FAQ's
- What is an internship?
- What types of interns are available from the Merrick School of Business?
- What differentiates Merrick School of Business interns from other applicants?
- Will Merrick School of Business or the UBalt Career Center pre-screen interns for us?
- How many hours does an intern need to work in any given semester?
- Do interns have to be paid?
- When are interns available?
- How long should an internship last?
- How do I post my paid/unpaid internship?
- How long will my internship posting be available to students?
- I am hiring my first intern. Any tips?
- Once I hire an intern, what is expected of me as the employer?
- Contact Information
An internship is an on-site pre-professional experience providing exposure to careers. Internships give students the chance to identify and build skills needed in a career field of interest and gain work experience to further their job-searching efforts after graduation. An internship is not a "go-fer" position.
Internships should provide meaningful assignments, either project-based or focused on a professional job area. Clerical work should be no more than 25 percent of the job. Interns should receive regular supervision, beginning with a clear understanding of expectations, duties, and results.
What types of interns are available from the Merrick School of Business?
Business students seek internships in many disciplines, including the following:
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Accounting
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Finance
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Information Systems and Data Analytics
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Management (including HR)
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Marketing
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Real Estate
- Risk Management and Insurance
What differentiates Merrick School of Business interns from other applicants?
Merrick School of Business students gain real-world experience through our programs. They learn in a high-quality educational environment that emphasizes practical, applied-learning. Furthermore, our students benefit from the quality that an AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business) accredited school offers.
Will Merrick School of Business or the UBalt Career Center pre-screen interns for us?
Ultimately the worksite decides if the intern is a good match with the company’s culture and if the student qualifies for the internship project offered by the worksite. The Merrick School of Business has put in place operational mechanisms that qualify or screen “for-credit” interns. These include:
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9-12 semesters hours of discipline-focused coursework
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Required course in personal and professional skills for business
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Career Center consultations
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Faculty advising and oversight of the student
How many hours does an intern need to work in any given semester?
Interns are required to work 120 hours to earn 3 credits toward their degree. If the student is not seeking academic credit, hours may be negotiated.
It is up to the employer to decide if students will be paid or not.
According to the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), it is important to remember that any student not paid must be part of a training program and not completing work that would be provided by a regular employee.
Students usually seek internships prior to the beginning of each semester. University of Baltimore, Merrick School of Business operates on a three-semester system: spring, summer and fall.
Employers are allowed to post paid internships any time throughout the year. The Career Center is available to guide you through the internship process. She is dedicated to serving employer’s needs when it comes to the internship process.
How long should an internship last?
Internships vary in length, depending on the needs of the employer and the student. For-credit internships typically last at least a full semester (late August-mid December, late January-mid May, late May-mid August), however the duration of the internship may vary depending on the needs on the employer. Non-credit internships are not necessarily scheduled on a semester basis.
How do I post my paid/unpaid internship?
To post a paid or unpaid internship that require the skill and competencies of a business student, contact the Career Center. Positions are posted on UBalt Works, a free, easy to use job listing website for employers. For more information and detailed instructions, review the download the Employer’s Guide to Internships.
How long will my internship posting be available to students?
We encourage you to indicate application deadlines as well as a closing date.
I am hiring my first intern. Any tips?
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Make sure the intern participates in project-related work. Although most internships include administrative tasks, students are more likely to apply for and continue an internship if they engage in quality experiential learning.
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Set clear expectations before the beginning of the internship.
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Explain what you expect from the intern at the beginning of the internship. Clarify what learning objectives the intern wants to accomplish by the end of the internship. This decreases the chance for confusion and frustration and increases the quality of the internship for both you and the intern.
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Provide consistent positive and constructive feedback and a final evaluation. In addition to serving as a valuable learning tool for students, consistent feedback will most likely increase the quality of the intern's performance. It is also a great opportunity to address the intern's questions.
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Offer to write a letter of recommendation or serve as a future reference.
Once I hire an intern, what is expected of me as the employer?
The Merrick School also asks that each employer sign and submit the Internship Employer Agreement Form to Kathea Smith. This form outlines all expectations and can be found in the Employer Internship packet. The Merrick School of Business asks that each intern employer be available for discussion with the student’s faculty internship adviser throughout the student’s placements. At the end of the placement, we ask that all employers complete an evaluation of the student’s performance. The Intern Performance Evaluation can also be found in the employer packet.