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How to Find, Apply, and Register for Internships

Step 1: Self-Discovery and Exploration

Just like jobs, most internship opportunities are not posted, and the majority of students obtain their internships through making direct contact with the company. This means you can’t just browse postings to see what you’re interested in, you have to figure out what kind of experience you want to gain (and where) before you start.

  • Your Career Goals: Identify your ideal post-graduation career path. This internship should be a stepping stone towards that goal. Your internship should be as closely related to your post-graduation career goals as possible. If you don’t know your career goal yet, one resource to use in exploring your options is What Can I do With This Major?, an online tool provided by Boise State Career Services.

Finding Inspiration

There are many different ways to get an internship. You can apply to companies with a formalized internship program, you can seek out companies who hire interns as they come but don’t recruit for them, or you can create your own internship.

Beyond Job Boards

Recognize that most internships aren’t readily advertised. Be proactive in your search through:

  • Company Research: Identify companies you’d like to intern with. Research their websites for internship opportunities. Don’t limit yourself to posted positions!
  • Informational Interviews: Reach out to professionals at companies of interest. This is where you would contact someone working at a company of interest and ask questions to gather information about the company and their needs. More importantly, informational interviewing is the best strategy for getting in the door to talk to the company when you’re looking for internships and it also allows you to expand your professional network. For more information about the job search process, including how to use informational interviewing as a search tool, see the Career Services Job Search Process handout.
  • Creating Your Own Internship: Identify needs you could fulfill at a company and propose an internship opportunity. Non-profit organizations are especially receptive to intern initiatives.

Step 3: Academic Credit Registration

Eligibility and Credits

  • Secure an internship with a company before registering for academic credit.
  • You can earn 1 credit for every 45-50 hours of internship work (Sociology, Social Science, and Ethnic Studies require a 3-credit internship total of 135 hours).
  • Consult your department’s internship coordinator, DesireeBrunette@boisestate.edu, to determine if your internship qualifies for academic credit.

Application Submission and Additional Approvals

  • After you have logged in, click on the plus (+) sign on the left side of the page next to the label, Internship Application for Academic Credit. Next click on Create Application to begin your application. If you do not see the option to Create an Application, contact DesireeBrunette@boisestate.edu.
  • Enter all required information, and then click Submit. If you do not have all the information, you can select Save and come back to it at another time, but remember, it is not submitted until you hit SUBMIT.
  • Once submitted, the application will be sent to your department internship coordinator for approval. He/she will get an email notification asking them to approve your internship.
  • Once approved by your department internship coordinator, it will then be sent via email to your supervisor at the place you’re doing your internship for approval.
  • Once approved by the organization supervisor, it will be sent via email to the Registrar’s Office and the approved internship course will be added to your class schedule in myBoisestate (Student Center). Please note that you will NOT be registered for your internship course until your department internship coordinator and organization supervisor approve your internship application.

Online Orientation Workshop

For academic credit, you must complete the Online Orientation Workshop before beginning your internship. This is a very short online orientation workshop and quiz.  To access the online orientation workshop and quiz, follow the same instructions you followed to complete the online internship application for academic credit.

  • On the left-hand menu, click on the (+) sign next to “Internship Application for Academic Credit.”
  • Click on View Online Orientation Workshop to watch the short YouTube video. After you finish watching the video, you will be prompted to take a quiz.
  • Complete the 10-question quiz and click Submit. You may also print your quiz.

Support and Assistance

If you have any questions or require further guidance, contact the Sociology Department Internship Coordinator, DesireeBrunette@boisestate.edu