Internships allow students to apply the knowledge they gain in the classroom to a professional setting. These opportunities are the perfect way to use the concepts you learn from your major to earn experience along with academic credit or compensation.
You may complete internships either individually or with recognition from Emerson College. Please note that for-credit internships must be completed with approval from the Career Development Center. Students may not receive retroactive credit.
Students interested in pursuing for-credit internships must read and acknowledge our Internship Policies as well as our Internship Code of Conduct.
International Students seeking industry work experience must follow all of the steps to obtain both academic credit and CPT (Curricular Practical Training) work authorization for the internship, whether the internship is paid or unpaid. See Internships for International Students.
Internship Resources
4-Credit Internship Course
Student Eligibility
- 64 credits or more (Junior standing).
- 2.7 GPA or higher for undergraduates and 3.0 GPA or higher for graduates.
- All of the prerequisites met for the 499 course in your major. Contact your academic advisor for prereq questions.
Regular tuition rates apply as with any other course. Check information about current tuition cost at Emerson College.
Requirements for Internship Credit
- Duration of 10 weeks minimum.
- 16–24 hours per week.
- Internship falls within start and end dates of the semester.
- The internship is directly related to the student’s major/program of study.
- Students must enroll in the 499 course in their major. Please meet with your advisor about course requirements.
Los Angeles Internships
- All Los Angeles County internships for credit must be completed through Emerson’s LA program. Exceptions can and are only made during the Summer semester.
- During Fall and Spring, ELA's hours requirements for 4 and 8 credits are different from the Boston campus. Check in with your LA internship advisor for more information.
8-Credit Internship Course
Student Eligibility
- 64 credits or more (Undergraduate students only, junior standing).
- 2.7 GPA or higher.
Regular tuition rates apply as with any other course. Check information about current tuition cost at Emerson College.
Requirements for Internship Credit
- Duration of 10 weeks minimum.
- 32–38 hours per week.
- Internship falls within start and end dates of the semester.
- The internship is directly related to the student’s major/program of study.
- Students must enroll in the 499 course in their major. Please meet with your advisor about course requirements.
Los Angeles Internships
- All Los Angeles County internships for credit must be completed through Emerson’s LA program. Exceptions can and are only made during the Summer semester.
- During Fall and Spring, ELA's hours requirements for 4 and 8 credits are different from the Boston campus. Check in with your LA internship advisor for more information.
1-Credit Professional Development Experience
Student Eligibility
- Completion of at least two semesters, with one being at Emerson College. 2.7 GPA or higher.
- Regular tuition rates apply as with any other course. Check information about current tuition cost at Emerson College.
Requirements for Internship Credit
- Minimum of 50 hours worked over the course of PDE.
- For domestic students, it does not have to be a traditional internship nor does it have to directly relate to your program of study.
- International Students must have CPT authorization and an internship related to their major. See Internships for International Students.
Los Angeles Internships
- All participants in the LA program must enroll in a 4- or 8-credit internship.
- Students in LA can take an additional experience as a [PDE/CDE]; contact the Career Development Center for more information.
1-Credit Community Development Experience
Student Eligibility
- Completion of at least two semesters, with one being at Emerson College. 2.7 GPA or higher.
- Regular tuition rates apply as with any other course. Check information about current tuition cost at Emerson College.
Requirements for Internship Credit
- Minimum of 50 hours worked over the course of CDE.
- For domestic students, it does not have to be a traditional internship nor does it have to directly relate to your program of study.
- International students must have CPT authorization and an internship related to their major. See Internships for International Students.
Los Angeles Internships
- All participants in the LA program must enroll in a 4- or 8-credit internship.
- Students in LA can take an additional experience as a [PDE/CDE]; contact the Career Development Center for more information.
- All Los Angeles County internships for credit must be completed through Emerson’s LA program.
- Exceptions can and are only made during the Summer semester.
Please contact the Career Development Center for questions regarding your internship and the PDE or CDE courses at careers [at] emerson.edu.
Steps for Applying for Internship Credit
Steps for International Students: See Steps for International Students.
- Submit an Experience Proposal through Handshake. The faculty member running your course will be sent your proposal for their final approval.
- Submit an application for academic credit through Handshake. The faculty member running your course and your internship site supervisor will receive your application for review and approval.
- Register for the 499 or 690 internship course within your major (View Class Terms & Requirements). Please note that this is a required course paired with your internship, which requires tuition payment for its credits and course completion. Students pursuing a PDE or CDE will be contacted with the code to register after their proposal is approved.
