University of South Florida Internships: A Comprehensive Guide

The University of South Florida (USF) recognizes the importance of experiential learning and offers a variety of internship programs designed to equip students with the skills and experience necessary to succeed in today's competitive job market. These programs cater to students from all majors, providing opportunities to gain real-world experience, explore career options, and build professional networks.

The Importance of Internships

Experiential learning opportunities are important components of your college experience. Nearly all employers today expect applicants to have experience, and internships can help provide you with the necessary skills and tools to stand out among the competition. By participating in internships, students can apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and gain valuable insights into their chosen career fields. We highly recommend that you investigate your options in advance.

Resources for Finding Internships

USF provides a wealth of resources to assist students in their internship search.

Center for Career & Professional Development: Utilize the resources and services available through the Center for Career & Professional Development to prepare and identify opportunities of interest. This center offers guidance on resume writing, interview skills, and job searching. Make an appointment with a Career Coach on Handshake.
Career Fairs: Attend a career fair to meet with employers and see the opportunities available. Some employers recruit in September for positions starting in May or June, so attending fall career fairs will be to your benefit. Schedule time to attend on-campus recruiting events, such as career fairs, in which employers will come to campus to recruit for opportunities like Co-op.
Handshake: This online platform connects students with internship and job opportunities from a wide range of employers.
Employer Research: Employer research is an important part of your job search process and can help you gain familiarity of the company’s organizational culture, structure, services, and mission.

Types of Internships

USF offers various types of internships to suit different student needs and interests.

Traditional Internships: These are typically semester-long or summer positions that provide students with in-depth experience in a specific field.
Micro-Internships: Students and recent graduates from all majors can gain real-world experience by completing short-term, paid, typically-remote, professional projects. These unique projects are posted at all times of year by companies of all sizes, from Fortune 100 corporations to emerging startups. There is no official cutoff, but Parker Dewey is designed to help early career professionals launch their careers. Projects completed through Parker Dewey are available to international students who are either affiliated with one of our partner programs or those attending a US-based college or university. Micro-Internships fill fast!
Co-ops (Cooperative Education): Co-op is an experiential opportunity and USF course administered by the Center for Career & Professional Development. Co-op integrates hands-on, paid, career-related work experience with your academic program and provides you with valuable training in your chosen career field. Each semester you are out on Co-op, the experience you are gaining should be increasing in complexity, building on previous duties, or a new rotation in a different facet of the field/industry.

Co-op Program Details

Although employers may use the terms “Internship” and “Co-op” interchangeably, they are not the same academically. Here's a breakdown of the Co-op program:

Eligibility Requirements

Please verify that you meet all the requirements below in order to participate in Cooperative Education.

Enrollment: Parallel vs. International Students: Enroll and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours (Graduate Students: minimum of 9 credit hours) and must work no more than 20 hrs.
Academic Progress: Must maintain adequate academic progress toward graduation if you accept a Co-op position.
Course Enrollment: Enroll in the IDS 4949 Cooperative Education Course (variable 0-3 credit hours**). No additional course enrollment (credit hours) is required. *Other university offices may define a full-time student differently. In addition, other benefit programs may use different criteria to define a full-time student. ** If you do not need credit, it is recommended to enroll in “0” credit hours. If you chose to enroll in the course for credits then you should consult your academic advisor to ensure it is counting towards the degree requirements you want it to count towards. Credit hours can also be important when considering any scholarships, financial aid, or other benefits you receive.

Enrollment Process

Access to the course is by permit only, once you have received an official Co-op offer. You will only receive this permit once your Co-op offer has been reviewed and approved for enrollment in the USF Co-op program.

Offer Letter Submission: On the summary page that pops up on your screen, you will see a blue button that says, “New Attachment”. Please attach the co-op offer letter that you received from your employer. Please attach your internship offer letter that you received from your employer. If it does not, ask the employer to either update the offer letter or provide a supplemental letter.
Transcript Documentation: Your Co-op experience is documented on your official academic transcripts as a “Cooperative Education” Course each semester you are out on Co-op with your employer. The course is graded Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. The course is available for variable credit, but most students will take the course for “0” credits.
Co-op Timing: Co-op positions should coincide with the academic semester so it is important to make sure you are reporting a Co-op offer/hire as soon as you accept them.

Paying for Academic Credit

As Co-op is a variable credit course, you would pay for the number of credit hours you choose to enroll in.

Choosing “0” credits: If you are registered for any other credit-bearing coursework in any semester while registered for “0” credits for Co-op you do not have to pay for the Co-op course. If you are registered for only Co-op for “0” credits and taking no other coursework in the same semester, you will be charged for one credit hour. Monitor Oasis the first three weeks of the semester for any fees you may be assessed. Concurrent Academic Credit Requirement: Students are required to make progress (accumulate academic credit) toward the completion of their degree. The assignments in the Co-op courses are designed to ensure you are reflecting on your experience as it is happening.

Co-op vs. Internship

Although similar, in that they are forms of CPT, Co-op, and Internship are not interchangeable terms.

Earning Academic Credit for Internships

Get academic credit for your internship with the all-majors internship course. The Center for Career & Professional Development offers an internship elective course for students in any major -IDS 3947. students must be committed to the position/internship for the entire semester as this is tied to course performance.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Internship Timeline

Although many employers will start recruiting somewhere between 3-6 months before a start date, it is important to note that many employers have varying timeframes. Some may recruit a year in advance while others only a few months in advance.

The job search can be an intense process but we have compiled a number of great resources to make this process easier on you. Currently, it is taking 3-9 months to land a position, so begin your search early.

Support Services

USF augments its internship initiatives with a suite of support services, including resume workshops, interview preparedness sessions, and career counseling.

Resume and Interview Assistance: Do you need help with your resume, interview skills, or internship job search?
AI Job Search Advice: Hear some great advice from the National Association of Colleges and Employers about using AI in your job search. By Addye Buckley-Burnell, Ph.D.

Addressing Discrimination and Harassment

If you are experiencing discrimination or sexual harassment in your internship or co-op, the USF Office of Compliance and Ethics and their partners offer services to assist you.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

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