Department of Resource Economics—University of Massachusetts Amherst
Undergraduate Internship Process
Student Guide
How do I Find an Internship?
Internships provide many benefits including, but not limited to, direct work experience, marketable skills, and networking opportunities. To find internship opportunities and/or related support services, visit:
- UMass Amherst Career Services https://www.umass.edu/careers/internships-and-co-ops
- College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Career & Professional Development https://www.umass.edu/sbs/career-advising/find-jobs-internships
- Handshake (UMass Amherst supported career platform) https://umass.joinhandshake.com/login
- Read the weekly ResEc Newsletter for employers specifically seeking students from our field.
- International Programs Office https://www.umass.edu/ipo/iss is the best resource for questions regarding eligibility, tips for success and CPT authorization for international students. The CPT process will begin with department approval for your internship, followed by CPT paperwork and then your Handshake submission.
- Talk with friends, family, faculty, etc. to learn about other opportunities that might be available
Is Academic Credit the Right Choice?
Once you have found, applied for, and accepted an internship, you have the option to earn academic credit for the experience. This is true for both paid and unpaid internships. Internships are valuable experiences in and of themselves and the decision to seek credit depends on your personal circumstances. Consider:
- How will internship credits fit with your academic plan? Consult your advisor and consider progress toward degree completion as well as credit load implications.
- Based on above, determine and weigh financial implications for seeking credit.
- What do you hope to gain from internship credits and academic work related to your internship?
- In order to be eligible for internship credit, you must have earned 45 credits and have a GPA of 2.0 or above. If you do not meet either or both of these criteria, you will require SBS Dean approval.
If your internship is directly related to Resource Economics, you have the option to enroll in Res-Econ 398. You can also receive credit for lesser-related internships via University course 298.
What Can I Expect if I Enroll in Res-Econ 398?
Hours
You will be expected to work 40 hours per credit earned. Many students opt for 3 credits (120 hours over the course of a semester), but you have options including 1, 2, or 4 credits. UMass Amherst students can earn up to 18 internship credits during the course of degree completion. Resource Economics typically limits students to 6 credits in any one given term/semester
Faculty Sponsorship
You are responsible for finding and working with a faculty sponsor in order to receive credit. Within Resource Economics, the primary faculty sponsor for general internships is Colby Gray (c.gray@umass.edu).
Academic Requirements
Internships are Pass/Fail. In order to pass, you must meet the academic requirements you collaboratively set with your faculty sponsor. See sample expectations.
Sample Expectations for 3 Credit Internship (General)
(Note expectations increase or decrease based on the number of credits earned.)
Complete a Work Log: Submit weekly documentation of hours worked in the internship ensuring you have met the minimum work hours for the credits you are receiving by the end of the semester. If hours are split between multiple locations, indicate the location associated with all hours.
Attend Faculty Sponsor Meetings: Over the course of your internship, you will be responsible for scheduling and attending 3 check-in meetings with your sponsor.
Select and Complete 2 Academic Assignments:
- Summative Essay: 6 pages of reflection on your experience in the internship (training received, what you are learning, how you are growing, connections you are making, etc.) Students are limited to 1 summative essay per internship experience.
- In-Depth Self-Assessment: With employer support/permission, collect and write-up 360-degree feedback (feedback from supervisor, peers, and direct reports) regarding your current performance including suggestions for improvement. Submit this feedback along with a self-assessment of your work and a plan for self-improvement during the remainder of the internship. In total, this assignment should be 6 pages in length with at least 1 page devoted to self-assessment and 1 page dedicated to an improvement plan. Students are limited to 1 self-assessment per internship experience.
- Employer Interviews: With employer support/permission, select 3 employees with different roles or experiences within the organization. Conduct an interview with each using questions you develop and submit a 2-page summary of each interview (6 pages in total). Students are limited to 2 sets of employer interviews per internship experience.
- Project Summary: If your internship affords you the opportunity to create a specific presentation, project, or report, you may submit this item for review (adhering to the employer’s redaction/confidentiality expectations) along with a 4-5 page reflection on what you learned by completing the project. Students are limited to 2 project summaries per internship experience.
- Live Presentation: Develop an in-depth presentation with slides/visuals to be presented during one of your meetings with your faculty sponsor. This presentation may be an overview of your role/experience, an in-depth look at a specific job function, etc. Present to faculty and any other students in attendance (approximately 10 minutes in length). This presentation may be recorded and/or used for departmental purposes. Students are limited to 1 Live Presentation per internship experience.
- Marketing Pitch: Work with the Academic Programs Manager for Resource Economics to develop content for our website, social media accounts, or other marketing materials related to your internship experience. Use this as an opportunity to pitch your experience and gain marketing experience at the same time. May include (in consultation with you) classroom visits or RES events. Students are limited to 1 Marketing Pitch per internship experience.
- Propose Your Own Idea(s): Seek faculty approval for another equivalent assignment.
Sample Expectations for 3 Credit Internship (Academically-Focused)
Complete a Work Log: See above.
Attend Faculty Sponsor Meetings: See above.
In-Depth Study: Work with your faculty sponsor to determine connection points between your internship and Resource Economics fundamentals. Expectations will vary by interests and may require employer permission. Options include, but are not limited to:
- Utilizing company data sets to research a specific question that may be of both academic interest and utility to your employer.
- Applying a theory or construct in the work setting and summarizing your observations.
- Completing a literature review related to the company, industry, or specific commodity.
- Expanding upon current or past major-specific course work relevant to internship duties.
How do I Get Started?
- Meet with your faculty sponsor to develop the academic requirements for the internship you’ve secured. Conversations should be completed before add/drop of term.
- After this meeting, submit an internship experience in Handshake and the Department will enroll you in Res-Econ 398. You may then begin actively working on your established plan.