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Higher Education Internship Frequently Asked Questions
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Program Requirements
Are Master’s students required to hold an internship while in the program?
As part of the degree program, Master’s students are required to fulfill a one-year internship requirement. In rare instances where a Master’s student can demonstrate extensive work-related experience in higher education, the internship requirement may be negotiated.
Master’s students typically engage in the internship during the first two terms of study (Year 1: Fall Semester and Winter Semester).
How does the Master’s internship relate to my academic pursuits in CSHPE?
Students meet periodically during the Year 1 Fall and Winter Semesters for ED777, a special seminar designed for master's students to reflect upon the connections between out-of-the-classroom practice and in-classroom learning. This forum allows students to reflect upon their professional experiences and consider the implications for their field of practice as well as their own professional development and careers.
Internship Sites
What type of internships are available for Master’s students?
Internships vary across different functional areas, university offices, academic units, and types of positions. See Past CSHPE Internship Sites for an overview of venues recently employing a CSHPE Master’s intern.
Are internships available at institutions other than UM?
On occasion, opportunities at other local postsecondary institutions arise. Students interested in such off-site opportunities must arrange for their own transportation.
Compensation and Benefits
Are Master’s internships paid or volunteer?
Most master’s internships are paid. In some instances (e.g. a student would like experience in an office that does not have a paid internship available) students may opt for an unpaid internship with CSHPE permission.
What is the pay rate for Master’s internships?
The pay rate for Master's students varies with experience and is set by the internship site. Most internships pay between $12-17 an hour.
Do Master’s internships cover tuition and other benefits?
In most cases, Master’s internships are hourly positions and do not cover tuition and other benefits.
Are other financial resources available to Master’s students in addition to the Master’s internship?
All Higher Education Master’s students receive a financial award from the School of Education to help defray the cost of tuition. Some students may be eligible for Master’s fellowships from the Rackham School of Graduate Studies and will be considered upon admission to the program. For more information, please see the School of Education Financial Aid Funding Options site.
Work Responsibilities
Do supervisors expect Master’s interns to have prior work experience?
Prior work experience is not required to participate in a Master’s internship. Internship supervisors may seek out experienced professionals for positions that require special skills, or they may more interested in students who have an interest in a particular functional area (e.g. development, policy, admissions). Internship supervisors are made aware of the diverse backgrounds of our students spanning recent Bachelor’s recipients to individuals with years of work experience both within and outside of higher education.
What type of work are Master’s students expected to perform in the scope of an internship?
The focus of the Master’s internship is to provide hands-on experience and professional preparation for entry into the field of Higher Education. Most positions include some office-related support tasks (e.g. stuffing envelopes, data entry, answering telephones). However, the internship should focus on professional preparation and not primarily on this aspect of work on clerical tasks.
Scheduling
Over what period of time do Master’s internship appointments extend?
Internships vary from special projects over the course of one semester to positions lasting three academic semesters. Some sites may also extend internship opportunities through the Spring/Summer terms. A placement over the course of at least the academic year (Year 1: Fall and Winter Semesters) is recommended to provide continuity for both the intern and the supervisor.
Do internships continue through semester breaks (e.g. Winter Break, Spring Break)?
While most students' work schedules conform to the U of M academic calendar, exceptions can be negotiated if this serves the needs of the internship site. Before accepting an internship, the student should discuss the specific scheduling expectations of the internship supervisor.
What is the week-to-week time commitment of a Master’s internship?
Internships are generally 10-20 hours per week. Specific work schedules are negotiated between the supervisor and the intern. Work schedules should accommodate a student's regular class schedule during each semester. Once a schedule has been worked out for the internship, most students keep it for the entire semester, depending on mutual needs and expectations between the supervisor and the intern.
Are there any limits to the work schedule (e.g. day vs. evening work)?
Any limits on the schedule will depend on the student's class schedule, personal circumstances, and the supervisor's needs. These should be discussed between the student and supervisor before any decision has been made to accept an internship.
Supervision and Training
Who supervises Master’s internship experiences?
Internship supervisors are typically administrators in offices throughout the University. They are interested in hiring CSHPE students for a variety of different responsibilities. Some have supervised CSHPE interns in the past while others are new to the program. All internship supervisors have experience working in a higher education setting and some have relevant backgrounds in the field.
What has been communicated to the internship supervisor regarding working with a CSHPE student?
Supervisors understand that internships are learning environments for CSHPE students. In proposing an internship, supervisors have been encouraged to provide relevant opportunities for students to learn about the functions and responsibilities of that office, an appropriate workspace, supervision, contact with other professional staff as related to the responsibilities and scope of the office, and regular performance evaluations (at least once per academic term).
Most interns have access to a telephone and computer. Specific "perks" of the job vary from office to office, depending on the position and available resources.
Will I receive training to perform my internship?
Internship supervisors are expected to provide adequate training and supervision so that the student can effectively complete assigned tasks.
Securing and Internship
What is the process by which students secure internships?
Students must be offered admission to the Master’s program in CSHPE before endeavoring to secure an internship. Once the student has accepted an offer of admission, s/he will be sent a password to the Internship Vacancy website. This site lists vacancies for the upcoming academic year along with position descriptions and application information. Students must contact each individual supervisor for positions in which they are interested per the directions provided online.
The interview, selection, and notification processes will vary from site to site, but all will take place between March and August. Students working to secure an internship earlier in the process will have the advantage of selecting from the widest range of opportunities. Students are required to secure an internship before the start of the Fall semester (preferably no later than July) and must notify CSHPE of any positions accepted.
What if I already have extensive experience working in higher education?
If you are interested in having the internship requirement fulfilled by prior experience in higher education, you must first discuss this option with your faculty advisor once you have determined the best course of action, you must then contact the CSHPE Internship Coordinator and provide a letter outlining your petition
Can I secure an internship not listed by CSHPE?
If students cannot find previously-established internships to match their interests, they may instead elect to research potential positions in offices across the university or to target Past CSHPE Internship Sites. Please note that there are no guarantees as to positions available in the upcoming year. However, timing and specific skills may work in a student’s favor to uncover an excellent opportunity.
Do students return to their original Master’s internship in their second year of the program?
The opportunity to continue into a second year of a Master’s internship is determined by the internship supervisor and is dependent upon many factors (e.g. project demands, budget, personnel, etc.). Students interested in extending their internship experience beyond the original appointment duration should discuss options with the internship supervisor no later than Winter Semester of the prior year.
Internship Difficulties
What if difficulties arise with my assigned internship?
If a difficulty arises between the intern and the supervisor, students are encouraged to contact the instructor for ED 777, Administrative Practicum and the CSHPE Internship Coordinator to discuss the issue at hand.
Click the topic below to jump to a specific set of questions
Program Requirements
Are Master’s students required to hold an internship while in the program?
As part of the degree program, Master’s students are required to fulfill a one-year internship requirement. In rare instances where a Master’s student can demonstrate extensive work-related experience in higher education, the internship requirement may be negotiated.
Master’s students typically engage in the internship during the first two terms of study (Year 1: Fall Semester and Winter Semester).
How does the Master’s internship relate to my academic pursuits in CSHPE?
Students meet periodically during the Year 1 Fall and Winter Semesters for ED777, a special seminar designed for master's students to reflect upon the connections between out-of-the-classroom practice and in-classroom learning. This forum allows students to reflect upon their contemporary experiences and consider the implications for their field of practice as well as their own professional development and careers.
Internship Sites
What type of internships are available for Master’s students?
Internships vary across different functional areas, university offices, academic units, and types of positions. See Past CSHPE Internship Sites for an overview of venues recently employing a CSHPE Master’s intern.
Are internships available at institutions other than UM?
On occasion, opportunities at other local postsecondary institutions arise. Students interested in such off-site opportunities must arrange for their own transportation.
Compensation and Benefits
Are Master’s internships paid or volunteer?
Most master’s internships are paid. In some instances (e.g. a student would like experience in an office that does not have a paid internship available) students may opt for an unpaid internship with CSHPE permission.
What is the pay rate for Master’s internships?
The pay rate for Master's students varies with experience and is dictated by the internship site. Most internships pay between $12-17 an hour.
Do Master’s internships cover tuition and other benefits?
In most cases, Master’s internships are hourly positions and do not cover tuition and other benefits (unless otherwise specified by an individual internship supervisor).
Are other financial resources available to Master’s students in addition to the Master’s internship?
All Higher Education Master’s students receive a small financial award from the School of Education to help minimally defray the cost of tuition. Some students may be eligible for Master’s fellowships from the Rackham School of Graduate Studies and will be considered upon admission to the program. However, most students will apply for Federal Financial Aid (loans and work study) through the Office of Financial Aid.
Work Responsibilities
Do supervisors expect Master’s interns to have prior work experience?
Prior work experience is not required to participate in a Master’s internship. Internship supervisors may seek out experienced professionals for positions that require special skills; or they may more interested in students who have an interest in a particular functional area (e.g. development, policy, admissions). Internship supervisors are made aware of the diverse backgrounds of our students spanning recent Bachelor’s recipients to individuals with years of work experience both within and outside of higher education.
What type of work are Master’s students expected to perform in the scope of an internship?
The focus of the Master’s internship is to provide hands-on experience and professional preparation for entry into the field of Higher Education. It is possible that all positions will include some level of office-related support (e.g. stuffing envelopes, data entry, production of materials for faculty support). However, the internship should focus more on professional preparation and not solely on this aspect of work in higher education.
Scheduling
Over what period of time do Master’s internship appointments extend?
Internships vary from special projects over the course of one semester to positions lasting two academic semesters. Some sites may also extend internship opportunities through the Spring/Summer terms. A placement over the course of at least the academic year (Year 1: Fall and Winter Semesters) is recommended to provide continuity for both the intern and the supervisor.
Do internships continue through semester breaks (e.g. Winter Break, Spring Break)?
While most students' work schedules conform to the U of M academic calendar, exceptions can be negotiated if this serves the needs of the internship site. Before accepting an internship, the student should discuss in-depth the specific scheduling expectations of the internship supervisor.
What is the week-to-week time commitment of a Master’s internship?
Internships are generally 10-20 hours per week. Specific work schedules are negotiated between the supervisor and the intern. Work schedules should accommodate a student's regular class schedule during each semester. Once a schedule has been worked out for the internship, most students keep it for the entire semester, depending on mutual needs and expectations between the supervisor and the intern.
Are there any limits to the work schedule (e.g. day vs. evening work)?
Any limits on the schedule will depend on the student's class schedule, personal circumstances, and the supervisor's needs. These should be discussed between the student and supervisor before any decision has been made to accept an internship.
Supervision and Training
Who supervises Master’s internship experiences?
Internship supervisors may be administrators or faculty from around the University. They have contacted CSHPE interested in hiring our students for a variety of different responsibilities. Some have supervised CSHPE interns in the past while others are new to the program. All internship supervisors have experience working in a higher education setting and some have relevant backgrounds in the field.
What has been communicated to the internship supervisor regarding working with a CSHPE student?
Supervisors understand that internships are learning environments for CSHPE students. In proposing an internship, supervisors have been encouraged to provide relevant opportunities for students to learn about the functions and responsibilities of that office; an appropriate workspace; supervision; contact with other professional staff as related to the responsibilities and scope of the office; and regular performance evaluations (at least once per academic term).
Most interns have access to a telephone and computer. Specific "perks" of the job vary from office to office, depending on the position and available resources.
Will I receive training to perform my internship?
Internship supervisors are expected to provide adequate training and supervision so that the student can effectively complete assigned tasks.
Securing and Internship
What is the process by which students secure internships?
Students must be offered admission to the Master’s program in CSHPE before endeavoring to secure an internship. Once the student has accepted an offer of admission, s/he will be sent a password to the Internship Vacancy web site. This site will list known vacancies for the upcoming academic year along with position descriptions and application information. Students must contact each individual supervisor for positions in which they are interested per the directions provided online.
The interview, selection, and notification processes will vary from site to site, but all will take place between March and August. Students working to secure an internship earlier in the process will have the advantage of selecting amongst the widest range of opportunities. Students are required to secure an internship before the start of the Fall semester (preferably no later than July) and must notify CSHPE of any positions accepted accordingly.
What if I already have extensive experience working in higher education?
If you are interested in having the internship requirement fulfilled by prior experience in higher education, you must contact the Internship Coordinator and provide a letter outlining your petition
Can I secure an internship not listed by CSHPE?
If students cannot find previously-established internships to match their interests, they may instead elect to research potential positions in offices across the university or to target Past CSHPE Internship Sites. Please note that there are no guarantees as to positions available in the upcoming year. However, timing and resources may work in a student’s favor to uncover an excellent opportunity.
Do students return to their original Master’s internship in their second year of the program?
The opportunity to continue into a second year of a Master’s internship is determined by the internship supervisor and is dependent upon many factors (e.g. project demands, budget, personnel, etc.). Students interested in extending their internship experience beyond the original appointment duration should discuss options with the internship supervisor no later than Winter Semester of the prior year.
Internship Difficulties
What if difficulties arise with my assigned internship?
If a difficulty arises between the intern and the supervisor, students are encouraged to contact Master’s Internship Coordinator, Dr. Richard Alfred. Dr. Alfred and the student will discuss the issue at hand and potential future options (e.g. resolution or an internship switch).
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to CSHPE MA Internship page
