The University Internship Program (UIP) provides undergraduates with the opportunity to:

• Fulfill DePaul’s Experiential Learning Requirement
• Earn up to 24 academic credits
• Apply classroom learning in internship settings
• Network with professional contacts
• And much more…

DePaul University’s Internship Program links you, a UIP instructor, and an employer to give you the knowledge and experience you need in a highly competitive marketplace. All majors are eligible and if you already have a job, it may qualify for UIP. The majority of UIP students earn a wage from their internships.

The program consists of five courses that combine work and learning: ISP250, ISP251, ISP252, ISP253, ISP254 and ISP350. You may take one, two, or all of the courses. Each one fulfills the Experiential Learning Requirement as well as general elective credit for all majors.

How to Get Started

1. Complete the UIP Profile
   Complete the online profile to begin receiving email listings of available internships in your major.
2. Attend the UIP Orientation
   The UIP Orientation will give you a comprehensive overview of the program and class requirements of ISP 250/251/252/253/254. This will help prepare you for your internship. You must attend the UIP Orientation before enrolling in ISP 250/251/252/253/254*. Register for the UIP Orientation through DePaul.Experience. *The Orientation is not required for ISP 350 students.
3. Complete the UIP Internship Proposal
   Once you have secured an internship, you must complete the online proposal form for approval. Once your UIP Internship Proposal has been approved, you will be notified via e–mail how to enroll in one of the corresponding UIP course below.

Some students are able to use their existing position, including certain on–campus jobs at DePaul, to participate in UIP. If you work in a position that meets the UIP Internship Position Standards, your job may qualify as a UIP Internship.

Note to International Students

If you are an international student in F–1 or J–1 non–immigrant visa status, do not begin your internship (paid or unpaid) without first obtaining the necessary authorization to engage in off–campus employment from the International Student Office (ISO). If you have any questions regarding employment authorization, contact the International Student Office in Lewis 1465 or (312) 362–8376.

If you have questions, please contact Jackie Bovee at the Loop campus at jbovee@depaul.edu or Alexa Smith at the Lincoln Park campus at asmit107@depaul.edu.

Internship Position Standards

An internship position must be a significant position, which gives you the opportunity to explore career development issues and interests. You should spend the majority of your time working on tasks that will enhance your analytical, technical and interpersonal skills. The position should not entail more than 25% clerical work and should involve substantial interaction with professional staff and/or supervisory personnel who can provide guidance and discuss the organization’s vision, goals and objectives.

UIP Course Information

Take one or all of these internship courses to participate in UIP and fulfill your Experiential Learning Requirement. Take all 6 internship courses and earn 24 credits, while you work and learn.

ISP 250: You, Your Work and the World

If you have less than three years of work experience but wish to combine work and classroom learning, this course is for you. You’ll learn about societal and world issues and gain valuable career planning skills. A minimum of 10 hours of work per week and four class meetings are required.

ISP 251: Values–based Leadership: Making a Difference While Making a Profit

Examine the values and operating methods of visionary leaders and learn how to analyze and apply leadership skills at your work site. Open to all majors. A minimum of 10 hours of work per week and four class meetings are required.

ISP 252: Creativity as a Change Agent in the Workplace

Study the process of creativity as it might work to revolutionize an industry or force it into failure. In this class, you will examine creative innovations related to invention, leadership, advertising and marketing, teaming concepts and collaboration, and the drive behind entrepreneurship. A minimum of 10 hours of work per week and four class meetings are required.

ISP 253: Public Service Careers

Public service jobs involve working with organizations that aim to produce a public good, rather than produce a profit. Those organizations may be nonprofits (providing low–income housing, or supporting the arts, e.g.); community organizing groups (such as ACORN); foundations, which typically provide funding to nonprofit organizations; unions; and the local, state, and federal governments. This course will provide an opportunity to students to familiarize themselves with career opportunities in the public service sector.

Prerequisite: Student must have a Public Service internship to be eligible for ISP 253.

ISP 254: Corporate Social Responsibility

ISP 254 analyzes the mutually dependent relationship between businesses and society, focusing on how organizations can contribute their resources, expertise, and innovations to the benefit of our local, national, and global communities. By examining their own internship experiences, along with real world case studies, research, and commentary, students will examine the critical decision–making processes organizations address as they balance competitive advantages against the weight of social progress. Students are expected to wrestle with the variable issues confronting corporate social responsibility in relation to their own fields of interest. Throughout the course, students will analyze how their current workplaces determine a competitive edge while staying attentive to the social, public, and environmental consequences of their actions.

ISP 350: Navigating the Changing Workplace

You will need one of the following qualifications for this course: more than three years of work experience, an already–completed departmental internship, or completion of ISP250, 251, 252 or 253. Your internship will be a laboratory for examining key workplace issues, such as diversity, ethics and change management. A minimum of 10 hours per week is required. ISP350 is a completely online course.

Additional Courses

ISP 240: The Liberal Arts and Career Pathways

This 2–credit course emphasizes the practical value of a Liberal Arts education. You will examine a variety of career pathways and meet DePaul alumni who are model examples of a Liberal Arts education in action. This course does not require an internship and does not fulfill the Experiential Learning Requirement.