Experience

Internships

Would you buy a new pair of jeans without trying them on? Like clothing, internships can be a great way to try it before you buy it. Learning more about the day-to-day work tasks and the company culture can help you and the employer determine if it is the right fit for future employment! There are a variety of ways you can get an internship. Whether through a family friend, fellow student, alum or through the CCR, gaining hands-on experience is invaluable.

At Norwich, every intern is exposed to all aspects of the hiring process, from job search, resume and cover letter creation, to interviewing and orientation. Once students are hired, internships are structured to immerse them in the organization’s culture and policies. Norwich students have the opportunity to obtain workplace experience that mimics expectations and consequences of the real world. Internships can be paid or unpaid; for credit or not for credit. These experiences can be done here in Vermont or near your home during the summer.

Where Do I Start?

Know yourself:

• Review our NU Internship Guidelines (linked below)
• Speak with your academic advisor or the CCR’s Associate Director for Academic Internships.
• Explore companies or organizations that relate to your field of study.
• Ask yourself, what are the specific goals you would like to gain from an internship, e.g. “I want to see how a marketing plan develops from beginning to end.”

Create an action plan:

• Create a list of target companies that match your interests, skills, and values.
• Research organizations and their available career opportunities.
• Set, track, and meet short-term goals, urgent deadlines, and small milestones.

Tap into your network:

• Use social media, such as LinkedIn, to reach out to Norwich alumni, family, and friends. 
• Set up informational interviews or job-shadowing experiences to make connections within your field of study.

View our NU Internship Guidelines here 

Earn Academic Credit Through Your Internship

There are 16 internship courses at Norwich University. For most students, internship courses count as elective credit within their major, but a few departments require that students complete an internship in order to graduate (check with your advisor). Students who receive credit for their internships are assigned a faculty supervisor who determines additional academic content that they will be required to fulfill (e.g., keeping a journal, writing a manuscript, preparing an oral presentation, doing further research, etc.). In addition, credit-bearing internships require ongoing monitoring and supervision by a faculty supervisor. All interns will also have a site supervisor who is assigned by the intern’s employer.

1. Secure an internship.
2. Register for an internship course (see chart).
3. Obtain employer’s email address, instructor’s emails address, and a written internship description from employer.
4. Complete and sign release and standards of conduct forms.
5. Apply for “Experiences” in Handshake.

View our Internship Course guide here

Internship

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