An internship is defined as a set of experiential learning activities sponsored by an educational institution and typically occurs in an off-campus setting (i.e., institution, agency, laboratory, clinic, or company) as full or part-time work. Internships allow students to expand their education beyond the classroom experience, obtain practical field experience on which to build their professional careers, and establish relationships with professional entities outside of OSU.

The student must identify an internship that is appropriate for his/her interests, knowledge, skills, education objectives, and schedule. Obtaining an internship depends entirely on an agreement between the student and the Participating Organization, however, internships must be approved by the departmental Internship Coordinator to be eligible for BHS or MB 410 credits (see below). Interested students should speak with their academic advisor about how to proceed.

Academic credit

• Number of credits may vary from 1-12. A maximum of 12 internship credits are allowed by OSU, but only 3 credits may count towards the BHS or MB major requirements.
• Each credit of internship requires 30 hours, or 3 hours per week, of on-site work per ten-week term.
• Students are required to pay for the number of credit hours registered.
• Credit is earned only for work that has genuine academic value. Internships may not be repeated for credit.
• To receive credit for the internship, students must register for BHS/MB 410 after receiving approval and an override from the Internship Coordinator.
• BHS/MB 410 credits are graded P/N.

Upon completion of the internship, the student must submit:

• An internship log outlining their weekly tasks and the time spend on each.
• A 2-3 page reflection paper about the experience. Detailed information will be provided by the Internship Coordinator.
• Name and contact information for their supervisor. The supervisor will be contacted to provide a final evaluation of the student, as well as verification of their hours.

MB 410 – Occupational internship in Microbiology

Internships eligible for MB 410 credits must focus on some aspect of microbiology (i.e. viruses, bacteria, immunology, fungi, etc). Some possibilities include working in the clinical microbiology lab at a hospital, for a brewery or winery in the fermentation division, or in a microbiology lab at Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.

BHS 410 - Health professions internship

Internships eligible for BHS 410 credits must focus on some aspect of the healthcare field. Some possibilities include working in the office of a medical professional, for a company that specializes in the manufacture of medical equipment, or for a public health care clinic.