Internship, Co-Op, and Work-Based Learning

Before searching for opportunities, students should determine the type of experience they’re seeking and reflect on what they’re trying to get out of it. Internships (or practicum at the graduate level) are standalone, short-term work experiences, which can be full or part-time. They are typically full-time in the summer and part-time in fall or spring. Co-op, is an officially recognized program held in conjunction with external industry partners, that provides students will full-time work experience directly related to their field of study. Students alternate work and school terms for two rotations as undergrads and 1-2 rotations at the graduate level.  

Additional opportunities to gain work experience, include micro-internships, part-time jobs, and student employment. There are also team-based capstone courses at the undergraduate level, which allow students to gain project management experience with an industry, non-profit, or academic client.  

Internships, co-op, practicum, and field work are all for-credit course options in SCI. Unless a student is studying on a visa and requires work authorization, students are not required to earn credit for an experience unless it’s embedded into the curriculum like the field work course in ICDS.  

There is more information regarding each option on the experiential learning course dropdown page (link to updated page) and students should read the policies associated with each one well before applying for opportunities. All experiences must be approved before a student begins working and that process can take up to a month. There are also strict deadlines for submitting experiences for credit consideration. Any questions, please contact SCI’s Manager of Experiential Learning.  

Other experiences like micro-internships, part-time non-technical work, and student employment are not eligible for credit.  

 Applying for opportunities can be a very competitive and time intensive process, so it’s important to devise a strategy and seek assistance. There are self-guided SCI career resources and a curated SCI career resources handout, that students should review prior to scheduling an appointment with the school’s Career Consultant. They will work 1:1 with you to strategize and ensure application materials and interviewing abilities meet industry standards.  

There are many opportunities to engage with industry professionals within the school by attending events like SCI Week, workshops, tech talks, and student organization meetings, as well as events held in collaboration with schools, like Pitt Business. At the university level, Pitt’s Career Center hosts a career fair twice a year, an Alumni-in-Residence program, employer information sessions, networking events, site visits, and more. All events are posted on Handshake, Pitt’s career services platform.  

Work-based learning is a great way to try out newly acquired skills, a type of role, or what it’s like to work at a specific company. It’s supposed to be a learning experience and a chance to build relevant experience in a chosen field or setting. It’s important to understand that while it can be impressive to land an internship at a top company, it’s not realistic for a lot of students until they’ve gained some additional experience.   

Work-based learning experiences can provide clues as to the type of work a student might enjoy doing after graduation. Pitt’s Career Center has Career Consultants that can assist with career planning, as well as ensure that the experiences are translatable to employers in resumes and interviews.