Zero-Credit Internships & Career Experiences Course

Graduate EXP080 Course: Any degree-seeking UT Austin graduate student currently enrolled in a regular program is eligible to enroll in in EXP080 – Zero-Credit Internship Course. This course is not open to students enrolled in irregular programs, such as Option III, evening MBA programs, and city-based programs (Dallas, DC, etc.).

Internships can be virtual, in-person or a hybrid and can be paid or unpaid. Internship eligibility is reviewed on a case-by-case basis; however, following are general requirements. The internship must:

• provide direct and daily supervision and guidance and regular access to the supervisor;
• assign meaningful projects with learning components;
• provide the resources needed to complete the internship responsibilities;
• host the intern in a business or commercial setting (no in-home, residential sites permitted); and
• be hosted by an employer that is an established for-profit company with the legal right to transact business in the state of the internship site, an IRS-exempt organization, a governmental entity or an established, professionally-recognized and legal entity of a foreign country.

Practica, clinicals, research and capstones that are part of an academic course requirement are not eligible. In addition, positions that require students to pay placement, participation or program fees are not eligible.

Hours and Weeks Requirement

Students must participate in the internship for a minimum of 120 total hours over a minimum of 5 weeks between the first and last class day of the semester or summer of enrollment.

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted as late as six weeks prior to the last class day of the semester or summer of enrollment. This application date allows students to complete the minimum 5-week internship prior to the last class day.

How to Apply

Before applying, contact your academic advisor to determine if course enrollment is appropriate for your degree program. You may have credit-bearing internship course options available through your school or college that are more appropriate for your degree plan.

To apply:

1.  Log on to your HireUTexas Handshake account
2.  From the top navigation bar, click Career Center
3.  Select Experiences, then select Submit an Experience
4.  Under Experience Type, select EXP000/080: Internships and Career Experiences Course (0-Credit)
5.  Fill out the form, then save your form by clicking Submit Experience at the end
6.  Next, click “New Attachment” in the left navigation bar, upload your offer letter and click Create Attachment
7.  Once your letter is attached, your application has been submitted and the review process will begin

Applications that have been thoroughly completed are normally processed within 2-3 business days. The process may take longer if information is missing or not sufficient.

Offer Letter: Students must submit an offer letter reflecting the following position details:

• Number of intern hours and weeks
• Supervisor’s name and email address
• Pay rate (can be paid or unpaid)
• Location of work (can be in-person, virtual/remote or hybrid)
• Position title, along with any additional position information

International Students

International students who plan to use EXP 000/080 to obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) must obtain all necessary CPT approvals from ISSS before beginning employment.

Assignments

This course has three required assignments: a self-evaluation at the start of your experience, a self-evaluation at the end of your experience, and an internship site review at the end of your experience. However, you also have access to optional, self-guided assignments through the Canvas course to help you maximize this experience and enhance your resume and professional network.

Grading

If the course is properly completed – including the three required assignments – the grade field on your transcript will remain blank.

If the course is not completed properly, the grade will be recorded as:

• Q for a dropped course; or
• W if this is the only course you are enrolled in and you withdraw from the university.

In addition to the recorded grade, failure to complete one or more of the required assignments will result in a registration bar being placed on your account.

Maintains Enrollment

For students who will be participating in a full-time internship or career experience and considering withdrawal from the university during the fall or spring semester, taking this course offers you the option to maintain enrollment. Maintaining enrollment will help you avoid having to re-apply to UT and will help maintain your current registration access period.

Access to Internship Funding

For students who do not plan to enroll in any other courses during the summer, enrollment in this course could provide a process by which students can access internship funding (e.g., stipend, scholarship, grant) while avoiding the repackaging of financial aid in the following academic year. Contact Texas One Stop for details about internship funding and your financial aid package.

If you are not expecting funds but are interested in learning about funding, visit our internship fund page.