Academics: Beyond the Classroom: Internships

Through internships, students are able to obtain first-hand knowledge and work experience as they try out various career fields. Because internships are seen as complementary to academic work, academic credit is not given for internships per se. However, students can earn credit in a Duke course that prepares them for a summer internship or in an independent study course that is based on their internship experience.

The Duke Career Center operates several internship programs:

The Ventures Internship Program organizes unpaid internships with local public, private, and non-profit businesses and organizations to let students explore their interests in different fields.
For pre-health students, the Health Careers Exploration Program (HCEP) places students in Duke University Medical Center or another local health facility during the fall and spring semesters, where they can work in direct patient clinical care, shadow a health professional, work on a service project, or participate in laboratory research.
At the Pratt School, internships are a key part of helping students experience engineering in the real world. Each year, Pratt students take part in more than 100 internships offered nationwide. First-year students who aren't yet sure what field they plan to pursue can choose a short-term guided mentorship, whereas upper-class students might choose a paid summer internship that focuses on their specific area of interest.

The Career Center also sponsors an Internship Exchange, where students can tap into a larger databank of thousands of internships in other areas of the country, and a Summer Opportunities Fair, which is held on campus each winter.