Undergraduate Internship and Networking Opportunities

What is Field Experience?

Prerequisites

• Completed 45 credits


• 2.0 GPA

Basic Information

• Internship or Co-op?


• Unpaid internship for UMass credit


• Must be enrolled at UMass at standard tuition


• Approximate guideline of 40 hours of work per credit. (One 8-hour day per week for the 15-week semester yields 3 credits.)


• Paid Co-op for UMass credit


• May enroll in UMass courses, including on-line courses, at standard tuition


• Up to 7 credits in one semester at standard cost per credit


• Maintain student status (loan deferral, health insurance, library privileges, etc.)


• Paid Co-op for no UMass credit


• No tuition, no courses, and no faculty sponsor.


• Maintain student status (loan deferral, health insurance, library privileges, etc.)


• Payment per credit is required for January-term and summer-term internships, which are managed by Continuing Education.


• Up to 15 credits from Field Experience during UMass career.


• Usually taken pass-fail (other arrangements possible). No departmental credit, or credit towards major, and no Gen-Ed credit for any internship or co-op.


• Internships must be planned in advance. No retroactive credit; for internships.

Basic procedure

1. Speak to the Economics Department's Internship Coordinator, Russell Janis, Room 918 Thompson Hall.


2. There are many advertised internships for economics majors. Please contact the Field Experience Office (Room 511 Goodell) to learn how to search the database for suitable internships, how to write and to upload cover letters and resumes, and how to apply for internships.


3. Obtain an Academic Contract form from the Field Experience Office.


4. Find faculty sponsor. Negotiate and sign academic contract, which will specify an academic supplement to the field experiences (including required readings, maintenance of a journal, and final paper) and academic credit.


5. Get signature of Russell Janis, Internship Coordinator, Department of Economics.


6. Submit signed academic contract to Field Experience Office and submit a copy to the Economics Internship Coordinator.


7. Register for UMass 298Y or for a departmental internship course (Econ 398 or Econ 498).


8. Work and learn at the host organization, complete required readings, and maintain a journal.


9. Submit final paper. Host organization provides a performance assessment. Faculty sponsor determines academic credit.

For more information about internships

• UMass Career Services, 511 Goodell, http://www.umass edu/careers/internships
• Brian Frenette, Field Experience Office, 417 Goodell, UMass Career Services, telephone 545-2238, email: frenette@acad.umass.edu
• Introduction to Field Experience (Internships and Coops) orientation program. Sessions are held on Mondays and Thursdays, 3 PM, 508 Goodell.
• For detailed information about requirements for internship credit through the Economics Department, click here.

The Economics Department, in collaboration with its Alumnae Board, often can help with networking, internships and shadowing with our alums.  Please contact the Chair, Michael Ash, at chair@econs.umass.edu if you are interested.