Students who participate in internships and Co-ops learn not only about their career field, but also about being a professional and navigating the politics of a work environment.
Internships and Co-ops provide the opportunity to apply what you are learning in the classroom to a different setting, clarify your career goals, accomplish resume-worthy tasks, receive feedback on your progress, and build a valuable professional network.
Class requirements are:
- Complete the number of internship hours agreed upon with your internship or Co-op supervisor. You will indicate the number of hours you plan to work on the ARSC 310v Application. If this changes after submission, reach out to the Director of Employer Relations to discuss alterations that need to be made.
- Submit the Learning Objectives form after meeting with your supervisor. Usually this is submitted during the first week of the internship or Co-op experience.
- Track your progress and experiences throughout the semester. You will not need to submit this, but rather it is to help you track your accomplishments to include in your final reflection paper and add to your resume after the semester.
- At the end of semester, write and submit a 3-5-page reflective term paper.
- At the end of the semester, complete and submit the Student Evaluation form and ask your supervisor to complete the Employer Evaluation form.
Class credit vs. no class credit
To receive 1-3 hours of credit for an internship, you may apply to the College of Arts and Sciences Internship Course (ARSC 310V). This course allows College of Arts and Sciences students to receive elective credit toward graduation requirements. (Some academic departments offer internship courses and may allow students to receive departmental credit instead of elective credit. Check with your academic department to learn if this is possible in your major.) Your ARSC 310V credit will appear on your transcript as CR (not a letter grade).
Eligibility Requirement for Course
- Undergraduate Students:
- Must have completed 45 hours towards College of Arts and Sciences degree.
- Must have a minimum of 2.5 cumulative GPA.
- Must have secured an internship or Co-op experience with an organization.
- Graduate Students:
- Must refer to their department for academic credit of an internship or Co-op educational experience.
- Transfer Students:
- Must have completed one semester of full-time study in College of Arts and Sciences.
- Must meet all other internship/Co-op requirements.
- International F-1 Students:
- Must have completed one academic year of full-time study in the United States.
- The internship or Co-op experience must be directly related to the major area of study.
- Must have potential employer complete the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Employment Verification Form and CPT awarded. To apply for CPT, log into isslink.uark.edu.
- Must meet all other internship or Co-op education requirements.
Benefits of participating in Internships or Co-op Education Experiences
- Receive academic credit in addition to professional experience.
- Ensure a quality experience by creating learning objectives and being assigned an organizational mentor/supervisor.
- Maintain University of Arkansas full-time student status and state residency.
- Get your experience listed on your academic transcript.
- Defer student loans until you return as a student.
- Stay on your parent's medical insurance.
