Jobs & Internships

• You can gain practical experience and develop marketable job skills in your chosen career field
• It helps you to clarify your personal career goals and work-place preferences
• You can interact with qualified and experienced professionals in your field
• It allows you to apply skills and knowledge learned in the classroom to on-the-job experiences
• You can make important contacts in the professional world that may lead to future job offers

Academic internships allow you to earn academic credit while gaining work experience through community engagement.  Through community engagement the university works collaboratively with community-based organizations to address issues important to the well-being and lives of community members, the outcomes of which benefit the common good and create positive systemic change. 

These internships require tuition payment in the same way as with other academic courses.  They are an effective way for you to gain work experience in your field of study before graduation. Visit the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement website to learn more.

International students with F-1 visa status must be authorized by the Office of International Programs (OIP) and complete the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) in order to participate in an academic internship. Other non-immigrant visa holders (i.e. H-4, J-2, etc.) must adhere to their visa regulations. 

For housing and/or disability resources, please check out the links below:

Intern Housing Resources:

Intern Housing
SF Homestay
Student Housing

Disability Internship Resources:

Entrypoint
Ability Corps

Where are Internships Located?

Internships can be located close to home, near campus, anywhere in the USA or internationally.

What are the Requirements to Earn University Credit?

Getting course credit for an internship is like taking any course for credit. The course will be listed on your transcript showing that you have practical, as well as classroom, experience. The requirement for credit varies from department to department, and is generally determined by your department faculty advisor. Your faculty advisor will determine the amount of credit according to your level of responsibility and the number of hours per week on the job. A faculty advisor will assess your learning and performance and may require that you write a report or provide a critical analysis of a project. The internship must provide you with specific problems to solve and be related to your field of study. 

Is There a Charge for Working as an Intern?

Only internships which are taken for academic credit require tuition payment—just like any other course. The tuition and charges pay for supervisors, monitoring, evaluation of your work performance and transcript notation. There is no charge for internships not taken for academic credit. In fact, a wage may be required according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Please review the Wage and Hour Division’s seven-point unpaid intern test if you would like to know more about unpaid internship regulations. The employer should never charge you.

Can I Develop an Internship on My Own?

Career and Leadership Development puts on several career fairs each year both in the fall and spring semesters. We also provide on-campus interview (OCI) opportunities for employers to interview our students on our campus for the convenience of both employers and students. You can arrange your own placement related to your field of study. If you wish to earn academic credit, the internship must be approved before you register for classes. See your department's faculty advisor for more information. If you do not wish to obtain academic credit, have clear goals established with the employer about your work experience and agree to have work experiences that are related to your major.

What is a Cooperative Education Program (Co-op)?

A Cooperative Education Program is another type of program offered by employers that provides paid career-related work experience and offers academic credit. For more information, visit the SF State Cooperative Education Program.

Questions to Consider Before an Internship:

Will I have opportunities to gain practical experience in my chosen field or learn if this area of my major is the right fit for me? 

Will I have an engaged supervisor working with me to create a successful experience based on my internship goals? 

Is there a strong education, research, or project-oriented aspect to the internship? 

Is my position as an intern somewhat independent of established, paid positions within this organization? If the internship is unpaid and you answered no to either of these questions, carefully review the Wage and Hour Division’s seven-point unpaid intern test