Internship Program

Handshake

Handshake is Stony Brook University’s comprehensive online database for ALL types of experiential learning opportunities: campus jobs, part-time and full-time positions, service projects, volunteer opportunities, experiential learning programs, and both paid and unpaid internships, whether for credit or not. In Handshake, students can post their resumes, access thousands of employers, sign up to attend Career Center events, network with hundreds of Stony Brook alumni and friends through Stony Brook Mentor Connect , view sample resumes and cover letters, and more!

Students can log in to Handshake with NetID and password. Handshake is also available as an Android or iPhone app.

Internships for Academic Credit

An academic internship is a form of experiential education that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skill development in a professional setting. An integral component of the experience that distinguishes it from other types of work is one or more 

Internships allow students to test career intentions, to improve intellectual skills in writing, quantitative analysis, research, and administration; to increase understanding of social, political, and economic forces; and to acquire work experience and industry knowledge useful for seeking employment or entrance into professional schools. While not required for most academic programs, internships can be a valuable addition to a student’s college experience and are strongly encouraged forms of structured and deliberate reflection based on pre-determined learning objectives.

Students may participate in internships with or without academic credit, however, only credit-bearing experiences are formally recognized by the University with transcript notation. 

All credit-bearing internships require a faculty sponsor and the approval of an academic department for major-related internships, or the Career Center, for external internships and externships under the EXT Internship Program. 

The Career Center’s EXT Internship Program is open to all undergraduate students. General guidelines for participation in the EXT Internship program:

• A minimum overall GPA of 2.5 and completion of at least one semester at Stony Brook University; only matriculated SBU students may enroll in EXT.
• For EXT 288 : Completion of WRT 102  or equivalent.
• For EXT 488 : Completion of 57 credits prior to start of internship with at least U3 standing.
• Identification of a faculty sponsor, who will determine the credit value of the internship.

Students may receive a total of no more than 12 internship credits from any course or courses, with the exception of EXT 288 from which students may earn up to 3 credits; EXT 288 is not repeatable. Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. Students may register for only one internship course per semester. 

Transfer students should have a degree audit with an academic advisor before pursuing internship credit. Joint degree applicants must discuss the opportunity with faculty in both departments to determine how credit would apply.

Academic requirements for individual internship experiences may differ slightly but typically include submission of learning goals, regular journaling, reading assignments selected by faculty, mid-term and final performance evaluations written by site supervisors, and other career-related assignments.

Any Stony Brook faculty member may sponsor an intern. However, students should confer with the undergraduate directors of their majors before starting internships.

Contact Information