Internship Policies & Procedures

Undergraduate students are eligible to earn credit for internships if they: 

• Are a declared computer science or information science major (CS 1900, INFSCI 1720) or in a related major looking to gain technical experience (CS 1901); joint majors require special approval
• Are in good academic standing (GPA 2.0 or above)
• Have successfully completed 60+ credits prior to the internship, as well as all 400 level CS courses with a C or better, CS 1501 with a C or better (CS 1900) or successfully completed five Information Science courses with a C or better (INFSCI 1720)
• Have not previously completed 3 credits in the same internship course
• Have submitted an internship for credit application via Handshake prior to working
• Have an application approved before the internship begins and be enrolled in the internship course before add/drop ends

Any questions regarding eligibility should be directed to a student’s academic advisor.

Students are expected to:  

• Acknowledge they represent the university when they are off-campus and must act in a professional and ethical manner
• Request work authorization if they are on an F-1 visa
• Alert the Manager of Experiential Learning if their duties have drastically changed
• Complete a final evaluation and report at the end of the internship 

Internship employers are expected to: 

• Provide a meaningful and relevant work experience to students with technical supervision
• Provide a safe, inclusive work environment
• Complete a final evaluation regarding the student’s performance at the end of the internship 

Learning agreements for each internship course (CS 1900, CS 1901, INFSCI 1720) can be found on the Experiential Learning Courses webpage. Any questions or concerns should be directed to Emily Bennett, Manager of Experiential Learning, especially if they involve an unsatisfactory or unsafe work environment which needs to be dealt with in a prompt manner.

Positions requirements vary by course, but generally:

• Internship positions should involve work that’s integral to the student’s field of study and allow them to explore technical skills and disciplines of interest under technical supervision
• Positions can be paid (average $15-20 an hour) or unpaid, as well as full-time (32-40 hours a week for 12-15 weeks) or part-time (32 hours or less). The work can be done on-site or remote. When a student is taking other courses, the internship should be limited to less than 20 hours a week. When a student is only registered for the internship, the number of hours per week may approach 40 hours or full-time work. Positions are typically full-time in the summer and part-time in fall or spring. Full-time student status cannot be maintained if the experience occurs in any semester other than summer and is the only class a student is enrolled.
• While the school is responsible for building employer relationships and directing them to post positions on Handshake, students are responsible for applying and interviewing for positions. Pitt’s Career Center provides 1:1 resume reviews and mock interviews, as well as employer events and workshops (many times in collaboration with SCI). All Pitt and SCI career-related events are posted in Handshake. There are additional self-guided resources on the SCI Career Services page.
   

CS 1900: 

• May be full-time or part-time (minimum 120 hours, typically 12 weeks or more) with or without pay
• The work should directly involve skills/abilities learned in CS coursework or that otherwise relate to the CS degree and be supervised by a technical employee
• No contract work is allowed. Suitable examples include roles in software development, software testing, database administration, network administration, etc.
• Any concerns about an internship not being credit-bearing should be directed to the student’s faculty sponsor
• Internship employers from CS 1901 cannot be used for CS 1900 credit unless it's a drastically different role and departmental approval has been granted 

CS 1901: 

• May be full-time or part-time with or without pay
• The work should directly involve skills/abilities learned in CS coursework or that otherwise relate to the CS degree. Suitable examples include roles in software development, software testing, database administration, network administration, etc.
• The number of internship hours per week will determine the credit amount a student should be enrolled in the course (between 1-3 credits). Students should speak with their faculty sponsor to determine the amount
• Any concerns about an internship not being credit-bearing should be directed to the student’s faculty sponsor
• Internship employers from CS 1901 cannot be used for CS 1900 credit unless it's a drastically different role and departmental approval has been granted 

INFSCI 1720: 

• May be full-time or part-time (minimum of 120 hours of work per semester) with or without pay
• The work must be directly related to the information science and technology fields. Suitable examples include roles in programming, web development/design, application development, database administration, data/business analytics, technical liaisons, quality assurance/systems testing and cannot involve help desk triage, data entry, filing/scanning, customer service, etc.
• Any concerns about an internship not being credit-bearing should be directed to the course instructor

Once a student secures an offer, they must log into Handshake (via the my.pitt.edu portal) and submit an application by completing the following steps: 

•  Navigate to the Career Center menu, click on Experience, and then Submit an Experience
• Select the relevant course that matches the declared program major (CS 1900 or CS 1901 for Computer Science or INFSCI 1720 for Information Science) and follow along closely with its related application guide available on the Experiential Learning Courses page. Failure to include all the required information will result in the application being paused or declined
• Navigate back to the Experience to upload the offer letter after clicking Submit Experience
• Immediately notify the internship site/supervisor that they will be receiving an email from Handshake to complete a form, and if they do not complete third-party forms, email the Manager of Experiential Learning letting them know
• Please review the Course Learning Agreement PDF located under Attachments in the side column

The application now goes through a series of approvals: academic advising (to confirm the student is eligible to enroll in capstone when applicable), the internship site (to confirm work details), the faculty sponsor or the course instructor (to confirm the internship is credit worthy), and then the Manager of Experiential Learning.

Once the internship application has been approved by academic advising (if applicable), the internship site, and the faculty sponsor or the course instructor, a permission code email will be sent by the Manager of Experiential Learning, which will be used by the student to enroll in the appropriate course. Be sure to enroll before the experience begins or at the very latest, before add/drop ends for the semester working. This also applies to CS 1900 summer interns who are enrolling in the fall course.

Students can check the status of their application at any time in Handshake under the Experiences module and are responsible for following up with their approvers if progress isn’t being made after two weeks. Students can direct any questions they may have to the Manager of Experiential Learning, Emily Bennett.

Please note that students requiring work authorization must not begin working until an application is approved, they’re enrolled in the course, and a CPT request is processed and approved through OIS. The request requires proof of course enrollment and an offer letter with all the information listed in ‘How to Apply for CPT, Section #2 in this document.

The internship application approval process can take up to a month, so please plan accordingly.
 

Specific deadlines vary by course, but the internship application approval process can take up to a month, so students should plan accordingly. They should make every effort to apply and be approved by established deadlines. No retroactive credit will be given. 

CS 1900: 

• Students pursuing fall/spring internships must be approved and enrolled before add/drop ends for that term. For summer internships, the entire approval process must be complete by 6/1. Internships that are not formally approved by then cannot count for capstone experiences. Offers received after 6/1 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there’s enough time to earn credit. 

CS 1901: 

• Students must be approved and enrolled before add/drop ends for the term interning 

INFSCI 1720: 

• Students must be approved and enrolled before add/drop ends for the term interning 

Please note that students requiring work authorization must allow at least 2 weeks for OIS to process their request for CPT. Students must be enrolled in the course before the request can be reviewed.

Specific enrollment details vary by course, but students must have their internship experience approved before enrolling in the relevant course. No retroactive credit will be given. 

CS 1900: 

• Fall/Fall option: student interns in the fall and enrolls in CS 1900 in the fall
• Spring/Spring option: student interns in the spring and enrolls in CS 1900 in the spring
• Summer/Fall option: student interns in the summer and enrolls in CS 1900 in the fall
• Summer/Summer option: student interns in the summer and enrolls in CS 1900 in the summer (requires departmental permission, even if CPT/work authorization is needed)
• Students must enroll in 3 credits to fulfill the capstone requirement

CS 1901: 

• Students must be enrolled in the course while interning
• The number of internship hours per week will determine the credit amount a student a student should be enrolled in (between 1-3 credits). Students should speak with their faculty sponsor to determine the amount. Students can enroll in the course more than once, but maximum credits total cannot exceed 3 credits.

INFSCI 1720: 

• Students must be enrolled in the course while interning
• Students must enroll in 3 credits to fulfill the capstone requirement

While working, students on an F-1 visa must be on approved full-time CPT or pre-completion OPT. Please note that full-time CPT authorization cannot extend beyond 12 months or OPT is negated. Students should discuss their plan to co-op with the Office of International Services (OIS) and the Manager of Experiential Learning prior to securing an offer. There is an SCI CPT decision guide that students can review prior to contacting them.

Successful completion of internship credit involves the following: 

• Students are responsible for submitting bi-weekly check-ins throughout the experience (CS 1900/CS 1901)
• Students are responsible for completing a final evaluation (with related report)
• Internship site supervisors are expected to complete a final evaluation for their student supervisee
• Both final (student and internship site) evaluations and reports must be submitted prior to the end of finals week (regardless of the experience end date) to ensure a ‘Satisfactory’ grade 

For a complete list of evaluation questions, please view the learning agreement under the relevant course on the Experiential Learning Courses page.

Successful completion of CS 1900 or INFSCI 1720 and a summary paper can be used to satisfy the capstone graduation requirement. 

Capstone papers must be submitted before the end of finals week during the term the student is enrolled in the course. Requirements are detailed in the internship learning agreements under each course on the Experiential Learning Courses page and/or are provided by the course instructor. 

Graduate students are eligible to earn credit for internships if they:

• Are in the Computer Science or Intelligent Systems programs (students in the Department of Informatics and Networked Systems should refer to the co-op or practicum policy pages to request internship credit)
• Are in good academic standing (GPA 2.0 or above)
• Have successfully completed at least 18 credits prior to working
• Have not already worked for the employer for co-op credit (positions cannot be converted) and are not able to use the experience as part of the co-op program
• Have not already enrolled in their department’s internship course (CS 2900, ISSP 2900) before (master’s student) or only once before (doctoral student)
• Students on an academic appointment need the approval of their Department Chair and the Dean’s office to participate
• Have submitted an internship for credit application via Handshake prior to working
• Have an application approved and be enrolled in the internship course before add/drop ends

Any questions regarding eligibility should be directed to the student’s faculty advisor. 
 

Students are expected to:

• Acknowledge they represent the university when they are off-campus and must act in a professional and ethical manner
• Request work authorization if they are on an F-1 visa
• Alert the Manager of Experiential Learning if their duties have drastically changed
• Complete a midpoint and final evaluation (along with related reports) at the end of the internship

Internship employers are expected to:

• Provide a meaningful and relevant work experience to students with technical supervision
• Provide a safe, inclusive work environment
• Complete a final evaluation regarding the student’s performance at the end of the internship

Learning agreements for each internship course (CS 2900, ISSP 2900) can be found on the Experiential Learning Courses page. Any questions or concerns should be directed to the Manager of Experiential Learning, Emily Bennett, especially if they involve an unsatisfactory or unsafe work environment which needs to be dealt with in a prompt manner. 
 

• Internship positions should involve work that’s integral to the student’s field of study and allow them to explore technical skills and disciplines of interest under technical supervision
• Positions can be paid (average $20-25 an hour) or unpaid, as well as full-time (32-40 hours a week for 12-15 weeks) or part-time (32 hours or less). The work can be done on-site or remote. When a student is taking other courses, the internship should be limited to less than 20 hours a week. When a student is only registered for the internship, the number of hours per week may approach 40 hours or full-time work. Positions are typically full-time in the summer and part-time in fall or spring. Full-time student status cannot be maintained if the experience occurs in any semester other than summer and is the only class a student is enrolled.
• While the school is responsible for building employer relationships and directing them to post positions on Handshake, students are responsible for applying and interviewing for positions. Pitt’s Career Center provides 1:1 resume reviews and mock interviews, as well as employer events and workshops (many times in collaboration with SCI). All Pitt and SCI career-related events are posted in Handshake. There are additional self-guided resources on the SCI Career Services page.
   

Once a student secures an offer, they must log into Handshake (via the my.pitt.edu portal) and submit an application by completing the following steps: 

• Navigate to the Career Center menu, click on Experience, and then Submit an Experience
• Select the relevant course that matches the declared program major (CS 2900 for Computer Science or ISSP 2900 for Intelligent Systems) and follow along closely with its related application guide available on the Experiential Learning Courses page. Failure to include all the required information will result in the application being paused or declined
• Navigate back to the Experience to upload the offer letter after clicking Submit Experience; students on an academic appointment must also attach the participation approval email
• Immediately notify the internship site/supervisor that they will be receiving an email from Handshake to complete a form, and if they do not complete third-party forms, email the Manager of Experiential Learning letting them know
• Please review the Course Learning Agreement PDF located under Attachments in the side column

The application now goes through a series of approvals: the internship site (to confirm work details), then the course instructor (to confirm the experience is credit worthy), and then the Manager of Experiential Learning.

Once the internship application has been approved by the internship site and course instructor, a permission code email will be sent by the Manager of Experiential Learning, which will be used by the student to enroll in the appropriate course. Be sure to enroll before the experience begins or at the very latest, before add/drop ends for the semester working.

Students can check the status of their application at any time in Handshake under the Experiences module and are responsible for following up with their approvers if progress isn’t being made after two weeks. Students can direct any questions they may have to the Manager of Experiential Learning, Emily Bennett.

Please note that students requiring work authorization must not begin working until an application is approved, they’re enrolled in the course, and a CPT request is processed and approved through OIS. The request requires proof of course enrollment and an offer letter with all the information listed in ‘How to Apply for CPT, Section #2 in this document.

The internship application approval process can take up to a month, so please plan accordingly.
 

Students should apply for internship credit with a secured offer at least one semester before they begin working, since the approval process can take up to a month. At the very latest, the application must be approved, and the student enrolled in the course before add/drop ends for the semester working.

Please note that students requiring work authorization must allow at least 2 weeks for OIS to process their request for CPT. Students must be enrolled in the course before the request can be reviewed. 

Students must be enrolled in the course when they are working. Be sure to enroll before the experience begins or at the very latest, before add/drop ends for the semester working.

While working, students on an F-1 visa must be on approved full-time CPT or pre-completion OPT. Please note that full-time CPT authorization cannot extend beyond 12 months or OPT is negated. Students should discuss their plan to co-op with the Office of International Services (OIS) and the Manager of Experiential Learning prior to securing an offer. There is an SCI CPT decision guide that students can review prior to contacting them.

Successful completion of the course involves the following:

• Students are responsible for completing a midpoint evaluation, as well as a final evaluation (with related reports)
• Internship site supervisors are expected to complete a final evaluation for their student supervisee
• Both final (student and internship site) evaluations and reports must be submitted prior to the end of finals week (regardless of the experience end date) to ensure a ‘Satisfactory’ grade

For a complete list of evaluation questions and report prompts, please view the learning agreement under the relevant course dropdown on the Experiential Learning Courses page. 
 

Internships 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. Full-time student status cannot be maintained if the internship for credit occurs in any semester other than summer and is the only class a student is enrolled. While students may be asked to return to their internship on a part-time basis, it’s by no means standard practice. Undergraduate students can complete one internship to fulfil the capstone requirement. Graduate students can request that a full-time internship be considered as one co-op rotation but must seek additional information from the Manager of Experiential Learning prior to securing an offer.

Co-op is an officially recognized program held in conjunction with external industry partners and the university. It provides students with full-time work experience directly related to their field of study. By alternating work and school terms, the program enables students to complement classroom studies with practical experience, technical knowledge, and financial gain. Students must complete at least one semester of full-time work experience and each rotation would only be counted for 1 credit that does not directly apply towards academic degree requirements (meaning this is in addition to your required credits). There are limitations to the number of times students can enroll in co-op based on their degree. It’s a structured and documented outside of the classroom experience that is an officially encouraged educational enhancement to a student’s degree program.
 

No, this determination must be made in advance of any work done for the employer. Once you have committed to an internship with an employer, your experience with that employer must remain an internship. If you have committed to a co-op with an employer, your experience with that employer must remain a co-op.

If an offer has already been accepted as an internship and the student wishes to convert it to a co-op position, the employer must be willing to do so with either a revised job title or be satisfied with the application and evaluations stating it's a co-op.

Students interning in the fall or spring should take classes to maintain their full-time status, but must be realistic regarding the number of hours they can work in addition to attending classes. Students interning in the summer typically do not take classes since they pay additional tuition on a credit fee basis, but this can be discussed with an academic advisor beforehand.

Given the intensive and time-consuming nature of graduate studies and training, graduate students holding TA, TF, GSR, or GSA appointments are discouraged from seeking employment outside the University. Exceptions may be granted only under exceptional circumstances, and only when the off-campus appointment is essential to the successful completion of the student’s dissertation research. Students interested in requesting an exception should seek approval from their Department Chair who will forward the request to the Dean’s office for final approval.

Internships must involve work that is related to the degree. Work can be achieved with CPT or pre-completion OPT, but CPT is most common. If interning in the fall or spring, additional course enrollment is needed to maintain full-time status. If interning in the summer, students pay tuition for the internship course, but no additional courses are necessary to maintain full-time status. If it’s the student’s final semester, work can only be done on a part-time basis, and the student must be enrolled in at least one other course that counts towards degree requirements. Please note that full-time CPT authorization cannot extend beyond 12 months or OPT is negated. Students should discuss their plan to work off-campus with the Office of International Services (OIS) and the Manager of Experiential Learning prior to securing an offer. There is an SCI CPT decision guide that students can review prior to contacting them.

While the school is responsible for building employer relationships and directing them to post positions on Handshake, students are responsible for applying and interviewing for positions. Pitt’s Career Center provides 1:1 resume reviews and mock interviews, as well as employer events and workshops (many times in collaboration with SCI). All Pitt and SCI career-related events are posted in Handshake. There are additional self-guided resources on the SCI Career Services page.