The University of Tampa has been discussing different incentives for students to register for internships in the future. Ideas consist of internships counting for credit towards all majors, and possibly having internships as a requirement for graduation, according to a UT faculty official.
“For the fall 2012, and spring and summer 2013 [terms] there were 477 students enrolled in internships for UT,” said Ali Dunn, Assistant Director of Internships and Career Services.
“If internships counted toward all students majors, I think there would be an increase in registered internships through UT,” Dunn said.
There is also discussion among the department of government and world affairs on whether or not students who register for internships through UT should have them count toward their major.
“There is a probability that internships will count toward the GWA major for fall of 2014,” said Robert Kerstein, internship coordinator for the GWA major.
However, the department does not feel as if a pass/fail grading system should count toward a person’s major. “The GWA is rethinking this, because of other departments who allow internships to count for their majors,” Kerstein said.
“This proposition would need to be discussed among the different faculty committees in order for it to pass. These committees vary between departments: the curricular committee, provost and then to the president, who will make a change to the curriculum,” Dunn said.
“The discussion will be decided by the department of GWA by the end of fall 2013 semester,” Kerstein said.
As of right now, internships for GWA majors count for credit toward a general elective.
“If I were to pay in credits for my internship through the school, I would be more likely to do so if my internship counted toward my major,” said Angenae Wilson-Gay, UT junior and GWA major.
UT’s cost per credit outside of the internship program is $510, according to the UT website.
“I have already completed my general electives; I do not want to pay thousands of dollars to the school so I can have another general elective,” Wilson-Gay said.
Students registering for an internship between two and four credits will be paying the university $1,020 to $2,040.
“I believe if internships would count towards the majors for students there would be a large increase in students enrolling in internships here,” Dunn said.
Companies and graduate schools are looking for candidates who also have real-world internship experience in today’s world, according to the UT website.
“Internships are crucial in the eyes of employers,” Dunn said.
UT’s internship program, Hire UT, continually offers internship and job fairs each month; there are nearly 30 scheduled for the month of October alone.
“Internships help students stand out to employers,” Kerstein said.
In today’s challenging job market, internships are a must, provides UT’s website. UT students and professors agree: internships counting toward majors would be a great incentive for students to enroll in the many internship options provided here at UT.
Rachel Baranowski can be reached at rachel.baranowski@spartans.ut.edu