Securing Academic Credit

Academic Credit/Hold Harmless Agreements

Many employers may encourage, or in some cases even require, that you secure academic credit for your internship experience. This can sometimes be a complicated process and we recommend you give yourself adequate time to plan on completing the necessary steps and exploring the options available to you. The University of Michigan does not require internships for completion of a degree, and therefore does not award academic credit specifically for an internship but rather for academic work that compliments the internship. Academic credit is awarded at Michigan through academic departments, not The Career Center. Students can attempt to obtain academic credit through one of several possible options:

1. Typically students have the most success receiving credit through their home department. In most cases, students need to have officially declared their major, and often pre-requisites courses are required before enrolling in an internship credit course.
   
   List of academic departments that offer an internship-related course.
   
   Students are encouraged to refer questions regarding enrolling in an internship for credit course to their academic departments.

2. Students may also find success in securing academic credit through an independent study. Typically these are cases where a student is very familiar with the faculty member and the work in their internship is closely related to their academic coursework. LSA’s Newnan Academic Advising Center offers a step-by-step guide to arranging an independent study.

3. For students who have not yet declared a major or wish to participate in an internship not directly related to their major, securing academic credit can be very difficult and options are more limited. As an alternative, some students have opted to enroll in a course at a different institution close to their home or internship site. Students should be thorough in evaluating both whether the credits will transfer to Michigan and if this course will be approved by their internship supervisor.
   
   Transfer Credit Guidelines
   

Hold Harmless

While not totally common, some employers may insist that an offer for an internship is contingent upon the completion of a Hold Harmless Agreement between you and the University. It is the University’s policy not to sign these agreements. If an employer does ask you to sign a Hold Harmless Agreement and you would like to evaluate your next steps for a discussion with the employer, please contact Geni Harclerode, Coordinator Internships and Experiential Learning, and The Career Center 734-764-7460.