You may be eligible to earn elective credit through a BSOS internship course if you have secured a new internship experience. In order to apply, students must meet the following basic requirements:

• completed at least one semester at UMD.
• a minimum GPA of 2.5.
• a new internship experience (not a continuation of a previous role, exceptions may apply but will be considered on a case by case basis).

Students must show that the internship reinforces learning from at least two academic BSOS courses and aligns with at least three of the five learning outcomes presented below.  For a more in-depth understanding, please review the University of Maryland’s “Understanding Learning Outcomes Assessment at the University Level.” 

• Critical Reasoning and Research Skills
• Written and Oral Communication
• Science and Quantitative Reasoning
• Information Literacy Skills
• Technology Fluency

Additionally, the internship must be para- or pre-professional in nature with meaningful responsibilities (not only clerical or administrative tasks). No mor than 20% of the internship tasks should be clerical or administrative.

• Interns should receive regular and consistent feedback from their supervisor about their work. 
• Responsibilities should stretch students and require college-level knowledge, including problem-solving, communication,  and provide opportunities to build transferable professional skills.

Many internships naturally align with the learning goals listed above, but identifying that connection can take some thought. If you’re unsure how your experience fits, feel free to reach out to Liza Lebrun at LLebrun@umd.edu. 

Additional notes:

• Credit can only be awarded during the term in which the student is actively participating in the internship.
• Paid internships may qualify for credit.
• For additional internship credit options, visit Internships at Maryland.

• Internships where students primarily perform clerical or basic administrative office work.
• Cold calling internships.
• Internships in a private residence.
• Repeat or ongoing internships whether or not the student has previously earned academic credit for the experience*
• Reporting to a relative or to anyone who reports to a relative, or work in a company owned by a relative.
• Completing the internship in a previous term (students can only earn credit for a BSOS internship course during the semester in which they are participating in their internship).

* Some exceptions may apply. If a student did not earn credit for the internship experience and if the role includes new or expanded responsibilities, students may apply for internship credit and request a review of their new responsibilities. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

A. BSOS 288I (1-3 credits), Internship Practicum in the Social Sciences
The only BSOS internship course open to students with 30 completed credits by the end of the previous semester.  Also available to more senior students.

B. BSOS 355  (3 credits), Social Science Internship Practicum, fulfills the GenEd Scholarship in Practice requirement.  It is open to students who have completed 61 or more credits who have an internship related to the behavioral and social sciences.

C. BSOS 386 (3-6 credits), Experiential Learning is open to students who have completed 61 or more credits.

NOTE: BSOS 386 may not be repeated.  Students are advised not to accumulate more than 12 credits in a 120-credit degree from experiential learning. Standard course policies are outlined here. 

A Special Note about Earning Credit for a Summer Internship

• If the internship occurs during the summer, the student will enroll in the summer internship course and will incur tuition costs and fees applicable for courses taken during that term.  
• Many students forgo summer internship credit to avoid paying summer tuition and fees  
• If you're interested in earning credit, please check with your departmental advisor to ensure that the summer credits will make a difference in your graduation planning

Step 1: Complete the application (20–25 minutes).
Step 2: Meet with the Assistant Director for Internships & Experiential Learning (20-30 minute zoom meeting). You will receive an email once your application has been reviewed.

• Discuss your eligibility for a BSOS internship course and review application materials.
• Confirm whether the internship-for-credit option is the most appropriate and beneficial option for you.

Step 3: If you are approved for internship credit, you will receive a Learning Goals Form. The form is to be signed by the intern and intern supervisor, and returned to the internship coordinator prior to the start of the internship. The purpose is to assist the student and internship supervisor with:

• Clarifying both party's goals, objectives, and expectations of the internship.
• Establishing regular meetings for on-going feedback & evaluation; the intern supervisor will complete an intern evaluation form at the end of the semester which will be factored into the student grade for the course.

Step 4: Register for the appropriate internship course

• Once the learning goals form is received, you will receive permission to enroll in the internship course.
• Register for the internship course on Testudo as you would any other course.

1. Obtain a signed offer letter on the internship host organization letterhead including the specific address where work will be done, specific start and end dates, the word "intern," and your supervisor's name and contact information.  The offer letter needs to clearly state how the internship is related to your major.
2. Take I-20, your learning contract, and any job description from your internship supervisor to your ISSS advisor and complete curriculum practical training (CPT) paperwork. For the ISSS link for CPT, click here

Students are eligible to earn one credit for every 45 hours at the internship site.

To determine this number, count the number of weeks between the start date and the end date. Multiply that by the number of internship hours per week. Be sure to account for federal holidays, religious observances, and university breaks. 

45 hours = 1 credit

90 hours = 2 credits

135 hours = 3 credits

180 hours = 4 credits

225 hours = 5 credits

270 hours = 6 credits

Training time may used in calculating the total number of internship hours. However, internship hours do not include commute time, meal times, or other breaks. 

The internship must be completed by the end of final exams in the academic period the student is registered for the internship course. We encourage students to complete internships by the end of classes.