Internships

Internships for Academic Credit:

• Contact your academic department Internship Coordinator to learn about how to connect with companies, agencies, and organizations via their official departmental program.

Internship Search Resources - Relevant for Credit and Non-Credit Programs:

• Make an appointment with the Career Development Center (CDC) to develop your internship search strategy and perfect your resume with a career professional.
• Log in to Handshake, WCU's official career management system for jobs, internships, and career fairs, managed by the career center.
• Network with professors, family, alumni, friends, former bosses and other contacts for tips and contacts.
• Internship Search Sites (alphabetical order):
• Back Door Jobs: a site listing "short–term job adventures" for those looking for unique opportunities.
• Campus Philly: Greater Philadelphia’s #1 site for internship and job opportunities. WCU is a Campus Philly partner so all programs and resources are available for free!
• Go Government: a source for federal government jobs and internships.
• Internships Abroad : a handout developed by the career center listing international internship programs and resources.
• InternJobs.com: a national database of internships for students and recent graduates. Internship seekers can search the InternJobs.com database by keywords or location.
• InternQube: a resource hub to help students develop the professional skills employers are looking for in new hires.
• Internships.com: a national database of internships for students and recent graduates.
• InternZoo.com: a dedicated online internship database whose mission is to enable employers and internship seekers to find each other easily and efficiently.
• Learn How to Become - A guide to internships, including valuable "how-to" advice as well as links to search site.
• YouTern: promotes internship opportunities and includes blogs and advice for the savvy internship seeker.

West Chester University does not provide nor purchase liability insurance coverage for students serving in an intern program or fieldwork experience. Because many host organizations require that interns have liability or malpractice insurance, students need to personally purchase intern liability insurance when required to do so by the cooperating institution/agency/company.

In addition, the University should NOT be listed as a named insured on the student's personal policy. This is between the student and the host site only. University personnel must be careful not to designate or appear to endorse a particular insurance policy or carrier.

While the University does not (and cannot) purchase malpractice insurance for students, WCU can require internship students to purchase insurance to participate in a certain program or field experience. Each Dean has the ability to review and determine whether the time is right to require students to have malpractice insurance in place for programs or fieldwork within their academic purview.

The Dean, Chairs, and/or faculty should make students aware of the potential liability they may incur while completing an internship or field experience, reiterating that the University does not insure student interns, and the exposure each student may incur if they do not have obtain such liability coverage.