An internship is a great way to get to know what it is like to work in accounting and to work for a specific company. It is also a great way for a company to get to know you. Below are several things to consider when planning an internship.
For-credit or Not-for-credit Internships
Internships may be done for three hours of college credit (used as an elective) or for no credit. When doing an internship for credit, students must complete a learning agreement and submit two evaluations and a journal, and employers must submit two evaluations. Additionally, the student must pay tuition for the three-hour course. For-credit internships include at least 120 hours of accounting-related work (not clerical). Not-for-credit internships are equally valuable from a learning perspective; however, there are fewer restrictions, no tuition, and they are not listed on your transcript.
Finding an Internship
Several ways of find an internship are listed below:
- Postings for internship opportunities can be found at www.ucaaccounting.org/intern/. Check often to find the newest postings at the top.
- Visit Career Services to see which companies are interviewing for interns. Many companies and CPA firms interview student son campus during the fall semester for spring or summer internships.
- Contact firms of interest directly. Check out links to firms that regularly hire our graduates. Contact the human resources department of these or other firms to inquire about openings.
When to Intern
Most accounting majors who choose to complete an internship will intern in the summer before their senior year or in the spring of their senior year. Most firms and companies require student to complete Intermediate Accounting I prior to an internship.
Internships in public are most common in the Spring semesters because that is when public accounts are the busiest. However, internships are available during the fall and summer as well, but in lesser numbers. Internships can last for part of a semester, all of a semester, or longer than a semester.
The Half-Spring Internship
At UCA, accounting majors can complete a full-time internship in the Spring Semester and still complete 12 hours for the Spring. The diagram below depicts the typical schedule for students completing a spring internship.
