Accounting and Finance Internships

Yes, you must complete the SPDP (Student Professional Development Program) requirements for both accounting and finance internships. In addition, there are specific requirements for the Finance major:

Finance: You must have completed FIN 320 before your application will be approved. 

If you are unsure about whether your internship would be considered, contact the internship coordinator to set up a meeting to discuss your internship. This is a great opportunity to get your questions answered prior to completing the Handshake experience request.

We do not want you to submit an internship experience until you are scheduled to register for classes.  You may receive an offer several months in advance. We recommend that you file or scan your offer letter to retrieve at registration.

No, you cannot upload emails. You must upload a signed offer letter on the company’s letterhead. The offer letter should indicate the start and end date of your internship along with the pay rate. 

If you need to change anything on an application that has been submitted, you need to start over with a new application. However, if you need to upload a document, you will be allowed to go back into the application to upload documents.

No, you cannot have two different applications in process simultaneously. You are responsible for finding your own internship. Many internships are posted on Handshake. Once you have ‘accepted’ an internship, complete the Handshake experience as soon as registration opens.

No, it does not.  Once your internship experience has been approved within Handshake, you will be notified to register for the course.  You are responsible for registering for the designated course as provided to you by the department ADA.

If you want to know where your application is within the internship process, be sure to set up your “notifications” in Handshake. You are responsible for following up to ensure your application is still in process. If you make any errors within the Handshake application, your application will not be processed further. There is no way for the internship coordinator to make that determination.

You must work 45 hours for every credit you are applying for.  Those hours must be completed between the start of the term and the end of the term in which you are enrolled for internship credit.  The maximum number of credits that can be earned are as follows:

• Accounting: Maximum 12 credits (540 hours)
• Finance: Maximum 3 credits (135 hours)

Yes, you can.  You can earn up to 12 credits in ACCT 495.  For those that hold a double major in accounting and finance, you can also earn 3 credits in FIN 495.

What course and section?

The number of credits you have applied for determines the course section.  For example, if you applied for six credits of accounting, you would enroll in 495.006.  If you applied for three credits, you would enroll in 495.003.  The same goes for finance.  You will be directed by the department ADA as to which course and section to enroll.

Can I take my internship credits over more than one semester?

Only for Accounting internships.  For example, you can take three credits per semester over the course of two years.  We have some employers who hire for a two-year internship.  You decide what works best for your schedule.  You must re-apply for the internship experience each semester.  You cannot apply once for an internship that takes you through multiple semesters.   You will be required to go through the same process for each semester you are requesting internship credits.

How do my credits apply?

• Accounting: You can take a maximum of 12 internship credits.  You can use up to 5 credits toward electives, and the remaining 7 credits toward the 150-hour requirement.  Overall, you cannot exceed 12 credits of ACCT 495.
• Finance: You can take a maximum of 3 internship credits. They can be applied toward finance electives.

Yes, you will have an internship course in CANVAS. Your course syllabus will describe the additional requirements of the internship course.

Many students who go this route need to maintain full-time status for financial aid purposes. In that case, you would complete a full-time equivalency form. While on Handshake, you will be asked if you need the form.  Once you select yes, you will be directed to the appropriate page. 

You must work 540 hours at your internship site during the semester to be considered full-time for the purposes of the FTE. Your hours begin on day one of the start of the semester and must be completed by the last week of classes (not finals week). The 540 hours are required to be worked within the regular semester.

For more information on the full-time equivalency requirements, see the academic policies in the course catalog.

Internships are required to be paid work experiences. The rate of pay depends on the internship site. We follow the department of labor guidelines. However, you can accept an unpaid internship for credit with a nonprofit organization.