Internship and Co-op Support

Academic Credit Requirements

To earn academic credit for your internship or co-op, you must submit your Experience Request in Handshake before the semester in which you’ll be working begins — no exceptions. Submitting your request by the posted deadline ensures it will be processed by that semester’s Add/Drop deadline. Please allow up to two weeks for processing and approval.

Upcoming Deadlines:

Spring 2026: January 2

Summer 2026: May 8

Fall 2026: August 7

Credit Requirements By Major

Steps for getting Academic Credit
1. Secure Your Internship
  - Make sure your position aligns with your academic program and career goals.
2. Confirm Eligibility
  - Check your program’s experience requirements and consult with Financial Aid to understand any impact on your aid package.
3. Submit Your Experience Request in Handshake
  - This must be completed before the semester begins to be considered for academic credit.
4. Register for Your Internship or Co-op Course
  - Once approved, you’ll receive instructions to enroll in the appropriate course.
Academic Credit: General Considerations
Before applying for academic credit for your internship or co-op, review these baseline requirements. These are general guidelines — always check with your specific course or academic program for exact specifications and eligibility, and be prepared to address or note the below specifications.

Participation Requirements
- Do you meet the minimum GPA?
- Have you completed a semester at KSU?
- Is it a paid or unpaid experience?
- Are there prerequisite courses or standing (e.g., junior/senior status)?
Grading Format
- Typically Pass/Fail, but may vary by program
Credit Type
- May count as audit, elective, or major credit depending on your program
Maximum Credit Hours
- Usually ranges from 0 to 12 credit hours
Weekly Work Hours
- Minimum required hours vary by course and credit amount
Faculty Coordinator
- Assigned by your academic department to oversee your experience
Graduation Requirement
- Some majors require internship/co-op credit to graduate
Repeatability
- Some courses may be repeated for credit
- Rotating co-ops may be eligible in certain majors
View credit requirements by major
Drop-In Advising for Credit Application Support

Need help before submitting your Experience Request? Drop in during our upcoming advising hours to get support from the Experiential Education team — no appointment needed! These sessions are scheduled ahead of each term’s credit deadline to help you stay on track.

FALL 2025 Drop-In Hours:

December 8th - December 19th

SUMMER 2026 Drop-In Hours:

April 24th - May 8th
Experience Request Form

Submit your Experience Request
Refer a Student for Support

Have a student that needs assistance getting academic credit for their internship or co-op? The Experiential Education team is here to help!
Learn more

Internship & Co-op Support

Every experience matters. Whether you're leading a campus initiative, shadowing a professional, or reflecting after a tough group project—you're building internship readiness. Here's how your college years shape your competencies, one experience at a time.

Career Readiness Core Competencies

NACE defines career readiness in a number competencies, and we base our services and programming around supporting KSU students in their development as aligned with the guidelines and definitions set by NACE.

Career & Self Development

Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization.

Communication

Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization.

Critical Thinking

Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.

Equity & Inclusion

Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different cultures and backgrounds. Engage in anti-oppressive practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism and inequity.

Leadership

Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.

Professionalism

Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.

Teamwork

Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.

Technology

Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.

Building Career Readiness Through Experience

Every experience matters. Whether you're leading a campus initiative, shadowing a professional, or reflecting after a tough group project — you're developing the skills employers value most. Career readiness isn’t built through checkboxes, but through lived moments that shape your competencies over time.

Explore how different experiences contribute to the NACE Career Readiness Competencies:

Experience Type	Competencies Developed
Joining a student organization	Teamwork, Leadership, Communication
Volunteering in your community	Equity & Inclusion, Professionalism
Navigating difficult courses	Critical Thinking, Technology
Talking with a career advisor	Career & Self-Development, Communication
Leading a group project	Teamwork, Leadership, Critical Thinking
Creating a digital portfolio	Technology, Communication, Professionalism

Internship/Co-op Guiding Principles

These guiding principles outline the foundational expectations for earning academic credit and making the most of your experience. Be sure to review your specific course or program requirements for full details.
2025 Internship & Co-op Guiding Principles
Experiential Education Program Types

KSU offers multiple pathways to help you connect classroom learning with hands-on experience. Whether you're considering an internship, a co-op, or another type of opportunity, each option is designed to support your academic goals and career development. Understanding the available structures can help you choose the experience that fits best — and ensures you meet academic requirements along the way.
Learn More

Important Dates

Semester Which Credit will be Applied	Advising Period	Drop-In Advising Dates	Experience Request Deadline
Fall 2025	Summer 2025	July 28th - August 8th	August 8, 2025
Spring 2026	Fall 2025	December 8th - December 19th	January 2, 2026
Summer 2026	Spring 2026	April 24th - May 8th	May 8, 2026

Experiential Education Workshops

At Kennesaw State, we offer targeted workshops to help students prepare for and succeed in experiential learning opportunities. These sessions are designed for students at different stages—whether you're actively searching for an experience or looking to make the most of your current one. Our experiential education workshops are here to help you take the next step toward your professional goals.

Intern-vention Week

Intern-vention Week is your chance to level up before, during, or after your internship or co-op. This week-long event features daily sessions with employers and hands-on workshops designed to help you tackle real-world challenges, reflect on your growth, and turn your experience into a launchpad for your career. Whether you're just starting out or wrapping up your internship, there's something here for you.

Experience Starts Here: Internship/Co-op Orientations

Prepare to make a confident leap into your internship or co-op with this essential, one-time orientation. Offered daily for convenience, each session focuses on building professional skills and expectations—so pick the day that works best for you and get ready to step into the professional world with clarity and confidence.

RSVP for a Workshop

View our upcoming workshops to get expert guidance, ask questions, and feel confident heading into your experience. If you register, you can easily add the session to your calendar so you don’t miss it!

Appointments

Scheduled Appointments

Students can book one-on-one appointments with an Experiential Education Advisor at any time throughout the year. These sessions are great for personalized guidance on eligibility, application steps, and course registration.

Schedule an Appointment

Drop-In Advising

Beginning two weeks before each Experience Request deadline, our team offers 15-minute virtual and in-person drop-in appointments. These quick sessions are perfect for checking your application status, asking last-minute questions, or getting help with submission.

No appointment necessary — just join during scheduled hours and get the support you need.

Join the Drop-In Queue Here

madison cantrell Madison Cantrell

Your Experiential Education Advisors

Meet Madison Cantrell and Day Young, our Experiential Education Advisors in the Department of Career Planning and Development.

They help Owls earn academic credit for internships and provide support throughout the internship or co-op experience. Whether you're just getting started or already working in the field, Madison and Day are here to guide you, answer questions, and help you make the most of your opportunity.

Schedule an Appointment

day young headshot Day Young

See Past Student Internship and Co-op Stories

Internship/Co-op FAQs

Will I have tuition and fees to pay for the internship/co-op course?

All internship and co-op courses are tuition and fee-bearing for-credit academic courses, except for COOP 2000 and ENGR 3398, as these are non-credit/audit courses with no academic requirements or tuition costs. A breakdown of tuition and fees based on the amount of credit hours taken.

Under new federal guidelines, federal student loans being used to pay tuition will only be applied to those utilized and/or required in your course program of study. Courses that are not eligible to be paid with federal student loans will be flagged in DegreeWorks and students will be notified.

Please read the Course Program of Study and Awarding Policy by KSU Financial Aid in full prior to registering for an internship or co-op.

At this time COOP 2000 and ENGR 3398 are flagged as ineligible for federal student aid. However, there are not tuition costs associated with either of these courses as they are not credit-bearing.
Do I have any additional steps to take to apply for internship/co-op credit if I'm an international student?

In the Handshake Experience form, which serves as the application for internship/co-op credit, please respond appropriately to the specific question asking if you are an international student. Then, follow up with International Student and Scholar Services by contacting [email protected] to learn about the CPT/OPT process.
Can I use my current job to get internship/co-op academic credit?

If you already have a job that you feel qualifies as a co–op or internship, review the qualifications for academic credit that are specific to your major on the left side of this page. All positions have to be approved through the Department of Career Planning & Development.

I don’t know who my supervisor is yet, and won’t until after my first day. Who should I put in my application?

You can include your HR representative you’ve been in touch with and email your Career and Internship Advisor to update the information as soon as you have it.
What if I have an interview before the deadline but won’t know about the offer until after the application is due?

Communication is key! Email your Career and Internship Advisor and your faculty member teaching your internship course as soon as possible to make them aware of your situation.
I already have an internship/co-op offer, but I am waiting on another; what should I do?

Congratulations! That’s a great problem to have! You’ll want to weigh the pros and cons of the offer you have and the one you’re waiting on. Does one more closely match your preferred job and location after graduation? Would one have a total compensation package that is significantly higher than the other? In terms of applying for academic credit, move forward by completing an Experience form with your first offer. Then, email your Career and Internship Advisor and internship course faculty member to make them aware of your situation.
I began my role last semester – am I still eligible for credit?

Maybe, but keep in mind that KSU does not award retroactive credit. This means we cannot award academic credit for a past internship or co-op. However, if you’ve started an internship or co-op in the last 6 months and plan to continue working, check with your Career and Internship Advisor to see if you should apply for academic credit.

Upcoming Deadlines:

Scheduled Appointments

Drop-In Advising

Assistive Options