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Internships
FAQ

»Internship FAQ


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How can I find an internship?

Chapman has many resources available to our students to search for an internship! Hopefully you are familiar with Handshake, our job & internship portal.

Also, speak to your professors! Many have friends, connections or know of other internship opportunities - all you have to do is ask.

If you would like to have your resume reviewed and receive other career-related advice, we recommend you schedule an appointment with one of our career advisors or your college's career advisor. You can do so by logging on to Handshake with your Chapman email and password, clicking Career Center in the top menu, and then selecting Appointments.

How can I apply for an internship for credit?

Please follow the step-by-step guide on our website.

Can I register an international internship for credit?

There are a few pre-approved international internships that are allowed for credit, but all registration for these international courses go through the Center for Global Education.

I am taking on an internship for the summer. Do I have to pay for the credits?

Internship courses follow all the same tuition rates and policies as any other course, which includes summer tuition cost. You can view Tuition Rates online or contact the business office for details.

How many credits can I receive for __ hours?

The amount of credits you are eligible to apply for depends on the amount of hours you plan to work. You must complete a minimum of 20 hours within the semester for every 0.5 credits in which you are enrolled. Some internship courses will allow enrollment in as few as 0.5 credits and as many as 6. If you want to register in more credits than is available for a course, please reach out to the department head for approval. You can review the internships courses in the Academic Catalog to check the credit variations by course.

Can I get paid for an internship and get credit at the same time?

Yes! Chapman University promotes paid internships for credit.

What subject should I enroll in?

Your internship course subject should coincide with your internship duties. You may enroll in your major subject, but please note that you are not limited to enroll in only that subject. If you are not using the internship for your major or minor, and you want to better understand how to apply your internship credits toward your degree, please contact Academic Advising and consult your Program Evaluation to see what works best for you.

What is my course number?

First years/sophomores register for 290 and junior/seniors register for 490. You can register for 490 as a lower classman with departmental approval. Graduate students register at the 690 level. You can follow the link to view courses and codes more extensively.

What is an Internship Site Approval Form?

The Internship Site Approval Form is the agreement between you, your internship supervisor (the person that you report to), and Chapman University. When you complete Step 2 in your internship application, the information will be used to populate your Internship Site Approval Form. Make sure that you have the internship supervisor sign and date the approval form before submitting it in Step 4!

Who can be my faculty advisor?

Faculty advisors must be full-time in the department of the course for which you are registering.

To view all eligible faculty advisors, please go to Step 2 of the application in the Portal and select the desired term and subject. This will populate a list of eligible advisors.

Who is/how do I find my faculty advisor?

It is up to you to ask and secure a faculty internship advisor.

To view all eligible faculty advisors, please go to Step 2 of the application in the Portal and select the desired term and subject. This will populate a list of eligible advisors.

We advise that students ask the faculty of their choice to be their advisor prior to submitting their application for approval. If you do not know any faculty on the list, please contact the department head for assistance.

When can I receive a verification letter?

The verification letter will be sent after the entire Internship Application has been completed. You must be registered in the course to receive a verification letter.

In the Portal, please select “Check if your organization requires a Registration Verification Letter for this internship.”

I am applying for an internship at ____ employer, and I need a letter from Chapman that says I am a current student and am eligible to earn internship credit. How do I get this letter?

We can create an eligibility letter for you.

Please email internships@chapman.edu with the name of your prospective internship site, your class standing at Chapman, your major and the anticipated credit amount.

Do I need to also register my internship on studentcenter.chapman.edu?

No, the Office of Career and Professional Development will coordinate your formal enrollment with the Registrar once your application in the Internship Portal has been approved by your faculty internship advisor and the Internship Coordinator.

How long will it take for my internship application to be approved?

Normally it will take 5-10 business days; however, it will also depend on how long it takes your faculty advisor to review and approve your application in the portal.

Once your Internship Application has been submitted, an email confirmation will be sent to your faculty advisor.

When they approve your application, your application will be reviewed by the Internship Coordinator and sent to the Office of the Registrar.

I need my internship on my class schedule ASAP so that my financial aid can be distributed… the approval process is taking a while. What can I do?

You have the option of enrolling in the temporary Internship Placeholder Course (INTP) while you wait for your formal application to be approved.

Please email internships@chapman.edu for further assistance.

Can I register the same internship for more than one term?

Yes, but you can only count the same internship site for up to 6 credits. The duties for each application will need to be different to prove that this is an additional learning opportunity. Keep in mind that, per the limitation of credit policy, you can apply a total of 12 internship credits to your undergraduate degree.

Can I intern at two internship sites in one semester?

Yes, you will have to fill out two separate applications, one for each site.

I missed the deadline. Can I still register my internship for credit?

Please review the petition process for late registration.

What else do I need to do to complete my internship for credit?

By the deadlines listed on the Internship Calendar, you need to:

  • Upload your signed Timesheet to the Internship Portal
  • Complete the Internship Exit Survey on Handshake
  • Ensure your supervisor completes the Evaluation of Student Performance
  • Complete all other assignments that were assigned by your faculty internship advisor

My supervisor wasn’t able to sign my timesheet in time. Can I turn it in late?

Timesheets can be uploaded late at your faculty internship advisors discretion. Please check with your faculty. To upload your timesheet, log on to the Internship Portal and click Review next to the current term’s internship application.

Can I count hours after the deadline? Or is there a hard cut off?

ALL hours should be completed by the last day of the term. If you have extenuating circumstances, please contact your faculty internship advisor and the Internship Coordinator about your situation.

My supervisor did not get my performance evaluation. What can I do?

If your supervisor cannot locate the email, please have them check their spam and junk folders. We also recommend verifying the site supervisor's email address you provided in the Internship Portal is correct—and if not, please email internships@chapman.edu with the updated contact information.

I didn't get the Exit Survey—can you re-send it?

You can access the survey on your Handshake account. When you log on to Handshake, you will see a notification at the top of your home page that says “You are required by your school to take a survey.” By clicking on the link, you will be taken to your surveys page. Alternatively, you can click on Career Center at the top of the screen, and then Surveys.

If you had two internships, you will have invitations to two surveys on Handshake.

Career & Professional Development

Phone
(714) 997-6942

Email
career@chapman.edu

Address
Career House
342 N. Glassell
Orange, CA 92866

Hours
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Drop-In Hours
If you don't have an appointment, you can swing by the Career House to meet with a fellow student Peer Career Advisor during Drop-In Hours. View the Drop-In schedule

Appointments
Both virtual and in-person career appointments are available for students and alumni. Schedule career appointments via Handshake

Events
Explore upcoming career events on Handshake or events.chapman.edu

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    Internship Support

    Contact Chapman's Internship Coordinator for help navigating the entire internship process. 

    (714) 744 -7688

    internships@chapman.edu

      #InternSpotlight

      Student intern holding Chapman pennant
      Submit your photo and blurb to be featured as an “Intern Spotlight” and we will mail you a       @chapmanu pennant for your work space. Once you receive it, don’t forget to snap a (public) picture and use #chapmanucareer.