Frequently Asked Questions

1) How much time does an internship require?
A 1-credit internship requires 45 hours of work per semester. Most interns work on-site twice a week for 4 hours a week for a total of 10 weeks and meet with their faculty supervisors for approx. 5 hours throughout the semester. In addition to actual internship time, however, students should factor in the time it takes to travel to and from the host organization, generally 20-30 minutes each way. The office hours and scheduling needs of host organizations and site supervisors vary. Therefore specific schedules should be discussed with the internship coordinator or faculty supervisor before undertaking an internship to avoid unforeseen conflicts with your own schedule.
Caution: only students taking a regular course-load of no more than 12 credits should consider doing an internship for two (90 hours/semester) or three (135 hours/semester) credits.

2) Is it possible to do an internship not for credit?
No. SUF offers internships for academic credit only. All students are assigned a faculty supervisor who determines the criteria by which they will be graded and the nature of the final project to be completed. Even if your home college does not accept internship credit or you personally do not need the credit, your internship will include assignments which must be completed and handed in. A final grade will be recorded on your SUF transcript. For non-credit volunteer work, learn more about the Volunteer Program.

3) Can I get academic credit in a specific department?
In many cases, yes. Internships are available for department credit in art history, Italian language, classical studies, history, drama, photography and political science. In other cases (i.e., communications and education), you can receive generic IPA (Internship Program Abroad) credit.
Note: Some colleges do not accept internship credit at all. You should check in advance with your home campus academic advisor if you are unsure.

4) Do I need to know Italian?
Not necessarily. Some internships require at least an intermediate level of spoken Italian, but others require no knowledge of Italian at all. Check the Host Organization Descriptions for specific language requirements.

5) What are my chances of getting the internship I want?
Some internships are in greater demand than others and thus not all requests can be satisfied. The site supervisor will make his/her decision based on the applicants’ qualifications and academic objectives.
It should also be noted that some internships are not offered every semester. To the extent possible, this information is indicated in the Host Organization Descriptions. However, it may be impossible to include last-minute changes in availability.

6) Would I have to work on Fridays?
Generally speaking, no. SUF students often have field studies on Fridays, therefore on-site internship work is generally limited to Mondays through Thursdays. However, it is helpful to keep a few Fridays free during the semester in case you need to make up hours required for completing the internship.