Definitions

Pratt offers students the ability to register for an academic credit-bearing internship.  

 

Internship - We see an internship as a temporary position off-campus and on-site, where the emphasis of the overall experience is on education and training.  It is related to a major or career goal and designed to provide exposure to the workplace or industry. This form of experiential education is a triumvirate partnership between student, Pratt and employer.

Typical Characteristics of an Internship:

• Set and agreed upon time limitations, goals, outcomes and expectations. 
• A typical experience is three months.
•  Students do seek out, secure, create and develop an internship experience individually outside of the educational sphere, Pratt Institute is not involved.

Internship Site Supervisor – The professional supervising interns at the internship site, completes assessments and evaluations.  Must be a professional in the field relevant to the student’s study or professional pursuit. 

Internship Faculty - Departmental internship faculty member. [Full listing]  

 

Paid Internships
These are internships that meet state requirements for minimum wage. In New York State, the minimum wage is $7.25/hour. Generally, if you are in a true paid intern, registering for academic credit is optional unless your departmental curriculum incorporates an internship as a requirement to graduate (Fashion Desing, Critical & Visual Studies & Creative Writing).  At Pratt you can get paid at your internship and receive academic credit.

Unpaid Internships
These internships are common in the art & design fields. It is a student's choice to take an unpaid internship. If you are interning at a for-profit company and are unpaid you will most likely be required to register for academic credit and show proof of enrollment or formal acknowledgement by Pratt. You can register for credit and obtain proof of enrollment through the Center for Career and Professional Development. Please call 718-636-3506 to set up an appointment. Compensation bearing internships are considered unpaid internships.

Compensation Bearing Internships
These internships typically offer stipends for travel or meals, Metro cards for transportation or a daily pay rate. These are not paid internships; they do not offer any of the benefits or rights for interns in the workplace. If an internship is in the for-profit sector, these internships will typically require students to be registered for academic credit (like unpaid internships) under Federal Labor Laws.

International Internships

International internships are experiences outside of the U.S.  These kind of experiences take time to set up and weeks for certain Visa processing.  If you have an opportunity you wish to pursue internationally please make an appointment with Laura Keegan, Internship Program Manager by calling 718-636-3506.  These types of internships need to be set up at least one semester in advance of the term you wish to intern abroad.