Academic Credit for Internships

Academic credit is granted through academic departments and graduate groups. The ICC advising staff can assist you in identifying internship opportunities and provide information about academic credit. Check with your academic department regarding their policies. The 92/192 form is typically used. Not all departments use this basic form. Some use a department-specific form; check with your academic advisor for more information. Be sure to get the CRN # from the department.

The guidelines below were approved by the UC Davis Academic Senate to be used by faculty determining whether academic credit should be granted in connection with an internship. It is expected that individual departments will adopt complementary guidelines that specify the conditions under which academic credit is appropriate (see 3C below).

An internship for which academic credit may be awarded is one in which:

  1. Students are able to apply the concepts and methods of one or more academic disciplines to an appropriate work experience or field setting;
    1. Students are able to grow intellectually by the extension of the general intellectual tools of one or more academic disciplines to the workplace; and
    2. Faculty sponsors are able to assess the quality of academic work completed by the student.
    3. Work that is clerical in nature or involves routine maintenance or service responsibilities does not qualify for academic credit.
  2. A student for whom academic credit may be awarded is one who:
    1. Possesses a suitable background in the discipline for which academic credit is sought;
    2. Possesses the background or skills necessary to successfully complete the requirements of the internship;
    3. Will experience significant intellectual growth as a result of the internship and the associated academic work (see 3C below).
  3. When it is determined that an internship is appropriate for academic credit and a student is suitable for that internship, the arrangement for credit must involve the following elements:
    1. Department guidelines vary by discipline. It is the responsibility of the student to correspond with a department representative to determine the requirements for their program of study. The department may recommend additional action than what is outlined here.
    2. Prior approval by a faculty sponsor whose background and expertise is related to the area of the internship and appropriate for supervision of the student's activities.
    3. Adherence to department guidelines setting forth specific requirements for the granting of academic credit. Requirements will vary depending upon the nature of the discipline, but generally it is to be expected that a student will complete reading assignments and a research paper or project that requires the student to relate the academic discipline to the internship experience. The paper or project should demonstrate the student's ability to perform critical reasoning and/or methods of research appropriate to the discipline. Student participation in a concurrent seminar or discussion section may also be required and student achievement documented.
    4. Faculty/student contact as appropriate, including, at minimum, a preliminary conference setting forth the faculty member's expectations and requirements for satisfactory completion of the internship for credit. Consultation by the faculty sponsor with the field supervisor is encouraged whenever possible.
    5. Department requirements for research papers or projects should be proportional to the commitment devoted to the internship. Students: check with your College for possible further restrictions on the number of units of internship credit you may apply toward your degree.

Suggested Time Commitment and Unit Value

Commitment per Week:
  • 3 - 5 hours
  • 6 - 8 hours
  • 9 - 11 hours
  • 12 - 14 hours
  • 15 - 17 hours
  • 18 - 20 hours
  • 21 - 23 hours
  • 24 - 26 hours
  • 27 - 29 hours
  • 30 - 32 hours
  • 33 - 35 hours
  • 36 - 40 hours
  • 1 unit
  • 2 units
  • 3 units
  • 4 units
  • 5 units
  • 6 units
  • 7 units
  • 8 units
  • 9 units
  • 10 units
  • 11 units
  • 12 units