The answer to that question depends on your frame of reference. Employers view internships slightly differently than students do, and students often see internships differently before they have one than they do after the internship has been completed. It is also important to understand what an internship is not. Finally, it is important to have a working definition of an internship.

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A Part-Time Job

An internship is not a part-time job. In a part-time job you are responsible for only that job. In an internship you are to learn about all phases of the business or agency. In a part-time job your duties will generally be very similar from day to day. In an internship your duties will vary so that you fully appreciate the many operations of the organization for which you intern.

Time Away from Class

An internship is not time away from the classroom. To fully understand the organization for which you intern, you will be expected to research the organization in advance as well as during the internship, write detailed reports and analyze your findings. An internship is experiential learning which provides opportunities for student learning and refinement of oral and written skills.

A Guaranteed Job

An internship is not a guarantee of a job upon graduation. As with classroom work and the grade at the end of the semester, interns are evaluated by themselves, their supervisor, and their campus internship advisor. Successful internships often assist students in career placement upon graduation, while poor performance in an internship can lead to a dead end.