Internship Classes

Undergraduate Students

What is an internship?

An internship is a hands-on learning experience that allows you to apply your academic knowledge in a real-world work environment. Internships can involve a variety of business activities depending on the company. This "learning by doing" experience enhances your academic training, making you more qualified for a future position in your chosen career.

Internships may offer:

• Academic credit
• Financial compensation

Why should I take an internship class? 

Earn Academic Credit

• You can earn academic credit that counts toward your degree completion.
• At PSU, you can typically earn up to 12 internship credit hours toward your bachelor's degree requirements. Check with your academic advisor to see how these credits can fit into your graduation plan.

Internship Registration Options & Requirements

• To earn academic credit for an internship or practicum course at PSU, you must follow the eligibility requirements and registration steps outlined below. Review the course options below to determine which one fits your needs.

MGMT 404 – Internship

• Who can take it: Undergraduate Business majors
• Credits: 1–4
• Grading: Pass/No Pass
• Format: Online course

Requirements:

• Secure an internship position relevant to your major
• Minimum 2.5 GPA
• Be admitted to the School of Business
• Submit Internship verification and receive approval before registering for the course.

MGMT 409 – Practicum

• Who can take it: Undergraduate Business majors already employed
• Credits: 1–4
• Grading: Pass/No Pass
• Format: Online course

Requirements:

• Must be currently employed
• Complete a stretch assignment (a special project or additional responsibilities totaling at least 10 extra hours/week)
• Stretch assignment must be related to your major
• Submit Verification form and receive approval before registering

ACTG 404 – Internship (Accounting Majors Only)

• Who can take it: Undergraduate Accounting majors
• Credits: 1–4 per term (up to 12 total credits for CPA licensure)
• Grading: Pass/No Pass
• Format: Online course

Requirements:

• Secure an internship in accounting
• Minimum 2.5 GPA
• Be admitted to the School of Business
• Submit a Verification Form for approval before registering

Registering for ACTG 404 & Earning Additional Credits:

If this is your first time enrolling in ACTG 404 and you are completing a full-time internship, you may earn up to 12 credits in one term by combining standard registration and additional credits “By Arrangement.”

Steps:

1. Register for 4 credits via the Registration Hub (this is all you'll see on your schedule at first).
2. Submit the By-Arrangement form online to request up to 8 additional credits.
   • Follow the video instructions to complete the form.
   • You will be responsible for paying for the additional credits.
     
     Important Note:
     Only the 4 credits will appear in your registration initially. The additional credits will be added later through the By-Arrangement process and reflected in your total by the end of the course.

Credit Guidelines Based on Internship Hours

You’ll earn credit based on the number of work hours completed during the 10-week term:

Accounting internships may go up to 12 credits total with approval.

What Assignments Can I Expect in My Internship/Practicum Course?

Expect about 10 hours of course-related work for your internship or practicum. The assignments will focus on career development and may include:

• Informational interviews
• Resume quantification (tracking achievements)
• Job search practice
• Documentation of technical skills and internship experiences on your resume

Assignments may vary by term, but they all center on career-focused development.

Graduate Students

MGMT 504

This is an MBA internship course and credits are typically only used for International Students who required to register for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) credit in order to work legally according to the terms of their international student visa. Domestic students doing unpaid internships for companies that are for-profit, may be required to register for credit (if this is the case for you, please reach out to your academic director for guidance, as we do not encourage unpaid internships.) to register for your internship credit, review this document for next steps. 

The coursework involves approximately 10 hours of assignments, distributed as weekly tasks for completion and submission which will be directed by the course instructor. If you have any questions about the process, please reach out to your academic director or Nancy Young.

FIN 504

MS in Finance (MSF) students interested in earning academic credit for their finance internship that counts towards the MSF elective program requirement must register by arrangement for FIN 504. Students can submit the finance internship job description and offer letter with the details to Academic Director Julie Hackett at hackett2@pdx.edu for review. Details must include responsibilities, number of hours of work per week, as well as start and end date for the finance internship experience. Julie will work with you to set the number of credits for the internship experience. Once this is done, you will need to register By Arrangement for FIN 504. Be sure to submit the By Arrangement request Julie Hackett at hackett2@pdx.edu and include: titles of internship, number of credits agreed upon (for most internships it is 2 credits), and Grading Pass/No Pass. F-1 Visa students must also submit a CPT Application. List Nancy E. Young (ney@pdx.edu) as the SB Advisor on your CPT application. She will complete any approvals needed by The School of Business. 

If you have questions about the process or the course, please contact Academic Director Julie Hackett at hackett@pdx.edu or Nancy E. Young at ney@pdx.edu. 

MTAX 540

Master of Taxation (MT) students interested in earning 4 academic credits for their tax internship that counts towards the MT elective program requirement must register for MTAX 540. MTAX 540 is offered in the Winter term and the Summer term. Students can only take the course once to count towards their MT degree. The course cannot be repeated.

If you have questions about the course, please contact Academic Director Julie Hackett at hackett2@pdx.edu or Nancy E. Young at ney@pdx.edu.