Definition

Definitions of internship  and intern

What is an internship?

An Internship is a professional work experience where learning is built into the business' organization. During the internship, the student takes on responsibilities in the business' organization and participates in observing and learning while actively performing duties supporting the business' endeavors. The importance of an internship is for the student to make a clear and distinct connection between their academic learning and the professional work place.

Planning is a fundamental part of an internship. The student plans the internship in advance with a faculty sponsor and a site supervisor, both of whom monitors and evaluates the student's work. A student who registers for an internship, which relates practical experience to academic theory for academic credit, must fulfill the academic requirements established by the Faculty Cooperative Education Class Coordinator, which can be found in the Queensborough Community College Catalog. A successful internship requires an agreement on the goals, type of work, and outcomes between the parties involved - the faculty sponsor, the student, and the site supervisor. Therefore, careful planning should be done the semester prior to participating in the internship experience.

Internships can take place in all types of work- place settings, from Criminal Justice organizations, corporations, investment banks, import/export businesses, marketing firms to television studios, human service agencies and research institutes. Most internships are unpaid, most require that you do it for credit; however, all internships involve rigorous planning.

The intention of this manual is to serve as a guide for everyone involved in the internship process through Queensborough Community College, the students, faculty and site supervisors, while helping to understand policies, roles and expectations, as well as assist in the planning process.

Intern on the Web:

• An intern is someone who works in a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training rather than merely employment (SIH-199), making it similar to an apprenticeship. [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/internship]

• A job taken by a student in order to learn a profession or trade [en.wikitionary.org/wiki/internship] 

Intern according to Webster’s II New College Dictionary:

 intern also interne (in'turn') [Fr. interne, house physician <OFr., internal< Lat. internus.] –n. 1. An advanced student or recent graduate undergoing supervised practical training.  2.  One who is interned. –v. – terned, -tern·ing, -terns. –vi. (in'tûrn').  To train or work as an intern. – vt. (in'tûrn').  .  . Archaic.  Internal. in'tern·ship' n.   [Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, New York, 2001; pg. 579]

Career Services website information about internships: