Internships
INTERNSHIPS
Purpose
Finding a good job is the number one reason that students, parents, and the public value higher education. Gallup research shows that graduates who had a relevant job or internship experience while in school were more than twice as likely to acquire a good job immediately after graduation than their peers who did not complete an internship (see Busteed and Auter, “Why Colleges Should Make Internships a Requirement,” 2017). Internships give Ensign College students opportunities to apply lessons learned in the classroom, develop professional skills in a real-world environment under supervision from an employer, and interact with a faculty member through associated academic coursework. In addition, internships expand a student’s professional network.
Definition
An “internship” is an academic, curriculum-based, practical work experience in a particular field of study that enhances student’s learning and development of professional skills. An internship is not a component of a course; rather, it is an applied work experience that includes related academic assignments. An internship requires a professional in the field to supervise the work of the intern/employee. Except for rare expectations, the supervisor should not be a relative or friend of the student.
Internship Requirement
To graduate from Ensign College, degree-seeking students are required to complete at least one internship or medical practicum related to a certificate or degree studied at Ensign College.
Numerous organizations do not currently offer formalized internship programs. It is crucial for students to keep in mind the value of seeking broader "employment opportunities" rather than exclusively focusing on "internship openings."
A student earning an associate degree is required to complete at least one internship or medical practicum. A student earning a bachelor’s degree is required to complete at least one internship. A student earning only a certificate is not required to complete an internship unless specified as a certificate requirement. If the student is doing an associate degree with two certificates, completion of only one internship is required in one of these two certificates.
A student who applies directly to a bachelor’s degree program is required to complete at least one internship unless their program of study requires two internships. A student who graduates with an associate degree and later enrolls in a bachelor’s degree program at Ensign College will be required to complete two internships—one at the associate degree level and one at the bachelor’s degree level unless otherwise noted.
Internships are primarily off-campus experiences. On-campus internships (working for Ensign College) are strongly discouraged and must be approved by the Internship Exception Committee.
All Bachelor-level internships (CAR 499, etc.) must be Off-Campus Internships. Any exceptions must be approved by the Internship Exception Committee.
Ensign College maintains its policy of not accepting internship credit transfers, as doing so would be inconsistent with our commitment to fully prepare our students to represent our institution while applying the skills they have acquired during their academic pursuits.
Internship Standards
Ensign College internship experiences must meet the following standards:
1. Relates directly to a student’s certificate or degree program.
2. Provides the student with supervised practical application of previously studied theory.
3. Focus on real-world projects and problems serving employers or clients who are external to the college.
4. Are administered through enrollment in an academic internship course.
5.Be supervised by experience providers rather than faculty.
Ideally, internship experiences will expand a student’s professional network and business relationships.
College-Wide Capabilities (CWC)
An internship experience at Ensign College should include further development of the College-Wide Capabilities that are related to skills that employers are seeking in good candidates, namely:
1. Teamwork and Leadership
2. Communication
3. Technical Skills
4. Problem Solving
5. Professionalism
Time Commitment - Minimum Hours and Weeks
A minimum total of 70 hours of internship work is mandatory, comprising a minimum of 10 hours of work each week for a consecutive period of 7 weeks. Alternative scheduling arrangements may be considered acceptable, as long as they fulfill the minimum requirement. For instance, a student could fulfill the internship requirement by completing 40 hours of work per week over a span of 14 weeks.
Note: International students, please read carefully the section below about the number of allowed working hours.
Most internship/job providers expect interns to work 20-40 hours per week for at least one semester.
Students must enroll for a minimum of 1 credit hour and may elect to enroll in up to 3 credits. Only 1 credit hour is required, even if total work hours for the internship exceed 70 hours.
Work hour requirements by credit hour are as follows:
1 credit = a minimum of 70 work hours during the semester
2 credits = a minimum of 140 work hours during the semester
3 credits = a minimum of 210 hours during the semester
Students wishing to enroll for 2 or 3 credit hours must submit their request via email to the Registrar Office. If the student is applying for more than 1 credit their application must specify the number of hours, they will complete during their internships according to the formula described above.
Internship Preparation and Resources
Students are encouraged to work with Career and Internship Services at least one or two semesters before they need an internship. Career and Internship Service staff are actively looking for and posting Internship Opportunities on our social media platform: Ensign Connect; We take great pleasure in offering our support to students in their pursuit of internship or employment opportunities.
REMEMBER: The student is ultimately responsible for finding and securing an internship or job that matches their major/certificate and the college-wide outcomes.
Internships for International Students
International students are limited to working 20 hours per week unless they are on an official school break or an approved vacation semester, as noted on their Form I-20.
All international students pursuing an internship must coordinate with the International Student Office and the Career and Internship Services BEFORE accepting job offers or working off-campus.
To learn more and receive help with your internship, please visit the Career & Internship Services website: https://www.ensign.edu/internships