Domestic Internships

SSC 493 - Social Science Internship

The Social Science Internship course incorporates methods and concepts from social and behavioral sciences applied in career-related settings.

Once you have secured an internship, or even if you still need assistance finding one, our office can be a resource!

Course instructors serve as liaisons between enrolled students and their internship site. If students experience issues or have concerns involving their internship, they should not hesitate to contact us. We are prepared to communicate with the internship site to come to a resolution.

If you are unsure if your internship qualifies for the SSC 493 course, contact our office for assistance.

Awarding of Retroactive Credit

The internship must be completed in the same semester that the prospective student is enrolled in SSC 493. We do not award retroactive credit.

ATTENTION - Students CANNOT use prior or current full or part-time employment to qualify as an internship. Unfortunately, an internship is not a job; full or part-time employment does not offer the same learning opportunities as an internship. Paid employment typically involves different supervisor-employee relationships, other objectives, and less structured learning than does an internship. However, paid internships are allowed.

Course Information

On-line D2L course assignments
Pass/No Grade course
Students do NOT need to be a College of Social Science student to enroll in SSC 493
Internship must be related to student’s academic and/or career goals
Requires College-level approval before student is enrolled
Recommended 2.5 overall minimum GPA and Academic Advisor approval
Variable credits offered, 3-12
Each credit earned requires three hours of work per week for the duration of the semester. Example, a 3 credit internship requires 135 total hours to be completed (9 hrs per week x 15 weeks = 135)

Fall/Spring Required Hours

3 credits → 3 x 3 x 15 = 135 Total Hours Required
4 credits → 4 x 3 x 15 = 180 Total Hours Required
5 credits → 5 x 3 x 15 = 225 Total Hours Required
6 credits → 6 x 3 x 15 = 270 Total Hours Required
7 credits → 7 x 3 x 15 = 315 Total Hours Required
8 credits → 8 x 3 x 15 = 360 Total Hours Required
9 credits → 9 x 3 x 15 = 405 Total Hours Required
10 credits → 10 x 3 x 15 = 450 Total Hours Required
11 credits → 11 x 3 x 15 = 495 Total Hours Required
12 credits → 12 x 3 x 15 = 540 Total Hours Required

Summer Required Hours

3 credits → 3 x 3 x 14 = 126 Total Hours Required
4 credits → 4 x 3 x 14 = 168 Total Hours Required
5 credits → 5 x 3 x 14 = 210 Total Hours Required
6 credits → 6 x 3 x 14 = 252 Total Hours Required
7 credits → 7 x 3 x 14 = 294 Total Hours Required
8 credits → 8 x 3 x 14 = 336 Total Hours Required
9 credits → 9 x 3 x 14 = 378 Total Hours Required
10 credits → 10 x 3 x 14 = 420 Total Hours Required
11 credits → 11 x 3 x 14 = 462 Total Hours Required
12 credits → 12 x 3 x 14 = 504 Total Hours Required

Here's How to Apply*

*Note: you MUST have an internship already to apply for credit

Meet with your advisor to ensure that the credits will count towards your degree requirements
Fill out the following application (Select Social Science Internship Course): https://form.jotformpro.com/studyaway/ExpLearning_Application
The form will automatically send forms to your advisor and supervisor- if they do not receive the forms, tell them to check their junk mail folder
Follow up to ensure both complete these forms
Once all forms (application, advisor, and supervisor) are received, we will enroll you in SSC 493. You do NOT enroll yourself in the course

NOT APPROVING INTERNSHIPS AT THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS: Northwestern Mutual, The Borgen Project, Disney, Disney College Program, PIRGIM, College Works Painting, and College Pro Painters

Application Deadlines

The following materials must be received by our office by 12:00 pm ET (noon) on the date indicated below:

student application
supervisor training agreement (link automatically sent to supervisor when student submits initial program application).
advisor confirmation form

Students are responsible for the staying current with the status of their application packages.

Spring 2026 Deadline: February 2, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET (noon)
Summer 2026 Deadline: June 1, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET (noon)
Fall 2026 Deadline: September 21, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET (noon)
Spring 2027 Deadline: February 9, 2027 at 12:00 pm ET (noon)

Students are responsible for all tuition and enrollment deadlines set by the Office of The Registrar

Students who complete internships during their undergraduate career report tremendous personal and professional growth. Check out some recaps of past students' internships.

Eduardo Gonzalez

Major: Economics
Placement: Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, San Francisco

Internship takeaway: My favorite part so far of my internship is that I have had the opportunity to meet so many different intelligent people. Everyone that works for this organization is so nice and helpful. Additionally, it is always fun to meet locals and try to help them improve the local economy.

Advice for future students: Economics is a great major because you can find a job just about anywhere. Despite this, you should definitely go outside your comfort zone to really find what you're passionate about. You never know what type of career you'll really love.

Emily Hill

Major: HDFS
Placement: Network Volunteers, New Orleans

Internship takeaway: I learned about my own sense of independence. This experience helped me to not be so afraid of graduating because I now have the confidence of moving to a new city and taking on a new job alone.

Advice for future students: Get out of your comfort zone! This experience forced me to do things I would have never done in East Lansing. I learned so much about myself and myself as a professional. Interning forced me to grow up and made me a lot more proactive about deciding what I am going to do after graduating.

Breaunte Brown

Major: Human Geography
Placement: Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Flint

Internship takeaway: I learned that my work is appreciated, and that my amativeness is well-versed. I was offered experience that I will need in the future. BBBS opened a door for me to make connections and step a foot into the workplace.

Advice for future students: I would advise interns to research the places they want to work. Also, they should definitely talk to multiple places if there are multiple positions available.

Julia Kosnik

Major: Social Relations and Policy
Placement: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Washington, D.C.

Internship takeaway: I learned that the United States is facing a major crisis in regards to immigration that is not always highlighted in the news. I was able to learn so much about a system that is misunderstood. I was able to see the immigration crisis from a political perspective as well as a humanitarian perspective. Through my experience, I realized that I want to work on the humanitarian side of things in the future.

Advice for future students: I would advise students to apply everywhere even if they think it is a long shot. I never thought I would be selected to work for the United Nations. I applied to over 15 locations and I learned something different from every application process and interview. I would recommend students to apply to many places as they can because you never know what might strike a supervisor's eye and lead them to interview you.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are three forms that need to be submitted before your application will be reviewed:

College of Social Science Experiential Learning Application
- Advisor Confirmation Form
- Supervisor Training Agreement

These forms are hosted online and we receive them electronically. Be sure to select SSC 493 - Social Science Internship Course in the program selection. After a successful submission of your College of Social Science Experiential Learning Application, an email will automatically be sent to the Advisor email and Supervisor email you indicated. They will receive a link to the appropriate advisor or supervisor form.

For more information, contact:

Cathy M. White, M.S.
Academic Specialist - Advisor
gamperca@msu.edu
Phone: 517-353-9291

Office for Experiential Learning
College of Social Science
sscstudy@msu.edu
Phone: 517-432-4541

The application form can be found below. If you need us to resend the form to either your advisor or supervisor, email us at sscstudy@msu.edu.

After all three forms have been submitted your completed application will reviewed. You will hear back from the office within a few days regarding your status. If your internship is approved, you will receive an email from us stating that you are approved and our office will enroll you in SSC 493.

Yes, a 2.5 GPA minimum required for the course.

All of the assignments are posted on D2L, which you will have access to after you are enrolled in the course. Most assignments ask you to reflect on your internship experience to determine the skills you have gained, the projects you have completed and the professional growth you have experienced. You and your internship supervisor will also need to provide evaluative feedback twice during the semester.

You can earn 3 to 12 credits, depending on your major and available credits. You must discuss this with your academic advisor to ensure that you are earning the appropriate number of credits for this course.

The number of hours is based on how many credits you want to earn (3 credits = 9 hours per week for the full length of the semester, 15 weeks or 135 hours). To determine if your scheduled hours are sufficient, you take the number of weeks you will be working, times the hours to be worked each week, to calculate the total number of hours you will work. This total should be equivalent to (or more than) the total required hours listed in the chart below.

Fall/Spring Required Hours
3 credits → 3 x 3 x 15 = 135 Total Hours Required
4 credits → 4 x 3 x 15 = 180 Total Hours Required
5 credits → 5 x 3 x 15 = 225 Total Hours Required
6 credits → 6 x 3 x 15 = 270 Total Hours Required
7 credits → 7 x 3 x 15 = 315 Total Hours Required
8 credits → 8 x 3 x 15 = 360 Total Hours Required
9 credits → 9 x 3 x 15 = 405 Total Hours Required
10 credits → 10 x 3 x 15 = 450 Total Hours Required
11 credits → 11 x 3 x 15 = 495 Total Hours Required
12 credits → 12 x 3 x 15 = 540 Total Hours Required

Summer Required Hours
3 credits → 3 x 3 x 14 = 126 Total Hours Required
4 credits → 4 x 3 x 14 = 168 Total Hours Required
5 credits → 5 x 3 x 14 = 210 Total Hours Required
6 credits → 6 x 3 x 14 = 252 Total Hours Required
7 credits → 7 x 3 x 14 = 294 Total Hours Required
8 credits → 8 x 3 x 14 = 336 Total Hours Required
9 credits → 9 x 3 x 14 = 378 Total Hours Required
10 credits → 10 x 3 x 14 = 420 Total Hours Required
11 credits → 11 x 3 x 14 = 462 Total Hours Required
12 credits → 12 x 3 x 14 = 504 Total Hours Required

Your internship should clearly relate to your academic and/or career goals. It should also help prepare you professionally for your future career. No internship can be approved for course credit until you and your supervisor have submitted the required forms for our office to review.

Yes. It can also be a stipend internship.

There is no additional program fee to enroll into SSC 493. You are responsible for the tuition for the course, just as you would pay for your other courses at MSU.