BBA Internship Requirement

Apply for Course Credit

Apply for course credit before you begin your internship.

Report Your Offer

Report your internship offers (accepted and declined).

All McCombs School of Business undergraduate students are required to successfully complete an internship as part of the BBA degree requirements. All students, regardless of major, enroll in BA 353.

Intended Outcomes Include

Opportunities to put your academic learning into practice
Integrated learning about how specific projects relate to larger business goals
Greater understanding of business processes
Immersion in a professional business environment
Increased professional skills
Enhanced ability to recognize your preferences and abilities and match them with appropriate career-related choices

Recruiting

In addition to academic requirements, students are primarily responsible to the internship employer and must prioritize outside recruiting activities. This obligation takes precedence over other recruiting activities not related to the internship employer. Be aware that you must physically be in Austin on the designated interview date(s) & able to interview on campus.

Resources for Finding an Internship

The BBA Career Services team is dedicated to assisting BBA students in all phases of the internship search, from resume and cover letter writing to suggesting tactics for a successful interview. There are numerous resources to assist you in securing an internship; however, it is ultimately your responsibility to find an internship. For the internship requirement, you must work a minimum of 160 hours over the course of at least 6 weeks.

Once you secure a professional internship, you must apply for course credit using the Internship Tracking System. You must receive approval PRIOR to beginning work. Internships for course credit are approved by your faculty internship coordinator on a case-by-case basis. Credit cannot be given for an internship you have already completed.

Suggestions for Getting Started

Through workshops, events, specialized programming and career advising, the BBA Career Services team is dedicated to assisting students with all aspects of the internship search. For a list of upcoming workshops and events, refer to BBA Career Services Events, Workshops, and Programs.
Attend the Undergraduate Career Expo offered each fall and spring semester, as well as other Career Week events to assist you in preparing for an internship experience.
Utilize and search the On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) system, McCombs Job Board, and HireUTexas. Refer to the Apply for Positions section of the BBA Career Services website for additional helpful resources.
Visit the BBA Career Services office in CBA 2.116 during walk-in coaching or schedule an appointment with your BBA Career Coach.
Use your networking skills to explore possible opportunities. Remember to speak with family, friends, former employers, etc.

If you are experiencing difficulty finding an internship, please schedule an appointment with your BBA Career Coach to discuss options for securing an internship.

Earning Course Credit for an Internship

To ensure that you receive credit for your internship, you must follow the procedures in the order listed.

1. Fulfill the Prerequisites

Successfully complete 45 hours of college course work.
Declare a major in the McCombs School of Business.
Take the internship course at least one semester prior to the semester in which you intend to graduate. (This is highly recommended, however not required.)

2. Secure a Professional Internship

Certain types of work experiences are not eligible for course credit, as noted below:

Self-employment
Work performed in a student's family-owned or family-managed business
Remote employment (e.g. situations where the student telecommutes, performs door-to-door sales, or otherwise works away from the supervisor and/or outside a professional business setting)
Participation in a political campaign or lobbying effort (however, working for a seated public servant is acceptable)
Training activities (e.g. time spent preparing for insurance and/or securities license exams)

3. Apply for Course Credit Using the Internship Tracking System

Use the internship tracking system to apply for course credit.

Spring Internship: Applications for spring semester internships must be submitted by the 10th class day of the spring semester.
Summer Internship: Applications for summer internships must be submitted by July 1.
Fall Internship: Applications for fall semester internships must be submitted by the 10th class day of the fall semester.

4. Read Your Email

You will receive an email indicating whether your application was approved or denied. If your application was approved, the email will provide you with registration instructions, the course syllabus, and information about both the Information Session and the Internship Forum. If your application was denied, the email will explain the reason for the denial. You may re-apply at any time.

5. Register for the Internship Course

If your application was approved, register for the internship course by the 12th class day of the semester, using the unique number indicated in your approval notice.

Spring Internship: Students interning during the spring semester will register for spring semester course credit.
Summer Internship: Students interning during the summer will register for fall semester course credit. Internship courses are not offered during the summer. Note: You will not have access to Canvas or the required assignments until you have registered for the course. If you have not registered for the course by mid-July, email your Internship Coordinator and ask that you be manually added to Canvas. Many faculty members are required to travel during the summer. Accordingly, allow at least one week for your Internship Coordinator to respond to your request. You are responsible for adhering to course deadlines whether or not you have registered for the course.
Fall Internship: Students interning during the fall semester will register for fall semester course credit.

6. Attend the Internship Information Session

You will receive an email with the date, time and location. During the Information Session, faculty and staff will outline expectations and resources, explain the course requirements, and answer your pre-internship questions.

Spring Internship: For students interning during the spring, the meeting will occur on or around the 12th class day of the spring semester.
Summer Internship: For students interning during the summer, the meeting will occur toward the end of the preceding spring semester.
Fall Internship: For students interning during the fall, the meeting will occur on or around the 12th class day of the fall semester.

7. Perform Your Internship

You must work a minimum of 160 hours over the course of at least 6 calendar weeks. (Note: Working 42 consecutive days will not satisfy this requirement.) Any hours worked prior to receiving approval of your internship will not count toward fulfilling this requirement. Any hours worked after the due date will not count toward fulfilling this requirement. The only hours/weeks that will be counted toward fulfilling this requirement are those that occur between the date of your approval email and the internship due date. You might have started working prior to receiving approval, or you might choose to continue working after the due date. Both situations are acceptable. However, none of the hours/weeks worked prior to earning approval or after the due date will count toward this requirement. You may work part-time or full-time, paid or unpaid.

8. Submit Assignments on Canvas

Details will be announced on Canvas. All assignments will be due during the last six weeks prior to the internship due date. Each assignment will be based on the readings in the text. You are welcome to submit the assignments early; however, there will be no opportunity to submit the assignments late. If you fail to submit an assignment, or if you earn a score of less than 70% on any assignment, you will fail the course.

9. Validate Your Supervisor’s Contact Information

Update/validate your supervisor’s contact information in the Internship Tracking System. If you forget, you will receive a reminder email approximately three weeks prior to the end of your internship. If you fail to update the information, the Internship Tracking System will not send the Supervisor Survey to your supervisor, and you will earn a failing grade for the course. Even if all of the data in the Internship Tracking System is correct, you must still press the Submit button to tell the system that you have reviewed and validated the information.

10. Ensure That Your Supervisor Completes the Supervisor Survey

Two weeks prior to the end of your internship, your supervisor will receive an email asking him or her to complete an online Supervisor Survey. In the survey, your supervisor will indicate the number of weeks and hours that you worked. Remind your supervisor to complete the survey by the due date. You cannot earn course credit without it. If your supervisor has not received the email, please ask her to check her spam/junk mail folder.

11. Present Your Deliverable at the Internship Forum

Attend the Internship Forum and present your deliverable. The date, time and location of your particular Forum is indicated in the "Wrap Up" module in Canvas. If you are unable to attend at the specified time, you must request an alternate time within 48 hours of the time the email was sent to you. During the Forum, you will present a deliverable to a group of approximately 40 students and faculty. Each Forum will last approximately 90 minutes.

12. Report Your Offer

Report your internship and job offers (accepted and declined).

For more information on internship course deadlines, refer to the Deadlines tab (on this site) and the BBA Events Calendar.

How the Internship Course is Graded

The internship course is graded on a pass/fail basis, based on the successful completion of your internship and submission of the required online materials, and presentation of your deliverable. Grades will be posted online, along with all of your other course grades, at the end of the semester. A grade of “CR” will be given to those students who fulfill all of the course requirements. A grade of “F” will be given if any of the requirements are not met by the due date. No late work will be accepted. To reiterate, the requirements are as follows:.

Requirements

Work Hours: You must work a minimum of 160 hours during the course of at least 6 calendar weeks. Only those weeks and hours which occur after your internship is approved, and by the due date will count toward the course requirements. No credit will be given if you have worked fewer than 160 hours or fewer than 6 calendar weeks.
Supervisor Survey: Your supervisor will use this online form to document the dates and hours you interned. Your supervisor can also provide an optional, written assessment of your on-the-job performance. The survey must be completed by your employer at or near the end of your internship. To ensure that your supervisor receives the online survey, you must validate your supervisor’s contact information at least three weeks prior to the end date of your internship. Please see Section 4, step 9, for details.
Online Assignments: The assignments will help you reflect on your internship experience. This regular examination of what you are learning will make you more effective and employable, and will help you decide if this is the right work for you. The specific requirements for each assignment will be posted on Canvas.
The Forum Deliverable: During the evening Internship Forum, you will share your deliverable with a peer for review, and will present your final deliverable to a group of approximately 40 students and faculty. Details will be announced on Canvas.

Deadlines

Deadlines for Students Interning During Spring 2015

The deadlines for summer interns are noted below. You will receive an email with the exact date and time of both the Information Session and Internship Forum.

Monday, February 2, by 5:00 p.m.: Last possible date to submit a request for approval of a spring internship.
Monday, February 2, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., GSB 2.120: Internship Information Session
Sunday, March 1, by 11:59 p.m.: Assignment 1 due on Canvas
Sunday, March 8, by 11:59 p.m.: Assignment 2 due on Canvas
Sunday, March 22, by 11:59 p.m.: Assignment 3 due on Canvas
Sunday, March 29, by 11:59 p.m.: Assignment 4 due on Canvas
Thursday, April 2, by 5:00 p.m.: Deadline to validate supervisor contact info
Sunday, April 5, by 11:59 p.m.: Assignment 5 due on Canvas
Sunday, April 12, by 11:59 p.m.: Assignment 6 due on Canvas
Friday, April 17, by 5:00 p.m.: Internship due date. By this date and time, you must have completed at least 160 hours of on-the-job work, and those 160 hours must have occurred over the course of at least 6 calendar weeks. In addition, your supervisor must have submitted the online Supervisor Survey by this date and time.
Wednesday, April 22 and Friday, April 24: Internship Forums occur.

Submitting an Application for Course Credit

You must apply for the internship course after you secure a professional internship, but before you begin working. The deadline to apply for course credit for a summer internship is July 1st. The deadline to apply for course credit for a fall or spring internship is the 10th class day of the semester.

Adding the Course

Once your application is approved, your Internship Coordinator will send you an email with instructions and a unique number. You can then register for the appropriate internship course in the same way you register for other courses. You must add the course no later than the 12th class day of the semester. The course is not automatically added upon approval of your application. If you cannot remember the appropriate unique number, simply refer to the Internship Tracking System to view your approval notice.

Submitting the Exercises

An online exercise is due prior to the start of each of the last six weeks of the internship period (for a total of six online exercises). Each exercise will be based on the readings in the text. You are welcome to submit the exercises early; however, there will be no opportunity to submit the exercises late.

Note to summer interns: You will not have access to Canvas or the required weekly exercises until you have registered for the course. If you have not registered for the course by early July, email your Internship Coordinator and ask that you be manually added to Canvas. Many faculty members are required to travel during the summer. Accordingly, allow at least one week for your Internship Coordinator to respond to your request. You are responsible for adhering to course deadlines whether or not you have registered for the course.

Submitting the Supervisor Survey

To ensure that you earn course credit for your internship, your supervisor will be asked to document the dates and hours you worked. This will occur using a secure, online survey. A username and password will be emailed to your supervisor two weeks prior to the end of your internship. If your supervisor does not complete the survey, you will fail the internship course. This is an opportunity for you to learn how to manage the manager!

Your supervisor is provided the opportunity to evaluate your performance on the survey form. However, the evaluation portion of the survey is optional. The Supervisor Survey is due on the same day as the journal and final paper.

Completing Your Internship

You must work a minimum of 160 hours over the course of at least 6 calendar weeks, and must finish accruing your weeks and hours by the same day your Supervisor Survey is due. Any hours worked prior to receiving approval of your internship will not count toward fulfilling the requirement. Any hours worked after the due date will not count toward fulfilling the requirement. You are welcome to continue interning after the deadline, but the hours will not be eligible for course credit.

Additional Information for Study Abroad and International Students

Study Abroad Students

If you will be interning during the summer but studying abroad during the fall, there are two extra steps required of you. Other than the two below listed steps, follow the normal summer procedures and deadlines.

1. Application Information

In your application, explain that you will be studying abroad during the fall semester and wish to register for the internship course in the spring.

2. Email Your Internship Coordinator

Prior to spring semester registration, send an email to your Internship Coordinator (refer to the Contact Us tab on this page) and remind him or her that you need to add the internship course to your spring schedule. He or she will authorize you to register for the appropriate spring course.

International Students

If you are an international student and you follow all of the necessary steps to earn course credit for your internship, you may receive F-1 employment authorization (Curricular Practical Training, or CPT) for one internship experience. To apply for Curricular Practical Training, obtain the signature of your academic advisor on the CPT Recommendation Form after receiving approval for your internship. For information about work authorization, please refer to the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) website or contact ISSS at 512-471-2477.

iMPA Students

iMPA Internship Requirement Options

All students in the integrated MPA (iMPA) program are required to perform one internship. You have the option of using either the undergraduate BA 353 course to satisfy the degree requirement, or one of the graduate courses (ACC 391C or ACC 691C).

If you earn credit for BA 353, you are not required to perform another internship to also earn credit for ACC 391C or ACC 691C. However, you may choose to perform an additional internship if you wish. In this case, the BA 353 course would count as a free elective toward the BBA degree and the ACC 391C or ACC 691C would count as a graduate elective toward the MPA degree.

Internships Before iMPA Admission

If you perform an internship during the summer before you are admitted into the iMPA program, you may submit an application to enroll in BA 353. If you are then admitted into the iMPA program, you can choose to continue your enrollment in BA 353 and receive academic credit, or, assuming you satisfactorily completed the internship, can drop the course and not receive credit. If you choose to drop the course, you must notify the undergraduate Accounting Internship Coordinator and/or the BBA Internship Program Director prior to doing so.

Internships After iMPA Admission

The majority of iMPA students intern during the spring semester of their fourth year and enroll in either ACC 391C or ACC 691C. If you choose this option, you would enroll in two MPA-specific accelerated courses in addition to the internship course. During the semester of your internship, you would earn 9 to 12 credit hours, which would allow you to maintain full-time status even though you would still be listed as an undergraduate student.

Alternative Courses

While they are not intended to take the place of a professional internship experience, there are several business practicum courses that will satisfy the internship requirement:

These courses should not be your first choice for fulfilling the internship requirement, as it is not possible to guarantee your admission into any of them. Some practicum courses require an intensive application and interview process, which can take place up to one year in advance of the actual course. Additionally, these courses may not give you the same type of work experience you would get from a professional internship.

If you take one of these alternate courses to satisfy the internship requirement, contact your BBA Academic Advisor to override your degree audit to reflect this substitution. Do not apply for internship course credit (i.e. do not submit an application in the Internship Tracking System).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my internship have to be a paid position?

No. Your internship can be paid or unpaid. Please refer to the US Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet #71 regarding internship requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

How do I get my internship approved for course credit?

Apply for approval via the Internship Tracking System. You must apply for the internship course after you have secured an internship, but before you begin working.

How do I know if my internship will work for the internship course?

The easiest, and most direct, way is to submit the online application and await the decision. If an internship is appropriate, it will be approved. Contacting your Internship Coordinator before submitting the application simply adds an extra, unnecessary step. Your Internship Coordinator is notified immediately upon submission of your application, and will review your application as soon as possible.

Remember that the internship must meet the minimum requirements, including minimum number of hours and weeks, as listed within this site.

Are there any internships that will not be approved?

Certain types of work experiences are not eligible for course credit, as noted below:

Self-employment
Work performed in a student's family-owned or family-managed business
Remote employment (e.g. situations where the student telecommutes, performs door-to-door sales, or otherwise works away from the supervisor and/or outside a professional business setting)
Work performed in a private home.
Participation in a political campaign or lobbying effort (however, working for a seated public servant is acceptable)
Training activities (e.g. time spent preparing for insurance and/or securities license exams)

I will be taking more than 17 hours…what do I need to do?

The registration system allows you to register for a maximum of 17 hours in a fall or spring semester, however the McCombs School of Business will increase this number if you need to add an internship course. Contact your BBA Academic Adviser for permission to enroll in more than 17 hours. If you don't know who your academic adviser is, please contact the Undergraduate Program Office at 512-471-0690.

Why can’t I add the course, even though my application was approved?

First, wait a day or two. It may take a bit of time for your UTEID to be entered into the registration system, thereby authorizing you to add the course to your schedule. Second, make sure you are trying to add the section for which you were approved. Only students with approved applications are allowed to add the class. Third, ensure that you are registering for 17 or fewer hours, or have permission to register for more than 17 hours. If you have followed these three steps and still can't register, contact your Internship Coordinator (refer to the Contact Us tab on this page).

My application was denied…what do I do?

If your application for course credit was denied, you will receive an email explaining why it was denied. Please read the email and proceed accordingly. It may be as simple as correcting a typing error and re-submitting your application. However, it may be necessary to secure an entirely different internship. If so, you can submit a new application at any time. If you have questions, contact your Internship Coordinator (refer to the Contact Us tab on this page).

My internship was approved, but I’m not going to do it. What’s next?

If you are not intending to complete an approved internship, be sure to drop the course, and immediately notify your Internship Coordinator (refer to the Contact Us tab on this page). He or she will re-open your old application, enabling you to apply for a new internship.

When does the class meet?

To avoid causing time conflicts when registering for other courses, the internship course has no official day and time associated with it. Students with approved applications will receive an email indicating the date of the required Information Session--which will take place in early May for summer interns, early September for fall interns, and late January for spring interns.

In addition, students who completed their internships will receive an email indicating the date of the required Internship Form—which will take place in September or October for summer interns, late November for fall interns, and late April for spring interns.

What is the Supervisor Survey?

My supervisor never received the email about a survey. What should I do?

If you failed to update your supervisor’s contact information in the Internship Tracking System, the system will not email the Supervisor Survey request to your supervisor, and you will fail the internship course. Even if you know that the supervisor contact information in the system is correct, you must still log in to the Internship Tracking System and update your supervisor’s contact information. If you have issues or questions, contact your Internship Coordinator (refer to the Contact Us tab on this page).

Why haven’t I received any emails?

Be sure that you are checking your email address that is on file with the university. Verify and/or update your email address through UT Direct.

When should I do an internship?

You can complete an internship at any time during your academic career. In fact, the earlier you get started and the more experience you gain, the better. However, you can use only one internship toward the degree requirement. You can only enroll for the internship course once. You should not perform your required internship during your final semester in school.

I changed BBA majors. Do I need to complete another internship?

No; any McCombs internship course can count for any of the undergraduate business majors.

What if I get fired or want to quit?

If you experience any type of problem(s) in your internship or with your employer, please immediately contact Shannon Hickson, Assistant Director of BBA Career Services. Velma can help you understand your options and will assist you with the issue(s). Be aware that quitting an internship without first speaking with BBA Career Services and/or your BBA Academic Advisor can have serious academic consequences.

If you leave your internship, no matter what the reason, notify your Internship Coordinator (refer to the Contact Us tab on this page) so that he or she can re-open your application. This will enable you to apply for a new internship. Depending upon UT’s deadlines for dropping a class, you may or may not be able to drop the internship course. If you do not drop the course, you will fail it.

Help, my employer is doing something illegal or inappropriate! What do I do?

If you have any issues or problems during the course of your internship, please immediately contact Shannon Hickson, Assistant Director of BBA Career Services for assistance. This includes any problem with the internship not meeting number of needed hours and/or weeks. We will work with you and we want you to be in a comfortable/safe work environment.

My company needs a form signed. Who should sign it?

University of Texas at Austin faculty and staff are not able to sign any company forms. Employers are aware of this, and it should not negatively impact your internship. If you need documentation which indicates that you are completing the internship for academic credit, please see below for further information.

Student Completing Internship for Academic Credit: Undergraduate Program Office (UPO) Academic Advisors have a standard letter. To request the letter, please inquire with your BBA Academic Advisor. Also, please stop by UPO (CBA 2.400) and sign a "Release of Information" letter allowing your adviser to discuss your degree information in the letter. The letter will indicate that the your work experience with the company has been approved for you to satisfy the internship course requirement.
International Students: International students will need a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Recommendation Form signed. Please see your Academic Advisor. After verifying that this is your first internship, and that it has been approved for course credit, your Academic Advisor will sign the form and return it to you.
Company Forms: University staff/faculty are not able to sign any company forms. This includes Internship Coordinators, Academic Advisors, Career Advisors, and other faculty/staff.

Internship Coordinators

Students with questions related to the internship course should contact the Internship Coordinator for their BBA major. Employers with questions about the BBA internship or about recruiting Texas BBA students for an internship within your company, please contact Shannon Hickson.