Earn Credit for Your Internship (CDCI)

Fleishman Internship Program

Internships are a great way to gain valuable work experience, to develop transferable skills and allow you to try out different industries to see what fits best with your skills and interests. The Fleishman Internship Program is the largest credit-bearing internship program at Binghamton University and provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn academic credit for their internship experiences.

For additional information, please refer to our fact sheet.

If you have any questions about earning credit for your internship, please contact cdci@binghamton.edu.

The Fleishman Center is accepting registration for CDCI 395 for the Summer of 2023. Please fill out the following Google form.

(All submissions to register for CDCI 395 need to include your direct supervisor’s contact information. All internship sites/positions will be reviewed and approved by our team before students will be registered. CDCI 395 can only be added onto your course schedule by a Fleishman staff member after they have approved your internship.)

If you are interested in taking CDCI 395 during the Fall 2023 semester please fill out this Google Form.

Frequently Asked Questions

• • Am I eligible to earn CDCI credit?

    The Fleishman Internship Program is open to undergraduate students.

    Students can apply in their freshman year but need to have sophomore status by the time they begin their internship.

  • How do I find an internship?

    1. Meet with a Career Consultant 

    • Schedule a meeting with a career consultant in hireBING to discuss your interests and to learn about different internship searching methods.

    2. Search for an Internship:

    • Use our Job/Internship Search webpage to help you organize your search.
    • Login to hireBING and apply to the internships that interest you with your resume and cover letter (and any other required documents)
    • You can search for internships elsewhere by contacting friends, family, businesses directly, and searching on sites like Career Shift, Idealist.org, and LinkedIn jobs. Be sure to search early and often so you find the best internship for you!
    • You can also create your own internship. Learn how on our website.

    3. Apply to Internships

    • Be sure to read internship descriptions carefully and do your research before you apply.
    • Have your resumes and cover letters reviewed by a Fleishman Center staff member or other career offices on campus.
    • Apply to multiple internships and be conscious of deadlines.
    • Questions about specific internships or application requirements should be directed to the internship site.

    4. Interview

    • If interested, the internship sites will contact you directly to schedule an interview. You may interview with multiple sites.
    • To prepare for your internship interview we recommend that you utilize the Fleishman Center services that assist with interviewing skills. Big Interview is a great resource that allows you to respond to interview questions through video. You can also watch our video presentation ACE You Interview for more interviewing tips.

  • How do I know if my internship is eligible for credit?

    While the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development reserves the right to deny credit for an internship for any reason, the criteria below form a helpful starting place for you to determine if the experience you’re considering may qualify for academic credit.

    • All internships must meet the requirements put forth by the Department of Labor to be considered for academic credit.
    • The internship site is expected to identify and develop meaningful projects in advance for interns to work on throughout the semester. The interns should spend 75% of their time working on meaningful projects and can spend 25% of their time on administrative tasks to support the office as needed.
    • Students must complete their internship and the CDCI seminar class simultaneously.
    • Internships must meet the required number of hours and length based on credits and semester.
    • Interns should have a dedicated space to work to increase their efficiency and maintain their sense of value. (Note: this is not required for remote internships.)
    • If the internship site requires that students receive academic credit in order to participate in an internship, the employer MUST make that clear to the students in advance.
    • Internships must take place in a safe, public place of business (no personal residences). Remote internships are approved on a case by case basis.
    • Interns must not replace employees and must be supervised by a professional staff member at the organization (supervisors cannot be not be a student or peer).
    • Interns must be supervised by a professional who can educate the students on new techniques and professional skills needed to complete projects.
    • The supervisor must be able and willing to provide regular and meaningful feedback on projects, tasks, and skills.
    • Internships typically last one semester in length, but they can be mutually extended by the employer and the student. If a student wishes to earn credit at the same internship site twice, they must demonstrate that they have new responsibilities or advanced projects.
    • Students may not intern for family members or their landlord, directly or indirectly.
    • Any internships that are anticipated to or that have a strong likelihood of being disrupted will not be approved, ie. political campaigns. Students will need to work the full minimum hours required in order to get full credit for their internship.

  • How do I get my internship approved for CDCI credit?

    Internships are reviewed by the Fleishman Internship Team, and Fleishman Internship Academic Council to ensure that the internship meets our requirements and is appropriate for academic credit (more information below).

    Internship supervisors will also be required to complete a “Supervisor Agreement” form before an internship can be approved for academic credit.

    If we have questions or the internship is not viable for credit, we will contact you.

    Once we have approved it, you will be registered for one of the CDCI Seminars.

  • How do I earn credits and register for a CDCI seminar class?

    Students completing an internship for credit must be enrolled in a CDCI Seminar Class (CDCI 395) to receive academic credit.

    Once you have secured an internship, you must email cdci@binghamton.edu to ask for the  “request for credit form”.  Once that email has been received the next necessary steps will be provided.

    Seminar classes and all coursework associated with the seminar is required in addition to the required number of internship hours.

  • What does the CDCI seminar class include?

    Classes consist of reflection on experiences, career planning, networking, application material review, presentations and other assignments. CDCI Seminars are taught by Binghamton faculty and staff, and classes may differ in content. Contact your instructor for the syllabus.

    Letter grades are given for all classes, based 50% on your internship supervisor’s evaluation of your performance and 50% on how you perform in the class.

    Instructors have the final say on grading.

  • Fall/Spring Internships: 2, 4, or 8 credits

    • Enroll in CDCI class (Please contact CDCI@binghamton.edu to begin the registration process).
    • Complete the minimum number of required hours based on the number of credits within the academic semester.
    • Internship hours must be completed throughout the entire duration of an academic semester.
    • Students must complete their internship and the CDCI seminar class simultaneously.
    • 2 Credits: minimum of 60 hrs.
    • 4 Credits: minimum of 120 hrs.
    • 8 credits: minimum of 240 hrs.

  • Summer Internships: 2, 4, or 8 credits

    • Enroll in an online Seminar Class to receive credit (Please contact CDCI@binghamton.edu to begin the registration process).
    • 2 Credits: minimum of  70 hours
    • 4 Credits: minimum of  140 hours
    • 8 Credits:  280+ hours
    • Summer students must pay for tuition, HOWEVER, you may be able to transfer some of your Financial Aid award to cover the cost. Learn more at the Financial Aid website.
    • Students with unpaid summer internships can apply for up to $5,000 to cover expenses through various Internship Funds. Learn more and apply.

  • How many credits can I earn?

    A maximum of 8 general upper-level CDCI credits can count toward graduation. Select academic departments work with the Fleishman Internship Program to count credits toward majors. Please contact your academic department regarding major-specific credit.

  • Petition to overload

    If you have reached your max credit hours for the semester in which you want to receive CDCI credit for your internship, please contact your academic department to petition to overload.

    Students are responsible for notifying CDCI to be registered.

  • Information for International Students

    If you are an international student in F-1 or J-1 status, be sure to check with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services to see if employment authorization is required for your internship. International students who begin internships without first receiving this written authorization from the ISSS will be in violation of federal immigration regulations. Protect your valid visa status.

Questions

If you have questions about earning academic credit for internships, please email cdci@binghamton.edu.

Please note: Students who wish to participate in an internship and who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that they will be asked about their prior criminal history. This may impede your ability to participate in certain internships. Students who have concerns about such matters, or are looking for additional information, are advised to contact the dean’s office of their intended academic program.