Internships & Academic Credit

Generally speaking, internships that will be approved for credit through Fresno State’s Jordan College of Agriculture are a minimum of 150 hours (50 hours per unit) in length during the course of the semester.  To be considered for academic credit, the internship must provide:

• A progressive and meaningful learning experience with a project or daily operations related to the student’s field of study.  (Work must not be more than 20% clerical in nature).
• A mentor and/or supervisor, who will oversee the student work, meet with them weekly to discuss progress and complete an evaluation of the student’s performance upon completion of the internship. A mid-term evaluation may also be required.
• A workspace and other resources needed to complete the internship in a professional manner.

Additionally, an internship site will be required to complete an Experiential Learning Agreement between the internship site and the university.

Please note that each of the academic departments in the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology determines what is required for their specific internship course. The Jordan College’s Coordinator of Internships and Professional Experiences will assist you in accessing department specific course information.  Contact our office at 559.278.4019.

Offering an internship that is utilized for academic credit does not necessarily exempt the employer from paying the intern.  For more information on the Department of Labor’s guidelines for unpaid internships pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act please visit http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf.