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Academic Credit and the Internship Experience

Learn how to earn academic credit for an internship at 黑料正能量, including eligibility, requirements, and steps to get started.

Students work at a table at CASA 黑料正能量

"An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting."

National Association of Colleges and Employers Internship Guidelines

Connect Your Internship to the Academic Experience

黑料正能量 offers several ways to obtain academic credit related to internship experiences completed during the summer or academic year. Please read the official documentation regarding this process in the 鈥鈥 section of the 黑料正能量 Catalog so you are aware of all of your options. The following is a brief, unofficial summary of the options for securing academic credit related to internship experiences. Students should discuss the following options with their academic advisor and consult.

Use an Existing Internship Course

A number of 黑料正能量 Field Groups offer internship courses for credit. Check your major's course listings in the and talk to your academic advisor to see whether this option is available.

Independent Study

If your field group doesn't offer an internship course, you may be able to work with a faculty member to create an independent study that incorporates your internship. If you plan to pursue this option, you'll need to make sure that:

  • Your independent study includes an academic component that connects to your internship
  • You have a well-defined description for your independent study, including learning objectives, readings, a schedule of meetings with your faculty member, and (in most cases) a final project
  • The academic focus of your independent study is not already covered by an existing course

Independent study forms are available in the registrar's office. For more information on pursuing an independent study, check with your academic advisor and  

Zero-Credit Internship Independent Study

If you're looking to show that your internship has contributed to your education without constructing a full independent study, our career services office offers a zero-credit independent study. This self-guided program adds a notation of your internship on your transcript once you've completed a reflection and verified your internship hours.

Zero-Credit Independent Study Process

To begin the zero-credit internship independent study process, contact Career Services at careerservices@pitzer.edu. The zero-credit independent study typically requires 80 hours or more of work during the period of the internship. A Career Services staff member will contact you and provide a form that must be completed no later than one week after the internship starts. 

When you receive the form, you should be prepared to provide:

  • Your contact information and that of the organization with which you will be working, including complete contact information for a supervisor or supervisors
  • At least three learning outcomes for the internship (information about learning outcomes is included on the form)
  • A completed and signed Liability Waiver Form, which will be provided by Career Services along with your internship form
  • Approval from your academic advisor (if you are completing your internship during the fall or spring semester)

Once you've completed the form, you will receive a letter from the Registrar's office confirming your enrollment in the zero-credit independent study.

To secure the internship notation on the transcript, submit the following information before the first day of classes in the semester following your internship (e.g. if you completed a summer internship, you will need to submit this information before the first day of fall classes):

  • An approximately 500-word reflection paper in which you self-evaluates on each learning outcome
  • Written documentation from the internship supervisor that states the total number of hours you completed in the internship

The 500-word reflection paper can be submitted directly to the primary contact in Career Services via e-mail (as an attached document, NOT in the body of an e-mail).

The zero-credit independent study will not show on your transcript until all materials have been successfully submitted.

Contact Us

Career Services

Have more questions about getting credit for your internships? Connect with the Career Services office.

(909) 621-8519