FAQ - MPA internships and internship exemptions
While these resources can be helpful, as a graduate student it is your responsibility to proactively seek program advising prior to enrolling in any courses and regularly during your progress through your program(s), including as you plan any internship. If you proceed and register without advising, you may end up taking courses or pursuing an internship that does not count towards the degree you hope for, or you may not complete your program(s) at the time you hope to. You can determine the appropriate advisor to contact here.
What is the MPA internship requirement?
How do I know if the internship requirement applies to me?
If my advisor says I’m eligible to apply for the internship exemption, what does that entail?
If the requirement does apply to me, when should I start preparing for the internship?
What credits do I sign up for an internship?
What are the steps in the internship process?
MPA students have a 300-hour, six-credit internship requirement. These are regular credits which must be paid for, like course credits (course is PADM 6500). With the internship, the MPA degree is a 42-credit degree.
The requirement applies to all MPA students unless they are approved by their advisor to apply for the exemption and successfully complete the exemption process with advisor/department approval.
Those students with a year or more professional-level experience in the public or nonprofit sectors (or in a private sector role that is closely tied to government, such as public affairs/governmental relations; judgment by the advisor) may apply for the internship exemption, subject to advisor/department approval. This possibility should be discussed with your advisor at the appointment when you complete the program of study (after 9 credits are completed successfully and before 15 credits) – this discussion should not be left to the last semester.
Do not assume that your experience qualifies you for an exemption without discussing the possibility with your advisor. Even following such discussion, any such substitution depends on advisor or department head approval of the student’s complete internship exemption application materials which are due to your advisor by your last semester.
Students who are exempted from the internship complete the MPA degree with a 36-credit requirement instead of 42 credits (you don’t take other courses to substitute for the internship credits).
The instructions on how to apply for exemption of the internship requirement are on the form itself. The internship exemption materials are due to your advisor as a single PDF file (by the following day: 2nd Friday in November for Fall grads; 2nd Friday in April for Spring grads; 3rd Friday in June for Summer grads). This option is only for students with one or more years of approved professional experience in a public, public affairs or nonprofit sector setting as described above, which has been discussed in advance with your advisor (normally at the point of completion of the MPA Program of Study form).
Internships often need planning more than one term in advance, particularly paid and/or prestigious Federal or state internships. Pre-service students should start investigating their options well in advance of the semester in which they plan to take internship credits. The internship hours must occur in the same term that the student registers in PADM 6500. You cannot retroactively get approval for an internship – formal approval must be obtained in advance. Internships are usually recommended after 24 credits but before 33 credits have been completed in the program. If you need assistance locating an internship, talk to your advisor and faculty about your interests but leave enough time to locate one.
Students planning to enroll in PADM 6500 Internship for the Public Service need to discuss their plans with the Internship Coordinator (for Fall and Spring Internships: Dr. Streams; for Summer Internships: Dr. Stanley). An Internship Details form needs to completed, signed by the student and given to the internship coordinator along with the internship award letter from the organization before registration for credits. If you register for PADM 6500 without discussing your internship with the Internship Coordinator to make sure the terms of your agreement with the organization will fit the criteria for credit, you may be dropped without notice.
created 11.30.2015
last edited 01.18.2022