Internship Definitions

1. Internship: A structured and supervised professional work/learn experience, within an approved agency, organization, or corporation, for which a student can earn academic credit. Also referred to as work experience, field work practicum, cooperative education, or experiential learning.
   
2. Student Intern: The student is involved in a unique three-way partnership that includes the student, employer, and academic institution.
   
3. Faculty Internship Advisor: At Chapman University, this may be a faculty advisor, or a faculty in the academic department from which the students seeks internship credit.  This faculty member works closely with the student employer before and during the internship in the role of a teacher and coach to facilitate the planning, communication, and the reflective/learning process. The internship faculty advisor submits a final grade for the student intern.
4. Internship Employer: The individual at the host agency or work/field site, who is designated to supervise the student intern’s work, evaluate performance, and provide feedback to the student and to the educational institution.
   
   
5. Intern Responsibilities Form: Outlines the student’s accountability to the internship program and employer. This form is signed by the student and kept on file in the Career Development Center.
   
6. Internship Learning Agreement Form (ILAF): The Chapman University agreement signed by the student intern, faculty internship advisor, internship employer, and approved by the Career Development Center. All parties agree to the work and academic activities to be performed by the student intern, to the type of supervision and involvement that will be provided by the internship employer, and the supervision and evaluation that will be provided by the faculty internship advisor.
   
7. Fieldwork/Employment Site: Any business, government agency, educational institution, social service agency, or other organization that accepts college interns.
8. Internship Coordinator: Serves as the liaison between students, employers and university. Manages the program on a semester basis including student registration, employer postings, and new program development.