Internships

Already have an internship?

As a Maine Business School student, internships are an incredible way for you to learn about yourself, your career path, and the professional world. At MBS, our Student Success Team is eager to assist you in finding, securing, and getting the most out of your internship! We encourage you to dive deep into your major or explore a new career path through real-world, hands-on experiences that allow you to put your classroom knowledge to the test.

Trina Schuler

For students and employers: all questions, comments, and inquiries regarding MBS internships should be directed to:
Trina Schuler | MBS Internship Coordinator
catrina.schuler@maine.edu | 207-581-1989

What is an internship?

For Maine Business School students, an internship is any work for any duration* that includes an experiential learning component or is considered an academic experience and fosters career readiness skills. MBS internships typically are in business-related industries, such as banking, marketing, sales, and more. However, every industry needs business! The versatility of your degree means that you are welcome to — and encouraged — to explore a wide variety of industries to apply your business skillset. MBS students have completed business internships in agriculture, retail, food service, and more!

While not a requirement for graduation for either undergraduate or graduate students in the Maine Business School at this time, internships are strongly encouraged and can be an excellent opportunity to fill free elective credit requirements.

*For students interested in earning 1+ credit hours, 60 hours of work must be completed per credit hour.

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Get credit for your internship

Receiving academic credit for your internship is an excellent way to document your experience officially.

Undergraduate MBS students can earn 0-6 credit hours by enrolling in BUA 396, and graduate students can earn 1-3 credit hours by enrolling in MBA 695. To receive credit, students must be enrolled in BUA 396 or MBA 695 while completing their internship. Academic credit cannot be offered for previous internship experiences. Contact the MBS internship coordinator for enrollment; self-enrollment is not available.

Why zero credit?

It’s FREE!
Your internship will appear on your official transcript.
Receive extra support from MBS throughout your internships and beyond.
Not all jobs are internships…but some are! Many students find a job that is not explicitly listed as an internship yet can still count as one. By doing your internship for academic credit, you can create learning outcomes and foster closer professional relationships with your employer.

BUA 396 is the BSBA internship course. This course is offered to students with either a major or minor in the business school. Undergraduate students interested in receiving academic credit for their internship and/or having their internship on their official transcript must be enrolled in BUA 396 while completing their internship.

Students can enroll in BUA 396 for 0-6 credit hours of free electives, depending on how many hours the student will be working over the course of their internship (1 credit hour = 60 hours worked). Students enrolled for 1-6 credit hours must pay tuition for the credit hours; financial aid and grant funding opportunities can be used to cover this cost and other costs related to the internship. Students enrolled at 0 credit hours do not have to pay tuition for credit hours but still have the internship on their official transcript.

Once enrolled in BUA 396, students will complete a learning agreement with their supervisor, typically within the first two weeks of class. Over the course of the semester, the student will have a series of reflection assignments due, which are intended to help the student document their experience; evaluate their progress, both professionally and personally; and identify challenges, obstacles, or areas for improvement. The student will also complete a quantitative self-evaluation at the beginning and end of the semester. Their supervisor will complete an employer evaluation before the last day of class. This class is pass/fail.

For more information and to enroll, contact the MBS internship coordinator. Interested students will be asked to submit this registration form before enrollment, which requires an offer letter, job description, and contact information for a supervisor. Students are unable to self-enroll at this time.

MBA 695 is the internship course for graduate students pursuing their MBA. Graduate students interested in receiving academic credit for their internship must be enrolled in MBA 695 while completing their internship. Students can enroll in MBA 695 for 1-3 credit hours of free electives, depending on how many hours they will be working over the course of their internship (1 credit hour = 60 hours worked). Students must pay tuition for the credit hours; financial aid and grant funding opportunities can be used to cover this and other costs related to the internship.

After the internship has been approved by the internship coordinator and the student has been enrolled in MBA 695, the student will complete a learning agreement with their supervisor, typically within the first two weeks of class. They will also complete a midterm and final reflection report and a self-evaluation. The student’s supervisor will complete an employer evaluation before the last day of class. This class is pass/fail.

For more information and to enroll, contact the MBS internship coordinator. Interested students will be asked to submit this registration form, an internship proposal, a copy of the official job description, and a CPT form for international students. Students are unable to self-enroll.

We encourage all students to visit the Student Success Center in DPC 215 or connect with the internship coordinator or their academic advisor to learn more about the opportunities available and how to find internship and employment opportunities. Your success is our primary objective: we are here to help!

Visit the career pages of companies you are interested in
Look at job boards, like UMaine’s CareerLink, LinkedIn, Indeed
Ask your personal network if they know of any opportunities
Reach out to previous jobs and employers
Attend the UMaine Career Fair and as many MBS career events as possible!
Contact the MBS internship coordinator

Prepare your resume, cover letter, and references; check the internship listing to identify any additional materials the employer may want, such as transcripts or portfolios
Make an appointment with the MBS internship coordinator or the Career Center to review your application materials
Identify how the employer wishes to receive your application (usually specified in the listing). Some employers have a portal on their website; others may wish for you to email them directly
Apply to as many internships as you can to increase the likelihood of landing one!
Remember: most employers start seeking interns early, usually several months, so if you are looking for an internship for the spring, starting applying in August-October; summer internship seekers should submit their applications in December-March

Dress for success! The Black Bear Exchange is an on-campus clothing exchange to help source professional attire for students completely free of charge
Prepare for your interview by drafting responses to common interview questions
Contact the MBS internship coordinator or Career Center to do a mock interview

For employers

Whether you offer a robust internship program or have never hired a student, we are here to help. All employers interested in hiring Maine Business School students are encouraged to fill out our contact form. Contact the MBS internship coordinator for additional questions and inquiries.

Frequently asked questions

Career readiness refers to soft, transferrable skills that can easily be applied to various work environments, career paths, and industries. These skills include effective written and oral communication; leadership; diversity, equity, and inclusivity competency; and more. Read more about the National Associations of Colleges and Employers (NACE) career readiness competencies here.

Experiential learning refers to the practical application of knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to the workplace. All MBS internships must be considered experiential learning in order to be eligible for academic credit.

It depends. The MBS internship coordinator is willing to partner with students to make any work experience a potential internship and learning opportunity! Start by working with your supervisor to confirm they are comfortable and willing to make your position an experiential learning opportunity. Then, reach out to the MBS internship coordinator for next steps. All MBS students interested in earning 0-6 credit hours for their internship will partner with their supervisor to develop goals and objectives for their internship by filling out a learning agreement. This document will be provided to you by the MBS internship coordinator once we’ve confirmed your position is eligible for credit.

Download our Supervisor Guide to share with your employer. This document outlines the role and expectations of supervisors for their student interns.