Brigham Young University - Idaho

Gone are the days when an internship was simply "cheap summer labor."

BYU-Idaho interns are getting hands-on experience, making measurable contributions, and bringing more value to the workplace than ever before.

The following guidelines should be followed to ensure a student's experience is valid and that they receive proper university credit:

• All internships must be directly related to a student’s major. Duties and responsibilities should allow a student to apply what they've learned in the classroom, as well as receive valuable instruction and guidance from a qualified mentor and/or supervisor.
• Shadowing/observing is typically not approved, unless it is coupled with other hands-on experience. Generally speaking, in medical/dental offices, this may include front and back office duties, room and patient prep, sterilization, and other tasks related to a medical/dental practice. State/local laws may dictate an intern's participation in these activities.
• The internship must be approved by the Faculty Department Internship Coordinator, as well as the University Internship Director.
• A Master Agreement must be signed and on file with the BYU-Idaho Internship Office. The Master Agreement is a document outlining the responsibilities of the intern, the University and the Experience Provider. By having this document in place, each intern will also be covered by a $1 million liability policy during their experience.
• The student should work under the direct supervision of a designated mentor from an on-site experience provider. Academic internships are more than doing a job. A qualified mentor/supervisor should oversee the intern's work, provide feedback and suggestions for improvement, and help the student understand the world of work.
• An internship will typically last the length of a semester (13 weeks) :
  • January – April (Winter)
  • April – July (Spring)
  • September – December (Fall)
• Students should work 40 hours per week. When this is not practical, a minimum of 20 hours per week should be met.
• Students are typically paid an hourly wage or given a stipend, however, volunteer positions are the norm in some industries. The company/organization advertising the position may determine the wage or other compensation (salary, housing or travel allowances, etc), if applicable.
• Students will be required to fulfill academic criteria while performing their internship – such as reports, journals, etc. Students should communicate with their Department Internship Coordinator and their Experience Provider Supervisor to ensure that all requirements are fulfilled by the end of the experience.
• Students must complete a post-internship evaluation, which will be emailed to them 2 weeks prior to the finish date of the experience. Experience Providers will also be asked to complete a brief survey to evaluate the student and their performance. Many departments also ask for evaluations in addition to those initiated by the internship office. These simple surveys will help make the most of the BYU-Idaho Internship program. Evaluation responses are not shared between the student and experience providers without permission.

Any questions regarding the BYU-Idaho Internship Program may be directed to the Academic Discovery Center.