Internships FAQs | Department of Biology

Department of Biology

Internships FAQs

Am I already doing an internship?

What are the advantages of doing an internship for credit?

How many credit hours can I earn? How many hours do I have to spend on the internship?>

Are there limits on when internships start and stop or requirements on how long they have to last?

I need help getting an internship placement.

I have an internship placement – how do I enroll in BIO 497?

How are BIO 497 and 499 different?

How can I get more information?

Am I already doing an internship?

If you are working or volunteering in a position related to your major or future career, you may be eligible for internship credit. Please contact an Internship Coordinator at bio@uncg.edu.

What are the advantages of doing an internship for credit? Can I still get paid?

Internships may be paid or unpaid, document valuable experiences, and belong on your resume whether they are for credit, or not. You may wish to do an internship without seeking credit if, you do not wish to do the academic work associated with an internship, you don’t need more Biology credits, or, you have already exceeded the maximum.

But you should consider seeking credit for your internship if:

  • You still need Biology credits.
  • You want to raise your GPA (especially your science GPA.)
  • You are trying to complete a lot of science credits in a short amount of time (because mixing in experiential learning provides balance to a semester heavy in traditional science courses.)
  • The community partner requires an official relationship with the University in order for you to enter their internship program.
  • You won’t have time for an internship if you are already taking a full load of classes.

How many credit hours can I earn? How many hours do I have to spend on the internship? Are there limits on when internships start and stop or requirements on how long they have to last?

You can earn 1-3 credit hours per semester, depending on the number of hours you spend engaged in the internship. Minimum 45 hours = 1 credit hour, 90 hours = 2 credit hours, 135 hours = 3 credit hours. Usually only 1 credit hour is allowed for shadowing.

A maximum of 6 credit hours from BIO 496, 497, 499 and 493 can be applied towards your Biology major.

There are no limits on when internship starts or stops and, there are no requirements regarding how long it has to last. The internship can begin in one semester and end in another; it can last a week or a year – it all depends on your needs and the needs of your community partner.

What do I have to do in addition to attending my internship hours?

During the first few weeks of your internship, you will be asked to write a brief justification describing your internship and explaining why you should receive Biology credit for it. You must write reflections in the form of journal entries each time you attend the internship and you are responsible for meeting with your site supervisor to discuss you midterm and final evaluations.

I need help getting an internship placement.

We are happy to help but, we do recommend that you start by preparing a resume, using a professional headshot for your UNCG profile, and writing some sample cover letters/emails. Resources for preparing these can be found at http://csc.uncg.edu/. You should also consider enrolling in BIO 497-01 for more extensive guidance.

For leads on internships:

  • search the internet
  • look at the OLSL My Service Database and Current Service Opportunities at http://olsl.uncg.edu/
  • Look at job/internship information at Career Services https://cpd.uncg.edu/students/
  • Join the Biology Internship Google Group. (See instructions on internship home page.)
  • Meet with an internship coordinator, email bio@uncg.edu

I have an internship placement – how do I enroll in BIO 497?

If you’ve acquired an internship and are ready to register for BIO 497, please contact an Internship Coordinator at bio@uncg.edu.

How are BIO 497 and 499 different?

Both involve experiential learning but in BIO 499, the student’s research is directly supervised by a UNCG Faculty member. In BIO 497, the student’s experience is overseen by the Internship coordinators but, direct supervision is provided by the site supervisor. Talk to your advisor about BIO 499.

How can I get more information?

Attend an interest meeting or contact an Internship Coordinator at bio@uncg.edu.