Frequently asked questions
Some CLA departments have their own internship course that you can take for credit. For departments that do not have an internship class, you can take C/LA 492.
College of Liberal Arts, C/LA 492: Internship in Liberal Arts
This course provides liberal arts students opportunities to develop professional skills, explore career options, network with professionals in their field, problem solve with peers, and make connections between classroom theories and concepts and their real-world experiences. Students are required to complete 90 hours at an approved internship site. To learn more about getting academic credit for your internship, contact cla-internships@csulb.edu
Department Level Internship Courses
Communication Studies, COMM 492A-B
Geography, GEOG 492, Internship in Applied Geography & Environmental Science & Policy (cross-listed as ES&P 495)
Human Development, HDEV 470: Seminar/Practicum
International Studies, I/ST 492: International Studies Internship/Foreign Study
Journalism and Public Relations JOUR 498: Internship
Political Science, POSC 447/448/496/498: Public Service Internship plus other specialized programs, POSC 418: Judicial Internship/Apprenticeship
Psychology, PSY 405: Fieldwork in Psychology
Sociology, SOC 495: Internship
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, WGSS 496: Internship, WGSS 498: Field Work
If you are completing an internship, paid or unpaid, it is highly recommended that you take an internship course. The internship course helps you structure your internship experience, develop tangible professional goals, and provides you with academic credit. This structure can help ensure that you are learning at your internship and not just doing busy work.
You can enroll in C/LA 390: Career Readiness to help you explore your career interests and prepare to apply to an internship. This is a variable unit course, meaning you can take 1, 2, or 3 units. The course is divided into 3 sections and each section is 5 weeks long. You can decide to take just one section, two, or all three! For more information about this course, contact ATLAS in PH1-104, call 562-985-7804 or visit www.csulb.edu/atlas
Yes, you may contact the organization directly and inquire about their internship opportunities. Use the contact information listed. Always remember to be professional when emailing organizations directly. Here is a sample of what you can write in your email:
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
​
My name is Amy and I am currently a Economics major at CSULB. I received your contact information from our Internship Program and I am interested in an internship with ORG NAME because it aligns well with my interests in research. I am writing to inquire about a possible internship with ORG NAME. Are there internship opportunities available this upcoming fall semester? I have attached my resume to this email for you to review. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
​
Best,
Name
Email, Phone
Following up is always a good idea, and shows that you are responsible. However, please wait at least two weeks, 10 business days, before following up, so that the organization has time to process your application. If you are short on time and need to secure the internship soon, give it at least 3 - 5 business days before you follow up with the organization.
In your follow up email, use the person's name, start with a pleasantry, articulate why you are writing, and have a call to action.
Sample Follow Up Email:
Dear Recruiter Name,
I hope you are doing well! My name is Josh and I recently applied to the Social Media Internship with ORG NAME. I am writing to follow up on my application and see if you have any questions. I am very interested in the social media internship and my educational background in Communication Studies along with my experience using Canva to create content makes me well suited for this role. I look forward to an opportunity to meet with you to discuss how my education and skills align with your internship opportunity. I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Name
phone
While these internship partners have expressed interest in CSULB students, these internship positions are competitive and no student is guaranteed an internship from this list. However, these organizations have a history of recruiting from CSULB. To be a competitive candidate, make sure you are professional in your communications with the organization, provide them with the best quality documents, and be well prepared for the interview.
If you need help with your interviewing techniques or documents, you can meet with career advisors from the CLA Internship Program. Attend professional development workshops from CLA and the Career Development Center, careers.csulb.edu, to learn how to update your documents. To make an appointment with the CLA Internship Program email cla-internships@csulb.edu or use the links below:
Michelle: https://csulb.campus.eab.com/pal/arUqj9koyv
Sarrah:
No, you are free to find your own internship opportunities! We recommend that you begin your internship search with the list of official CLA Internship Partners because they have been vetted to provide meaningful internship experiences. However, you are able to find your own internship as well.
As a CLA student, you have multiple resources available to you to help you find an internship.
Your Department: If your department has an internship coordinator or faculty coordinator, start there. Connect with your department to see if there are resources available.
CLA Internship Program: The CLA Internship Program works with students from all CLA majors to assist them in finding an internship. Use this list to find opportunities. For more information about the CLA Internship Program visit: www.cla.csulb.edu/clainternships/ or email cla-internships@csulb.edu
Career Development Center: The Career Development Center hosts an online job board, CareerLINK, where students can search for internships, part-time, and full-time opportunities. They also coordinate Internship & Job Fairs and the Career Readiness & Internship Conference. For more information visit them in Brotman Hall 250, call 562-985-4151 or visit: careers.csulb.edu
Networking: Talk to faculty, staff, friends, family, neighbors, etc. and let them know you are looking for an internship. You never know whom they might know and what opportunities they can connect you to.
Job Search Sites: You can also use general internship search sites such as indeed.com, glassdoor.com, linkedin.com, internships.com and idealist.org
You can meet with the CLA Career Readiness & Internship Programs Specialist to help you construct and review your documents. Attend professional development workshops from CLA and the Career Development Center, careers.csulb.edu, to learn how to update your documents.
To make an appointment with CLA Internship Advisors, email cla-internships@csulb.edu or use the links below.
Michelle: https://csulb.campus.eab.com/pal/arUqj9koyv
Sarrah:
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