Register for Internship Credit

Students completing internships during the Fall, Jan Plan, Spring, or Summer may register their experience for either:

• Transcript notation (0 credits): The name of the internship organization will appear on the student’s transcript.

• Transcript notation plus one academic credit (1 credit): The organization will appear on the transcript, and the student will earn one academic credit toward graduation.

Students may earn a maximum of three academic internship credits toward the 128 credits required for graduation.

Whether you are seeking transcript notation only (0 credits) or transcript notation plus one academic credit (1 credit), you must first identify a Colby faculty member who is willing to serve as your internship sponsor. Your sponsor does not need to be in a discipline directly related to your internship; they simply need to be comfortable evaluating the learning that takes place through the experience. A faculty member’s decision to serve as an internship sponsor is at their discretion.

To receive transcript notation (0 credits) or transcript notation with one academic credit (1 credit), you must complete at least 80 hours of internship work. Internships may be in person or remote, paid or unpaid.

You must also maintain and submit a reflective journal documenting your experience. The length, frequency, format, and content of the journal will be determined in consultation with your faculty sponsor.

At the end of the internship, your supervisor at the host organization must email your faculty sponsor to confirm that you successfully completed the required 80 hours.

If you are seeking one academic credit, you must complete all of the requirements above and submit a final project, such as a short paper or multimedia presentation. The format and expectations for the final project will also be determined in consultation with your faculty sponsor.

You may apply for internship registration HERE but first read about the approval and registration process below. 

You must submit an internship registration application, which will go through the following approval process:

1. Faculty sponsor approval: Your application will first be sent to your faculty sponsor for approval. You will select your faculty sponsor from a drop-down menu, and an approval request will automatically be sent to them by email after you submit. 

2. DavisConnects approval: Once your faculty sponsor approves your application, it will be sent to DavisConnects for final approval. For international students, the application will instead be sent to Aura Moreno, Assistant Director of International Students, for final approval.

3. Approval email: Once your application has received all required approvals, you will receive a confirmation email with the subject line, “The Internship Registration Application is Approved.” This means your internship has been approved for registration, and the Registrar’s Office will register you in Workday. Your internship may not appear in Workday immediately, as processing can take some time. If you have been offered grant funding, you must take a screenshot of this approval email and upload it to your Post-Acceptance Application. 

4. Registrar processing: Once all required approvals are complete, the Registrar’s Office will be notified to process your internship registration in Workday. No further action is required on your part to initiate registration.

Once your internship is registered, the remaining requirements and deadlines will be managed between you and your faculty sponsor, as with other coursework. Your faculty sponsor will review your reflective journal and, if you are seeking one academic credit, evaluate your final project. At the conclusion of your internship, your faculty sponsor will submit a grade of CR (Credit) if you have successfully completed all requirements. If you do not complete the requirements, you may receive a grade of NC (No Credit) on your transcript.

Your internship will appear on your course schedule as an 090 course. If you registered for one academic credit, the course will also reflect the credit you will earn upon successful completion.

* This is the last date to both submit the application and to withdraw the internship. Those who receive funding may only withdraw if the internship falls through or due to extenuating circumstances. Otherwise, incomplete requirements will lead to a grade of NC on your transcript.

Independent studies, on or off campus, are individual, self-designed academic or artistic projects in an area where you have demonstrated the preparation necessary for independent work. In most cases, they are appropriate for upperclass students and/or students who have completed relevant coursework. Projects are conducted under the direct supervision of a member of Colby’s teaching faculty and may earn up to four credits during a semester or three credits during Jan Plan.

Independent studies ordinarily involve original research, inquiry, or artistic work culminating in an extensive paper, project, or other substantive demonstration of the student’s independent efforts. For Jan Plan, students may register for either course credit toward graduation requirements or January Program credit only (Honors, Pass, or Fail). Students should discuss these options with their faculty advisor.

Only pre-approved independent studies are eligible for funding. Well before the funding deadline, you must identify a faculty member who will help you develop and approve your project and agree to serve as your faculty supervisor.

An internship may involve research without qualifying as an independent study. If you are working for an organization and have a broader set of responsibilities in addition to research, you should generally register the experience as an internship using the process described above.

To register: In Workday, go to Find Course Sections for Registration, search for Independent Study, and filter by subject and faculty sponsor. You must then request a Course Section Prerequisite Override from your faculty sponsor. Once approved, you will be able to register.