Center for Career Exploration
Academic Credit, Internship Agreements & Summer Housing
Academic Credit and Internships
Some companies require their student interns to earn course credit for the experience at the time of the internship, usually during the summer. Brown's rules regarding academic credit for internships vary depending on the academic term of the internship.
Summer Internships
It is uncommon for Brown students to receive academic credit for an internship. To receive credit, students need to develop an independent study related to the internship under the direction of a faculty member. Since independent study is not offered in the summer, the employer must be willing to accept fall term credit. The Career Center can write a letter that explains Brown's policy but does not confirm that the student will receive credit.
To obtain this letter or if you have further questions about this issue, contact: studentexploration@brown.edu.
Fall or Spring Semester Internships
Students who have secured an internship in the Providence area for a fall or spring academic term may propose to complete a concurrent, credit-bearing Academic Internship. Applications are due the semester prior to the proposed activity, so students need to plan ahead if they want to pursue this option.
Internship Agreements
Some internships require a signed internship agreement between the student, Brown University, and the organization providing the internship.
At Brown, we encourage undergraduates to extend their education beyond the classroom through internships and other practical applications of their learning. As such, we have developed a standardized internship agreement form that we are able to provide to students in need of an agreement. Please download the form, complete the employer and student portion, and send it to Greg Seiler: gregory_seiler@brown.edu.
Students with agreements provided by an employer should ask whether the Brown template above can be used in place of the host organization’s contract.
Questions about domestic or international internship contracts? Contact Greg Seiler: gregory_seiler@brown.edu.
Housing
When considering your internship options, be sure to think about your housing needs. A number of accommodations are possible, ranging from dormitory housing to hostels. The housing resources below will give you some ideas of where to start. Also check individual university websites in the geographic area of your internship. Many universities offer summer housing to registered undergraduate students.