You can complete your internship for credit at any point during your academic career, though most students do so in the summer between their junior and senior years. By then, you’ll have gained the academic knowledge and experience to be more competitive. However, if you have strong skills from high school or previous work, you may be able to secure an internship earlier.
Don't wait until your senior year to plan your internship. It’s a graduation requirement for most IST students and it cannot be waived or substituted. Starting early will help you avoid last-minute stress as you approach graduation.
The Office of Career Solutions and Corporate Engagement offers tools and resources to help you search for an internship, but securing one is your responsibility. Finding and obtaining an internship is part of the learning process. While we don’t place students in internships, we’re here to support you throughout your search.
You can find qualifying internship experiences in many ways—through Nittany Lion Careers, personal connections, research opportunities, or even your current employer. Penn State World Campus students have sometimes leveraged their jobs to transition into relevant roles that meet the internship requirement.
Internships can be found through Nittany Lion Careers, family connections, friends, Penn State’s internal job board, LinkedIn, and other job search sites. If you need guidance, schedule an appointment with an IST Career Coach.
Your internship doesn’t have to be labeled as an internship. It can be a full-time or part-time job, a research opportunity, or even a wage payroll position at Penn State. As long as it meets the credit requirements, it qualifies.
No, you must complete the full 240 hours with one company or organization.
What matters is the work you do, not who you work for. Students have completed internships in school districts, small businesses, corporations, and non-profit organizations.
Yes, you can. If you’re already in a position related to your degree, you can use that as your internship. However, you must still enroll in and complete the course requirements for IST 495.
Unless you are enrolled in the B.S. in Artificial Intelligence Methods and Applications program, you must complete an internship related to your military interests to fulfill the IST 495 internship requirement. Please carefully review your internship guidelines and discuss the ROTC internship with a career coach. Note that this internship accommodation can only be completed during your senior year.
Registering Your Internship
You cannot register for IST 495 on your own. Your internship must be approved by the Office of Career Solutions and Corporate Engagement to qualify for credit. The full registration and approval process is outlined on the Internship Registration page.
Brief description of your responsibilities as they relate to your major
Start and end dates
Weekly hours and total hours over one or two consecutive semesters
Semester in which you will complete the required hours
Once your internship is reviewed and approved, the Office of Career Solutions and Corporate Engagement will email you an application link to register for IST 495. Visit Internship Registration page for more information.
You must be registered for internship credit by the drop/add deadline each semester.
Consecutive semesters are those that follow each other directly, such as fall to spring, spring to summer, or summer to fall. Internships starting in the spring and completing in the fall are not considered consecutive semesters.
Receiving Credit
Most students pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree from the College of IST are required to complete an internship as part of their degree. It’s essential to discuss this requirement with your academic adviser when selecting your major.
You can fulfill this requirement by either completing an internship or submitting a Credit by Portfolio. Be sure to review the requirements for each option and meet with an IST Career Coach to understand your choices.
You must be enrolled in the IST 495 class while completing your internship. If you find your internship after the mid-point of the semester, you will need to wait until the next semester to begin the class with a full cohort.
You should discuss any individual circumstances with an IST career coach.
No. You must be enrolled in the IST 495 class while completing your internship. To be registered for the class, your internship must be approved by the Office of Career Solutions and Corporate Engagement.
You should discuss any individual circumstances with an IST career coach.
No. Credit by Portfolio is a different process that may be used to fulfill the internship requirement. Visit the Credit by Portfolio page for more information.
Probably not. You must complete 240 hours of work directly related to your major. Additionally, the Office of Career Solutions and Corporate Engagement must pre-approve your internship and register you for the IST 495 class. Education abroad alone typically does not satisfy the internship requirement, as pre-approval of experiences is often not possible.
