• enhance classroom learning through access to the resources of the city;
• acquire experience in the working world, adding depth and relevance to more traditional classroom work;
• gain a sense of different career fields and of specific jobs within these fields;
• improve job search and interview skills.

Internships are enormously popular at Trinity - close to 50 percent of students complete one or more before graduation. Whether exploring a potential career or studying more deeply in a specialized academic area, Trinity interns use Hartford’s rich resources for their own benefit and translate their learning into course credit. The Internship Program’s popularity is due in part to the fact that it meets Trinity students’ real educational needs.

What is an internship?
An internship is a work experience, usually for one semester, that is part-time and unpaid. The goal is to give the participating student exposure to a profession or field and more in-depth knowledge of a subject that is of interest to him or her. Through the Internship Program, a student earns course credit for an internship by combining the field work with more traditional academic projects under the direction of a Trinity professor.

Why do an internship?
Students do internships for a variety of reasons. As a form of independent study, an internship augments classroom learning and adds a new dimension to a student’s academic program. Because it provides a different perspective on the material, it offers many academic benefits.

An internship is also an excellent tool for testing out a career interest, giving a student first-hand experience in a particular professional field. This can be helpful in choosing a major, planning graduate study, seeking a summer job, or making career planning decisions. The opportunity to investigate possible career choices permits more informed decisions in many areas. Other career planning benefits include building a network of contacts, securing references for future jobs, and developing job search skills such as resumé-writing and interviewing.

Internships yield many personal benefits as well. The intern builds on his or her knowledge base in a particular field through hands-on experience, working side-by-side with professionals. Many interns either learn tangible new skills, from spreadsheet analysis to computer graphics, or have the opportunity to practice and improve old skills, such as speaking Spanish or writing business letters.

Eligibility/Course Credit

An internship may be undertaken during the Fall and Spring semesters by any matriculated undergraduate, with the exception of first-year students. Summer internships may also be arranged, but students are responsible for tuition fees determined by the number of credits taken.

The total number of internship credits that may be counted toward the thirty-six credits required for the baccalaureate degree is limited to three, no more than one of which may be earned through an exploratory internship (See explanation of "exploratory internship.")

Students returning from a semester or year away are advised to wait one term before arranging an internship, as it can be difficult to plan while away from Trinity.

Please note: Repeated internships at the same placement and with the same field supervisor will NOT ordinarily be approved for credit. A second internship at the same placement may be acceptable if the work is substantially different than that done during the first internship experience.

Where do Trinity students do internships?
Hartford abounds in internship opportunities. The city is corporate headquarters for a number of large companies. It has offices of the major brokerage firms as well as numerous banks. As the capital of Connecticut, Hartford offers a variety of governmental, political, and legislative internships. Students interested in city issues have a wide choice of placements in social service agencies and community groups. Hartford is home to several large medical facilities, as well as a rich array of arts organizations and historical sites. Internship placements are available in law, journalism, communications, advertising, engineering, computer science, and many other fields. Over 200 placements are regularly listed in the Internship Office. Here are just some of them: