Internship Process and Paperwork
Did you know? Students with paid internships are 2.4 times more likely to land a job that is related to their degree. Learn more here.
CMU Campus Calendar
Mid-August: Fall Semester begins
Early December: Final Examinations
Mid-December: Fall Commencement
Mid-January: Spring Semester begins
Early May: Final Examinations
Mid-May: Spring Commencement
Many employers have found students respond favorably to the following hiring timelines:
Fall Semester - Commence Sept 1 – Conclude Dec 1
Spring Semester - Commence Feb 1 – Conclude May 1
Summer Semester - Commence Mid-June – Conclude Aug 1
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STEP 1: Create job description to share with Alumni & Career Services.
We will share this with CMU students during one-on-one career coaching appointments, post in our CMU campus Career Center, and communicate the listing with our campus community and community partners.
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STEP 2: Post job description to Handshake - CMU's preferred career platform for internship and job opportunities.
Double check that the contact information for each party is entered correctly. You will receive an email in 2-3 business days from "Colorado Mesa University via DocuSign" with a link to complete the digital paperwork.
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STEP 3: Complete digital paperwork.
Students will initiate their internship agreement. You will receive an email from “Colorado Mesa University via DocuSign” with a link to the internship agreement.
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STEP 4: Mid-point and final evaluations.
Handshake will send mid-point and final evaluation requests.
Employer Internship FAQs
By design, the workload falls mainly on our students to complete the required assignments for the class. We ask the experience supervisor to review the student's objectives, sign off on paperwork, provide valuable internship experience, complete an end-of-the-semester evaluation, and provide regular feedback to the student.
Many departments either require or strongly advocate for paid internships. Various programs may be available to offset this expense. Please contact the Alumni and Career Services office for suggestions.
Internships are offered for credit with 135 hours being required for a three-credit course, 270 for a six-credit course, and 405 for a nine-credit course. We like to share this information to confirm that your internship opportunity can meet the minimum hours.
Paid internships are strongly encouraged and often attract more qualified candidates. Unpaid internships must meet specific legal criteria, especially if the intern is not receiving academic credit. CMU recommends compensation whenever possible to ensure accessibility, fair opportunity and higher quality outputs.
Visit the National Association of Colleges and Employers for more information here.