Eligibility

• Interning For Credit
• Internship Eligibility
• International Student Eligibilty
• The Internship Work Contract
• Internship Guidelines
• Hours and Credits
• Internship Start and End Dates
• Sample Internship Timeline (spring)
• Zero-Credit Internship Option
• Why Take a Zero-Credit Internship?
• International Students and Zero-Credit Internships
• Learning Objectives
• Internship Grades
• Mid-Point Check
• Steps For Filling Out the Internship Work Contract
• Download the Internship Work Contract

Interning For Credit
In order to earn academic credits for your internship, you must meet the Parsons eligibility requirements and complete the Internship Work Contract.

Internship Eligibilty
You may be eligible to begin interning in your sophomore or junior year of a four-year degree program or the second semester of an AAS or Graduate degree. If you are unsure about your status, consult your Academic Advisor.

International Student Eligibility
Without exception, all international students (F-1 and J-1 visa holders) must earn academic credit for their internship.

Note: F-1 students in their first two semesters are not eligible for paid internships, but they do not need ISS authorization for voluntary unpaid work experience. For more information see

• F-1 students
• J-1 students

The Internship Work Contract
The Internship Work Contract details every part of your internship so that you, your employer, and Parsons are in agreement about the scope of your internship. On the Internship Work Contract, you must fill out your credit information, hours, start and end dates, and Learning Objectives (see below).

Note: You may not begin an internship for academic credit (including a zero-credit internship) until you, your prospective employer, and Parsons have signed the Internship Work Contract.

Internship Guidelines
Please read the internship guidelines below before filling out your Internship Work Contract.

Hours And Credits
In order to achieve a balance between coursework and your internship experience, you cannot work more than 15 hours per week.

Note: Summer zero-credit internships have a minimum of 60 hours as a requirement. Any hours exceeding 60 hours must be approved.

Internship Start And End Dates
Internships must be completed in the academic semester in which you intend to receive credit for the internship. The internship must begin on or after the start of the semester and end before or on the last day of the semester.

NOTE: You must work until the end date specified on the Internship Work Contract even if you work extra hours during busy times or at events as part of your internship. Failure to work through the original end date established on an Internship Work Contract could result in a failing grade (and almost certainly would be detrimental to any future relationship with the employer).

• January 21 (Day 1): You accept an employer's internship offer.
• January 22 (Day 2): You review Internship Guidelines and Learning Objectives, fill out Internship Work Contract, and email it to your Internship Supervisor.
• January 23 (Day 3): Employer fills out Internship Work Contract and submits it to Parsons The New School for Design.
•   January 24-28 (Days 4–6): Your Faculty of Record and/or Academic Advisor reviews the Internship Work Contract. If information is not approved (for example, if the start and end date do not fall within the current semester or you schedule more than 15 hours per week listed), the Faculty of Record and/or Academic Advisor will edit the Internship Work Contract or ask you to submit a revised Internship Work Contract.
• January 25-29 (Days 7-10): Your Academic Advisor emails you instructions to register for the internship. You follow the instructions to successfully register.
• January 28-Feb 1 (Days 8–13): Internship work contracts for international students must be approved by International Student Services.
• February 4 (Day 14): Internship Work Contract is returned to the employer, and you may begin your internship. Check in ALVIN to confirm that you are registered; failure to register can result in liability issues and a failing grade.
• February 5 (Day 15): Your first day of internship.
• March 5: Last day to register for an internship
• Mid March: Employer conducts a Mid-Point Check with you to track your progress and review learning objectives.
• April 30: Parsons Career Services staff re-sends Student Evaluations to employers who haven't submitted forms. If a completed Student Evaluation has not been received by this date, student is informed by email.
• May 10: A Student Evaluation is sent to your Faculty of Record. If no Student Evaluation is received, Faculty of Record follows up with you and your employer to assign a grade.

Zero-Credit Internship Option
By selecting a zero-credit internship option, you register an internship with Parsons that will be officially recognized and recorded on your transcript without the payment of full tuition for credits. The zero-credit internship registration process is the same as one- and two-credit internship registration process.

Why Take A Zero-Credit Internship?
With your Academic Advisor's approval, you may elect to register for a zero-credit internship. There are several common reasons for taking this option.

• You already are carrying the maximum number of credits for the semester and wish to register for an internship without incurring additional tuition charges.
• You are interning during the summer and do not wish to pay tuition for internship credit. (Note that there may be other fees associated with registering for zero-credit during the summer term.)

You may not be permitted to enroll for zero-credit if you need credit hours to graduate. Your Academic Advisor will assess your case and determine whether or not you are eligible.

International Students And Zero-Credit Internships
International students may register for a zero-credit internship. It is recommended that you speak with International Student Services about any regulations that might prevent you working beyond a specific number of hours.

Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives are established, in consultation with your employer, in the Internship Work Contract to ensure that you learn valuable skills during your internship. The following guidelines are intended to help you set reasonable, useful goals and objectives in your Learning Objectives:

• Professional skills: Learn professional skills by participating in a professional work environment, gain an understanding of office hierarchies, recognize effective and efficient work practices, develop a mentoring relationship and a professional network, accomplish tasks or participate in projects that showcase your skills and build your résumé and portfolio, and observe professional etiquette, including dress code and proper methods of communication.
• Industry awareness: Learn how a particular industry works and how various companies and consumer markets differ from one another. Career goals and relating internship to classroom experience: Internships should relate to your coursework. For example, you might apply information learned in a design course to creating a tech pack for a fashion company, gain experience using InDesign or Photoshop by designing for publication, or become exposed to photography studio practices in preparation for establishing a business.
• Communication Skills: Exercise written and verbal communication skills, become comfortable talking to clients and co-workers and confident expressing ideas, and practice accepting both criticism and positive feedback.

Internship Grades
Your employer is asked to evaluate your performance based on the goals stated in the Internship Work Contract. Evaluations provide qualitative feedback on your general level of preparedness, contribution to the work environment, and skill set. Your employer will propose a grade but your Faculty of Record, who takes your employer's recommendation and written evaluation into account, ultimately assigns a grade.

Mid-Point Check
In addition to ongoing mentorship throughout your internship, your employer will conduct a Mid-Point Check on your performance. Mid-Point Checks involve the following activities:

• Assessing your work
• Reviewing your Learning Objectives and progress in achieving them
• Engaging in open dialogue with your interns about how he or she thinks the internship is progressing
• Establishing corrective measures for accomplishing goals

You will then review the information from your Mid-Point Check with your Faculty of Record and Parsons Career Services staff in order to maximize your internship experience.

Steps For Filling Out The Internship Work Contract

• Step 1: Download Adobe Reader.
• Step 2: Download the Internship Work Contract (at bottom of this page).
• Step 3: Fill out the section of the Internship Work Contract marked "Student."
• Step 4: Sign the document digitally using the signature function in Adobe Reader. Here are the basic instructions (PowerPoint) that will appear when you click on the signature.
• Step 5: Save the PDF as NameN#DegreeMajor.pdf
• Step 6: Email the PDF to your internship supervisor with a request to complete the second portion of the Internship Work Contract.
• Step 7: Check in with your internship supervisor to ensure that the Internship Work Contract has been received.

*See Internship Guidelines And Troubleshooting Tips For Additional Assistance Before Filling Out The Internship Work Contract.

Download the Internship Work Contract Here