LCAD Criteria for Internships
Internships are strongly recommended for second semester juniors and seniors, and may be taken during the fall, spring or summer. In order to receive one unit of credit for an off-campus internship, students must satisfactorily work a minimum of 50 hours, comparable to a BFA class where 30 hours of instruction and 20 hours of out of class assignments are required. The maximum number of internship credits a student may earn is six (6) units of credits, three (3) units of credit per semester. Students receiving credit for an internship may also receive monetary compensation at the discretion of the internship site.
All internships should be registered through the Office of Career Services and require Chair approval for credit. Please consult with your Chair before accepting an internship. Check the MyLCAD job board daily for internship opportunities!
Finding an Internship
VISIT CAREER SERVICES
Career Services works with local employers to provide the most up-to-date opportunities. Be sure to check the MyLCAD job board regularly for internship opportunities. Still have questions or need advice regarding internships? Make an appointment with career Services https://my.lcad.edu/career-service-appointment/
EXPLORE YOUR NETWORKS
Contact alumni, faculty, staff and others you know who are involved in your field of study or companies of interest. Follow industry leaders on LinkedIn and connect with recruiters. Often the best recommendations come from those currently in the industry.
CHECK LARGE JOB BOARDS
Often, large companies will post internship openings on public job boards such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and many more. Search “intern” and see what comes up in your area.
GOOGLE SEARCH
Don’t underestimate the power of a Google search. Quite a few good links will come up searching “INTERNSHIPS IN CA,” including results from Indeed, Glassdoor, and internships.com.
VISIT THE LCAD LIBRARY
Our librarian is a great resource when it comes to knowing where to look. Visit the LCAD Library to ask for some additional guidance.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, ASK
If you’ve got a company in mind, it doesn’t hurt to contact them and ask. Often, companies are willing to work with students who show this kind of initiative.
WHAT CAREER TOOLS DO I NEED TO APPLY TO AN INTERNSHIP?
A resume, cover letter, and portfolio site is standard. Do send only what is requested. A Linked-in profile can be helpful in your internship search as Linked-in is the #1 recruitment tool. If you need assistance with creating your career tools, find resources HERE . The Career Services staff offers resume and cover letter reviews. Have your drafts ready and make an appointment HERE .
INTERNSHIPS MUST MEET THE FAIR LABOR LAW CRITERIA
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has developed the seven factors to evaluate whether a worker is a trainee or an employee for purposes of the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act). Please review the Fair Labor Law HERE.
DIRECTIONS FOR STARTING THE INTERNSHIP PROCESS
You can receive academic credit for an internship as long as it is approved by your chair. To do so, you would enroll in Internship 300, the internship course that allows you to receive either 1, 2, or 3 units. *INT300 is an online, asynchronous course.
Once you have secured an internship for your chosen semester, you would fill out the following forms:
- First, fill out the internship intent form, Student Internship Intent Form. This form will be sent to your chair for approval to receive academic credit for the internship.
- Second, we would get you enrolled in INT300 the internship lab for your chosen amount of units (see attached chart for options)
- Finally you would send your internship supervisor an employer agreement form for them to submit, Internship Agreement Form- Employer
- Once your internship ends you need to fill out an internship evaluation form Internship Final Evaluation Form-Student and send the intern evaluation form Internship Program Final Evaluation- Employer.will be sent to your supervisor. Once both are completed, your academic credit will be processed.