§  Undergraduate Internships

Washington and Lee awards "credit for education, not experience." Credits will be awarded only for internships that contribute toward learning, as specified by departments listing all internship experiences as a 450-level course. Departments are responsible for

• approving each internship in advance,

• designating faculty supervisors,

• requiring interim and final reports,

• securing evaluations from work supervisors,

• ascertaining that the student worked full-time for the period,

• assigning a grade for the course and

• retaining records on each individual's performance for evaluation purposes.

Where credit is appropriate for an internship, it should be available whether or not there is a salary or stipend.

Credits may be awarded to students for internships as follows:

• up to nine credits for winter or fall term;

• up to six credits for spring term; and

• up to three credits for summer/fall combined experiences.

A maximum of nine credits of internship may be used to meet degree requirements.

Many summer work experiences do not qualify for academic credit. The value of summer work lies in experience and networking. This experience should be on a résumé and not a transcript. The requirement of some employers that students must receive academic credit in order to be considered for employment has absolutely no bearing on the academic department's decision regarding credit approval. The decision to award academic credit will be based on the educational merits of the internship experience as determined by university faculty.

There are clearly some instances where a summer experience may qualify for academic credit based on subsequent work in a fall term. Faculty should be involved in the planning, execution and evaluation of the internship. In order for these summer/fall internships to qualify for academic credit, the following standards must be met:

• A. The summer/fall internship will be the responsibility of an academic department, listed as a 450-level course (e.g. 451 for one credit, 453 for three credits) in the catalog, and intended primarily for majors.

• B. Faculty will determine if the internship merits the opportunity for a follow-up fall term project and academic credit. Credit will be based on the work during an academic term with the summer work as a prerequisite.

• C. The student, faculty and sponsor of the internship must agree in writing on the conditions of the summer portion of the internship during the spring term prior to the internship.

• D. The student will register for the internship in the fall term above and beyond the normal full-time course load. The credit awarded and conditions of the fall term academic work will be determined by the sponsoring department and faculty member.

Students undertaking an unpaid summer internship may request a letter of university support by providing a company contact name and address to the University Registrar's Office.

As of April 2009, the following disciplines offer credit for internships.