Let our students put their skills to work for you!

As the top-ranked public affairs school in Colorado and among the best in the nation, the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs is creating the next generation of visionary leaders in the government and nonprofit sectors. Let our students put their skills to work for you by hosting an internship.

About internships

Internships provide students the opportunity to apply the concepts learned in the classroom to workplace settings. Most students who pursue a degree in the School of Public Affairs are required to complete an internship, which generally involves substantive part-time work undertaken during the course of one semester.

Internships also allow the School of Public Affairs to develop closer partnerships with public agencies and nonprofit organizations. In turn, our partner organizations can use internships to attract good students to their organizations and to improve the overall quality of public administration and criminal justice.

To be considered for an internship for academic credit, students must meet minimum credit and pre-requisite requirements while being in good academic standing.

The School of Public Affairs works with employers and the CU Denver Experiential Learning Center to ensure that internship opportunities will meet campus requirements for granting academic credit. Internship opportunities will be posted on Handshake, the university’s job board, and students will be directed to follow the employers’ application instructions. The selection of an intern is at the employer’s discretion.

Internships can be either paid or unpaid. While the arrangements regarding the terms of employment (work schedules, payment, assignments, etc.) are negotiated between the intern and the employer, students must complete a minimum of either 240 work hours (graduate students) or 135 work hours (undergraduate students) to receive academic credit. Interns must be involved in meaningful tasks while on the job and should be encouraged to participate in staff meetings and other professional development activities.

After the internship is completed, the Experiential Learning Center will gather evaluation information from the employer, and the School of Public Affairs faculty will confer the appropriate grade to the student for the internship experience.

Register your interest in hosting an intern by completing the form below, and our Career Services Specialist will be in touch very soon to discuss your needs.