By participating in an internship!

At Ball State University, internships offer you the chance to integrate classroom theory with career-related work experience. This work experience enhances your classroom learning while you explore and clarify your career goals. Career-related work experience also increases your chances of finding satisfying employment upon graduation.

Employers tell us they prefer candidates who have developed job-related skills and knowledge through career-related work experience. Perhaps most importantly, career-related work experience expands your network of professionals in your field of interest. This network becomes a valuable resource as your conduct your search for a full-time job.

The Career and Experiential Learning Lab, Lucina 235, contains resources to help you learn about and find internships.  You should also meet with the internship coordinator in your academic department.

Internship FAQs

What is an internship?

An internship is a one-time, full- or part-time work experience that is directly related to your field of study, career goal, or both. Internships may be paid or unpaid; they may be arranged during the academic year or summer (summer internships are very competitive). Students generally enroll in internships after they complete the sophomore or junior year. Most academic departments at Ball State offer either required or elective internship programs. Students should register with the Career Center and allow six months to conduct a thorough internship job search.

Will I receive academic credit?

Whether you receive academic credit will depend on your department and your major. If you expect to receive credit, you will be required to do some extra assignments to document your learning experience. Typical assignments are projects, daily logs, informational interviewing, outside readings, and written reports. Each department has a faculty member who coordinates the department's internship programs.

The amount of credit will vary from department to department and may vary depending upon the amount of time you work. The hours are not free. You pay tuition based on the regular fee schedule, regardless of the amount of credit hours awarded. Most departments have specific courses listed in the catalog for internship programs. For most paid internships the course number is 369; the number 479 is used by some departments for unpaid internships.

How do I enroll?

If you are registered for six or more hours of credit, you will be considered at least a half-time student at Ball State. If you are enrolled in fewer than six hours, you will be considered enrolled less than half time. You might not be eligible for some types of financial aid and scholarships while participating in an internship program. If you are receiving any type of financial aid, including student loans, you should make an appointment to meet with an advisor in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

What about  health insurance?

If you are under twenty-four years of age and covered by your parents' or guardians' health insurance, be sure to check with your insurance carrier to determine whether you will be covered while you are engaged in an internship program. Your insurance company may maintain your coverage once you explain to them that you will be participating in a program approved by the university.

What do I do about campus or local housing?

If you live in a residence hall, notify your hall director before you leave that you will be leaving campus to participate in an internship to learn what your responsibilities are under your housing contract and what arrangements you need to make to return to the hall after completing your internship.

If you live off campus and have a lease, be sure to discuss your plans with your landlord. You have legal obligations that are specified in your lease.