Marketing Internships
We encourage all marketing students in the Robert C. Vackar College of Business &
Entrepreneurship (RCVCoBE) to gain valuable experience through an internship during your
time at UTRGV and earn academic credit while interning.
Please read the information below. If you believe that your internship meets the necessary
requirements to earn academic credit, then please click the button and fill out the application
form.
Why Should YOU Intern
- Apply what you learn in the classroom to real-world applications – Learning is one thing but taking those skills from the classroom and applying them in the business world is a great way to explore different career paths and special interests.
- Gain experience and increase marketability – Having an internship gives you experience in the career field you want to pursue. This gives you an edge over other candidates when applying for jobs and prepares you for what to expect in the future.
- Professionalism and Soft Skills – Internships can improve your soft skills needed in the workplace and in leadership positions. Soft skills, such as communication, leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork can all be learned through an internship and utilized beyond that experience.
- Gain professional feedback – An internship is a great opportunity for you to help the organization and for you to get help from the organization. Internships provide opportunities for receiving feedback from someone who works in your desired field on a daily basis.
- Networking – An internship helps you build your professional network. Many internships can lead to full-time employment, either directly with the organization you are interning with or through the connections you make at your internship.
Internship Requirements
To earn academic credit (MARK 4380 Marketing Internship), the internship must meet the
following criteria:
- The internship must be a minimum of 150 hours and a minimum of 10 hours per
week. We recommend for interns to work 10 to 30 hours per week during the fall and
spring semester, and up to 40 hours per week during the summer. No overtime. - Prior to registering for the internship course, the employer must provide a detailed
description of the duties performed and the supervision provided to the intern. Please ask
your employer to fill out this Employer Internship Commitment Form and include it with
your internship application. - During the course of the internship, the employer must provide three (3) confidential
evaluations of the intern (roughly once per month). - You must maintain a journal outlining all work experience gained in the internship.
- At the conclusion of the internship (or the end of the academic term), you must write a
paper (minimum three (3) pages) demonstrating the knowledge acquired in the
internship. - International students can earn credit for internships. However, international students
require an approved Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to earn credit for internships in
the United States. Please visit International Admissions and Student Services to learn
more about CPT and fill out form. Internships do not have to physically be in the United
States to qualify. Students can do an internship any place in the world, but the same
academic and job requirements apply, and local work authorization rules must be adhered
to.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where can I find internships and how do I apply? – Please check out the RCVCoBE’s
internship page with more information on how to prepare for internships, develop your
resume, find internship opportunities in Handshake, etc. - Do internships have to be paid to earn academic credit? – No, however, we encourage
paid internships and the college will not promote unpaid internships. Nonetheless, we
recognize that some excellent internship opportunities are unpaid and it is still possible to
earn academic credit for unpaid internships. - Can I do multiple internships for credit? – You are allowed (and encouraged) to
complete multiple internships during your college career. However, you can only earn
academic credit for one internship experience. - Do I have to earn academic credit for an internship? – No, earning academic credit
for an internship is an opportunity, not an obligation. - What do I do if the terms of my internship changes, for example a change in hours,
internship tasks, or supervisor, during the course of the internship? – Contact the
faculty coordinator immediately to notify him/her of any substantial changes to ensure
the internship still meets the requirement for academic credit.
Administrative Assistant Annabel.muniz@utrgv.edu or 956-665-5007) or Dr. Peter Magnusson,
Chair of the Department of Marketing (peter.magnusson@utrgv.edu).