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Best Practices for Virtual Internships | Downloadable PDF
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Take a step forward in maximizing your semester AND your career development at the Mount Ida Campus this spring!
The fabulous team at the Mount Ida campus is excited to match student interests with our premiere Boston-area employer partners for internships, and more!
Contact Jennifer Reynolds, Internship and Program Coordinator for the Mount Ida Campus, TODAY!
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What about internships during the COVID19 pandemic?
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The University of Massachusetts Amherst is continuing to closely monitor the challenges associated with COVID-19 and its impact on student internships.
As such, we have partnered with Parker Dewey to provide the opportunity to pursue a Micro-Internship.
These opportunities are:
- short-term
- professional
- paid work experience
- completely remote!
GET STARTED!
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Experiential Learning Opportunities
Field experiences—co-ops and internships—give you the chance to work in your field and gain experience. Participating in one or more field experiences while at UMass is one of the best ways to prepare for your career.
There are a wide range of field experience opportunities for students. You can Intern or be on Co-op during an academic semester or during the summer, and potentially work near UMass Amherst or far from campus. All co-ops are paid. Some internships are paid while others are not. But they all provide valuable experience for you and your resume.
See our Calendar for when Internship and Co-op Information Sessions are held during the academic year in Goodell, where a member of our field experience staff will be available to answer your questions.
It is never too early to start thinking about getting some experience. Even first-year students may begin by participating in uncredited internships and other opportunities (volunteer work, campus activities, job shadowing, informational interviewing) to build skills and prepare for later internships. Go to Other Opportunities for more ideas.
Differences: Internships Vs Co-ops
For an in-depth definition of the Field Experience types, please click here.
An internship is a position in an organization that provides you with a professional-level training experience. Internships happen year-round, they may be paid or unpaid, for credit or not. Credited internships require a faculty sponsor to determine the applicable number of credits and to assign an academic project. Read more about the process for doing credited internships.
A co-op is a four to nine-month position related to your major, for which you are working at least 30 hours per week earning at least minimum wage. During a fall or spring co-op, you will set school aside for a period of time, yet maintain your status as a full-time UMass Amherst student without paying tuition. When you complete the co-op, after we receive the evaluations and you have logged your hours, co-op recognition can appear on your transcript. Read more about the process for doing non-credit co-ops.
Scholarships Are Available!
The primary benefit of an internship is the experience. Unpaid internships can provide you with great content for your resume, so don't skip over them as you search. To help, the University offers several scholarship awards to support students doing unpaid internships or research. Students should apply directly to the department or college offering each specific scholarship. Download our two helpful lists for eligibility and application information:
Students are encouraged to check with your department faculty and college office for additional scholarship opportunities. We also encourage you to seek additional scholarships from sources outside of UMass.
Student Resource: Field Experience Office Staff
Mary Lysakowski, Field Experience Program Manager
Employers Looking to Learn About Field Experience (Internships, Co-ops, Etc.)
Please visit our For Employers Page, or go directly to our Field Experience Definitions Page.
Compliance Message to Employers regarding Unpaid Internships
The University of Massachusetts Amherst complies with the U.S. Department of Labor’s "Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regarding unpaid internships. In order to protect themselves from any potential liability which could arise from the offering of an unpaid internship, the employer should make sure that the internship opportunity meets the guidelines developed by the Fair Labor Standards Act referenced above.
