2020 Updates:

• Virtual Internships will be accepted during the academic year 2020-2021. Further details about this option are outlined below. 

• Current Approved Internship Opportunities: 

  • Hola Cultura - Storytelling Program for Experiential Learning (S.P.E.L.), Washington, DC (Spring 2021)

  • Global Fellow Internship (year-long program)

GC Internship Eligibility Policy

• Students must register for a 3-credit internship course to complement their professional experience. 

  • Internship courses offered through academic majors or other campus departments may be accepted. Options include the BSOS Internship for Credit courses, which are open to all majors.

  • The University Career Center provides services to assist students in finding internships, but each student is responsible for securing their own placement. We also post many internship opportunities in the Global Communities newsletter and social media.

• Internship activities must be internationally-focused such as helping an organization, agency, or firm address a global issue, fulfill its mission outside the United States or render services to a population from a cultural background different from your own. Your internship MUST receive approval in advance from the internship course instructor AND from the GC Associate Director, Ms. Natalie Vinski (nvinski [at] umd.edu)

• The internship should be a new experience; it should not be a continuation of a current internship or one previously done.

• You may not earn academic credit for an internship in which you report to a relative or to anyone who reports to a relative or works in a company owned by a relative.

• The internship must involve meaningful pre-professional work activities and learning opportunities.

Internship Resources Through Your College

Searching for an internship can feel like an overwhelming task and often students struggle to figure out where they should start. Global Communities always encourages students to set up a one-on-one appointment with program staff and the University Career Center for support on how to start the search process.

• Click on the tabs below for additional resources to find an internship that meets your professional and academic goals.
• Please contact Ms. Natalie Vinski, Associate Director with questions related to global-oriented Internships.

Updated COVID-19 Guidelines

COVID-19 Considerations

Should a student participate in-person at an internship site, then adherence to current state and local COVID-19 directives, and CDC guidelines is required. Also, should such a student elect to continue in-person at the internship, it is done at the student's own risk. The University has the ability to create remote and/or independent study options for students in lieu of an in-person internship. Therefore, given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, if a student rejects these internship alternatives, the student has assumed full responsibility for his/her well-being.  

ACADEMIC CREDIT Internships*

• This section provides guidance for students engaging in an internship for academic credit. When a significant disruption prevents a traditional on-site internship from taking place, the student should first contact his/her university instructor serving as the UMD academic internship coordinator to discuss options. In some cases, this discussion will include the internship host or supervisor from the site where the internship was to take place.  Two options are possible: 

  Option 1: Converting an in-person internship to a virtual format.
  If the internship host is able to assign remote projects and work responsibilities and provide mentoring through tele-communications, the internship may proceed. The student, UMD internship coordinator/instructor and internship supervisor/host should agree on the alternative arrangements. Students and internship coordinators should refer to program-specific protocols to guide decision making during COVID-19 (refer to the attached Guide for Developing Internship Protocols during COVID-19). For best practices in remote work during internship experiences, please view the “virtual internships” section in our Internship Guide for Employers.

  Option 2: Alternate approaches to obtain academic credit.
  If completing an internship remotely is not an option, the intern should alert the internship supervisor to explore alternative learning activities that may substitute for the internship experience. If alternative learning opportunities cannot be accommodated, withdrawal from the course, or changing the grading option may be considered. 

  Please note that if the student cannot, or is not comfortable continuing in-person (presuming the internship site is open), he/she should immediately speak with the internship supervisor.

  *Including 099 courses