Liberty University Internship Opportunities: A Comprehensive Guide

Internships at Liberty University offer invaluable field experience, allowing students to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. These opportunities provide a structured environment where students work under the guidance of a site supervisor, completing assigned tasks and reflecting on their experiences. This article serves as a comprehensive guide to navigating internship opportunities at Liberty University, covering everything from initial exploration to securing and completing an internship.

What is Internship?

Internships are field experience opportunities where you will work under a site supervisor for the duration of the course. You will complete tasks as requested by your site supervisor and report on your experiences through journals, reflection assignments, and evaluations.

Initial Steps: Leveraging the Career Center

The Career Center serves as the primary resource for students seeking internship opportunities. It is recommended that all students contact the Career Center to start the process of looking for internships. The Career Center equips students with the resources needed to locate a suitable internship opportunity.

Career Fairs

Liberty University's Career Fairs provide an excellent platform for students to connect with professionals from various industries. These events offer the opportunity to network and learn about available positions, giving students a head start in their internship search. You’ll have access to Liberty University’s ever-expanding network of professionals looking for new talent. This is an excellent opportunity for you to network and to learn what positions are available.

Career Counselors

All students have access to Career Counselors. These counselors offer personalized guidance and support, helping students identify their career goals and develop strategies for securing internships.

Handshake: A Centralized Platform

The Career Center utilizes Handshake, a cloud-based platform that connects students and alumni with career opportunities and events. Handshake serves as a centralized hub for finding and applying for internships. Liberty University has partnered with Handshake, a cloud-based solution that connects students and alumni with career opportunities and events.

Internship Credit Hours and Requirements

The number of credit hours a student can earn for an internship varies depending on their program of study.

B.S. Programs

B.S. students may choose to register for an internship for more than 3 credit hours.

B.F.A. Programs

B.F.A. students have the option to take a 6-credit hour internship, requiring 360 contact hours. However, a 6-credit hour internship is rare due to the amount of contact hours required in an 8 (LUO) or 16-week (RES and LUO) course.

General Credit Hour Information

Students need to work at least 180 hours for a 3-credit hour internship. You can register for more than three (3) credit hours - up to six (6), but each additional credit hour means you must do 60 more work hours. If you take on more than three (3) credit hours, the extra credits can be used to fulfill upper-level elective requirements on your Degree Completion Plan (DCP). The first three (3) credits of DMCA 499 must be completed within your major - not your minor. The first 3 credit hours of your internship must be completed within your major - not your minor. Internships must be completed during the semester in which you are registered for the course. You can only earn DMCA 499 Internship credit for experiences during the semester when you are registered for the course.

Read also: Liberty University Fees

Paid vs. Unpaid Internships

Students may acquire a position outside of the Career Center; however, there is important information you will need pertaining to paid and unpaid positions. In general, if you intern with a For-profit company/organization you should be paid at least minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) for all contact hours. Non-paid exceptions regarding For-profit internships can be found by reviewing Fact Sheet #71 through an internet search. Non-profits and government entities are exempt from the minimum wage payment requirement, but some of these are starting to pay as well.

Securing Your Internship: The Handshake Process

To formally register your internship, you must submit an application through Handshake.

Submission Steps

Secure your internship/practicum.
At the top of the page, click on “Career Center.” This will take you to the Liberty page.
Click on “Experiences,” and then click “Submit an Experience” at the top right.
In the “Experience Type” drop-down menu, click on the appropriate form:
- SCA - SADA RESIDENTIAL Internship/Practicum
- SCA - SADA LUO Internship/Practicum
Follow the instructions on the form, and answer it in its entirety.

Approval Process

Once your Handshake form is submitted, approvals are needed from the faculty internship/practicum coordinator and advisor and site supervisor. For LUO internships, the department chair will also need to approve it.

Because the prerequisite approvals and contract take time to complete, allow for plenty of time to register. Handshake applications must be entered no less than 1-week before the Financial Check-In deadline for your selected semester. Because the prerequisite approvals and the contract take time to complete, you must give yourself plenty of time before the registration deadline.

DMCA 499 Internship: Specifics for Strategic & Personal Communication Students

Every Strategic & Personal Communication student must complete a DMCA 499 Internship for at least 3 credit hours to graduate. This 14-16 week course offers an excellent chance to establish a robust professional network, showcase your skills, and leave a lasting impression on prospective employers.

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Networking

So, start networking now, no matter where you are in your educational journey. This means talking to your classmates, friends, professors, etc. The people you see every day can help you a lot.

Virtual DMCA 499 Internship Workshop

We are offering the all-new Virtual DMCA 499 Internship Workshop online! We encourage all Residential and Liberty Online students to take advantage of this on-demand option, allowing SCA majors to complete the workshop requirement at any time before applying for the DMCA 499 Internship class. Juniors and Seniors intending to complete an internship for credit must attend a workshop at least once before applying for the DMCA 499 course. The virtual workshop will take about an hour.

Documents Needed

You will need the following documents as you complete the Internship Workshop and prepare to apply for the DMCA 499 course on Handshake. How To Request An Internship (PDF): Here are the step-by-step instructions to help you complete the Handshake application. Even after taking the Workshop, students cannot independently add the DMCA 499 Internship class because of the prerequisites. Attend an in-person or online internship workshop before applying for the DMCA 499 internship class. This is where you will receive detailed instructions about internships and an overview of the application procedure. Look for social media posts, web announcements, and digital signage in Green Hall throughout the semester announcing dates/times of the in-person workshops.

Landing the Internship

Apply to several internship opportunities. You are likely to receive an offer if you are determined. Once you have an offer in hand, you must apply on Handshake to have your internship formally evaluated and approved through a vetting process. Your application and academic standing will be reviewed along with the specifics of the opportunity. If everything looks good, the Handshake request will enter into a digital signature approval process.

Approvals

After you, your internship site supervisor, and the Liberty Internship Coordinator sign off on your internship.

Additional Considerations

Virtual Internships

A virtual internship is acceptable. Virtual internships are possible.

The Liberty Way - Student Honor Code

All internship opportunities are evaluated considering The Liberty Way - Student Honor Code.

Internships for Engineering Students

Internships are an opportunity for students to attain real-world experience in their discipline. This opportunity for active learning is especially important in the highly technical fields of engineering and computer science. As a Liberty engineering student, you will be encouraged to pursue a summer engineering internship every summer beginning after your freshman year. Exploring various types of internships, at small companies, large companies, oversea companies, and start-up companies will help you determine what type of company is the best fit for you before graduation. Internships can also be applied toward fulfilling technical elective credits.

Benefits of Internships

An internship provides opportunities to hone your skills, an experience that will inform future career decisions, and connections that will provide future networking opportunities. You may be able to use your current job as your internship, but your job duties must match what you want to learn and be related to your primary area of study.

Troubleshooting

If you are having issues locating an experience, please consider taking the internship course in a future semester or term. This may allow additional time to secure an internship position.

CAPS Practicum/Internship

In order to ease students into the therapeutic process, CAPS utilizes a gradual method of exposure. Initially, practicum/intern students observe several sessions conducted by a supervisor with a client. Next, students undertake sessions with a supervisor present in the room to observe and offer subsequent feedback. Practicum/Intern student training is led by licensed supervisors with diverse educational backgrounds. Those living outside of driving distance may be permitted to interview via teleconference.

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