John Cabot University An American university in the heart of Rome, Italy

The For-Credit Internship Program

JCU’s Internship Program provides qualified undergraduates and graduates with quality, experiential work opportunities in their field of study. As an American Liberal Arts university, JCU considers experiential learning an essential part of the individual learning process as well as, an important step in preparing its students for their future careers. Read below on how to apply for a For Credit Internship and contact Prof. Susan Fuller, Director of For-Credit Internships, to make an appointment.

What is a For-credit Internship?

An internship is a short-term employment opportunity, often unpaid, that allows the intern to combine classroom learning with hands-on work experience prior to graduation. In the program, a student:

• Earns up to 3 credit hours/per internship), while gaining practical experience in a work environment
• Works for an organization for a 120 to 150 contact hours during a normal 14-week semester
• Receives a Pass/Not Pass grade, given by a member of the John Cabot Faculty

A successful internship should produce significant learning through: exposure to "real" projects and organizational problems; development of technical skills needed in a chosen field and increased insight regarding the organizational work environment and the interns own strengths and weaknesses in the chosen field.

II. Participation Requirements

Candidates

To be eligible for the for-credit program, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or better, at least for the most recent 30 credits taken during the regular academic semester (excluding the summer sessions)
• Have completed their sophomore year (has at least 60 credits toward graduation)
• Are degree-seeking candidate at the University or have completed at least one academic semester at the University
• Meet internship specifications
• Are prepared and willing to engage in a systematic evaluation of his or her experience as an intern
• Agree to take no more than four courses in addition to the Internship. Special permission by the Dean of the University is necessary for an exception to this requirement
• Adhere to the policies and regulations of the Sponsoring Organization/Firm including but not limited to: security checks, medical examinations, work schedules, proprietary information agreements, etc.

Additional requirements include

• Agreeing to uphold the University's code of conduct pledge
• Agreeing not to withdraw from an internship site, or end the internship prior to the contracted date without the prior approval of the Organizational Sponsor/Firm and the Dean of the University
• Agreeing to correspond or meet with his/her Faculty Advisor at least twice during the term (or as agreed to) on the dates specified describing work done to date, progress made on the Research Paper or other relevant information

III. Program Requirements

Application Procedures

• Complete and submit For-credit application form to the Career Services Coordinator
• Request a member of the JCU Faculty to complete and submit the Faculty reference form on your behalf to the Career Services Coordinator
• Provide the Career Services Coordinator with two up-to date copies of your resume complete with privacy waiver
• Schedule an appointment with the Career Services Coordinator to review your application materials and to discuss possible organizations where you might intern

IV. Interview and Proposal Development Process

• Choose a Faculty Advisor familiar with your internship field
• Prepare a project proposal
• Schedule an appointment with the For-Credit Program Director to review your proposal

V. Enrollment Procedures

• After you project proposal is approved, complete the For-Credit Registration Form, and have it signed by the appropriate people
• Take the Registration form to the JCU Register, at latest, during the first week of classes in the term in which the Internship will be served
• Pay the Bursar the appropriate fee for the number of credit hours requested
• Complete any other requirements (such as INAIL registration) needed to comply with university and sponsor requirements

VI. Program Outline

Week 1

• Print a copy of the Internship Course Outline, Report Guideline, and Interview Outlines from the Internship Website
• Begin on-site internship

Week 7

• Submit draft copies of documents to your Faculty Advisor for Midterm Review
• Draft copy of Daily Diary
• Draft Outline and bibliography for Report
• Draft of Interview Questions

Week 14

• Submit copies of the following material to your Faculty Advisor for grading
• Word Processed and bound Internship Project Report
• Complete Diary of all daily activities
• Write up of Interview complete with questions
• Have Organizational Sponsor fax Evaluation of Intern's Performance to the Internship Program Director

Final Exam Week Grading Period

• Faculty Advisor submits Pass/Fail grade to JCU Registrar

VII. Project Reporting

The following general guidelines are designed to help student interns identify sources and gather information necessary to prepare their written report on the organization or firm where the internship takes place. The project report together with a bibliography should be submitted to Intern's Faculty Advisor (the member of the JCU Faculty chosen to grade the internship) at latest, by the beginning of the Final Exam Week.

VIII. Project Report Guidelines

The report addresses the industry or sector in which the firm/organization operates. The review includes but is not limited to identifying Key Industry Trends, constraining that may hinder a firm/organization's ability to continue to carry out its mission. Report Outline Background Introduction

• Describe the organization/firm's mission, goals, objectives and history
• Description of industry characteristics and attractiveness
• Discuss relative elements such as competitive environment, markets served, economic trends, cultural and social factors, political and legal factors, technological factors, customers, suppliers, or stakeholder groups

Analyze the Organization/firm

• Internal Analysis
• Discuss the Organization/firm’s strengths and weaknesses

Competitive Analysis

• Discuss factors considered key for the organization/firm's long-term

Description of Project and its relevance to the organization/firm

• Discuss project relevance and requirements
• Provide copies of products or presentation materials
• Evaluate the Internship learning experience in terms of relevant knowledge and skills gained

Reference Materials (Primary and Secondary Sources)

• Sources may include, annual reports, newsletters, organizational publications, The Organization’s Website, Competitors' Websites, internal reports, press reports, articles in relevant industry journals, interviews with experts etc.

IX. Internship Materials and related links

For-Credit Application form
For-Credit Faculty reference form
For-Credit FC Registration form
For-Credit Internship Outline
For-Credit Internship Sponsor’s Evaluation Form
For-Credit Project Description Form
Information in Italian for Sponsors

Please login to MyJCU to download the following documents:

• Career Portfolio
• Europass CV
• Intructions for Europass CV

For further information on undertaking an internship for academic credit, please email Prof. Susan Fuller at internships@johncabot.edu; otherwise, for information on internships not for academic credit, please email Antonella Salvatore at careerservices@johncabot.edu.