Work-based learning is an invaluable way to gain practical skills, build your network, and confirm your interest in a potential career. Work-based learning includes internships, research, co-ops, field work, and clinicals. Whether you're earning academic credit or participating for experience alone, these opportunities allow you to grow your professional network and make your future job search less stressful. Students who complete work-based learning experiences often get hired sooner and report higher starting salaries—that’s why 75 percent of the College of Professional Studies' academic programs require an internship, co-op, research project, clinical, job shadow, or applied project before graduation. Connect with your professional advisor to see if an internship is required for your major and to learn the requirements and parameters for academic credit.
Abigail Gendron
Experiential Learning Coordinator
Phone: (603) 641-4327
Email: Abigail.Gendron@unh.edu
Search Tips and Best Practices
When should I begin my search?
A work-based learning opportunity search mirrors a job search. It is recommended that you begin searching for an internship at least one semester prior to when you plan to intern. For more well-established programs at large companies or federal agencies, you should begin searching a year in advance. Larger established programs have small recruitment windows for internships with hard deadlines for applications.
How do I find a work-based opportunity?
Network. Most opportunities are found through networking, or building relationships with people in your industry of interest. Start with the people you know in person—share what kind of experience you are looking for and ask for further advice and connections. Engage new contacts through informational interviews.
Attend career events. A great way to start building a professional network is to meet industry professionals in person and learn about their company and open positions. Attend the UNH Career and Internship Fair, join local professional associations and be sure to check out Handshake for a list of upcoming networking events and employer information sessions.
Search online job boards. There is a wealth of online resources to help you find internship opportunities, including:
- Handshake
- Indeed.com
- Idealist.org
- LinkedIn Jobs
- Stay Work Play: Internships
- Company websites. Internships may be available even if a company does not have positions posted online—establish a relationship to find out about opportunities.
Utilize Career and Professional Success. Our team is here to help you explore, prepare and apply for internships and other experiential learning opportunities. We offer one-on-one advising sessions for internships and career planning as well as search and strategy workshops throughout the semesters.
What experience do I want?
Identifying employers that fit your desired experience is a great place to start your internship search. Check out LinkedIn’s "See Alumni" feature to see where UNH students with your major are working. If location is important, contact or browse the website of your local Chamber of Commerce to learn about companies in your area. Here's a list of career exploration resources to help during your search. Be sure to consider:
- Type of work
- Number of hours required
- Time of year
- Paid vs. non-paid
- Location and size of company
- For profit vs. nonprofit
- Supervisor style
- Your work values
- Internship, applied project or job shadow opportunity
How do I apply for an opportunity?
To apply for work-based learning opportunities, you'll likely need to submit a resume and cover letter. The best materials are tailored to the internship description and match the relevant key words in the industry. Make an appointment with career coach, checkout the resources offered online, or how to use AI in your application materials effectively and ethically. We also recommend you have a professional and up-to-date LinkedIn profile for employers to look at.
Getting Credit for Your Work-Based Learning Opportunity
To receive academic credit for your experience, there are three steps you must take:
Each academic program has different requirements for registering for academic credit, so it is vital to connect with your faculty well in advance to understand these procedures. Failure to do so could result in missed deadlines and opportunities. Be sure to discuss:
- How many on-site hours are required
- Program-specific deadlines for having an internship established in the semester
- Acceptable sites/jobs and whether you can use a current employer
- Options for your required experiential learning (internship, job shadow, applied project, etc.)
- How to register for the course and if permission and/or pre-requisites are required
You must submit the details of your experience to GradLeaders in order to fully receive credit for your work-based learning course. If you do not complete steps one and two on GradLeaders before the start date of each semester, you will be dropped from the course and will not receive academic credit. You may complete the information in GradLeaders with your site supervisor, or gather the information to input later. The following is what you will need to know to complete the GradLeaders submission:
- Company/Organization name and address
- On-site supervisor’s full name, title, phone number and email address
- Estimated number of hours you are interning/shadowing/working there each week
- Whether the experience is paid, unpaid or stipend. If paid, you must report the pay amount.
- Job description and/or offer letter
- Semester in which your internship will take place
- Course you are or will be registered in for academic credit
- At least three learning objectives of your experience (these should be developed and approved with your faculty)
Let your on-site supervisor know that the University of New Hampshire will reach out to them at the start of the semester to verify the internship/job shadow/applied project, mid-semester to check in and at the end of the semester to send a final evaluation for them to complete about the student.
Once you submit your experience to GradLeaders and register for the appropriate course, you must monitor your submission to ensure all approvals go through. Be sure to set up email alerts and check frequently until your experience has been fully approved. A typical internship approval should take no longer than two weeks to be completed. Contact your faculty directly for questions about your academic responsibilities for the internship.
Things to Consider:
- UNH will not retroactively give credit for experiences that you did not complete steps 1 and/or 2.
- If your experience is unpaid and located in New Hampshire, you cannot start on site until you have submitted to GradLeaders and New Hampshire Department of Labor Approval has been given. It is NH State Law that all unpaid or sub-minimum wage work-based experiences must be approved by the NH Department of labor.
Questions?
Make an appointment on Handshake for a work-based learning experience or career planning advising session