Plan for Your Career!
The internship experience will help you develop a realistic picture of hospitality and tourism industries, apply your knowledge base established in the classroom in the practical fields, and improve your competency in the job market.
Internship Resources
Hospitality management majors are required to complete two internship experiences in the hospitality industry. Students can register for their first internship experience after they have met the following criteria: HOSP 310, 2.0 overall GPA, 60 earned credits for BS or 45 earned credits for AS, and 12 earned HOSP credits.
Below is a list of frequently asked questions regarding the internship process. Refer to the Department Internship Handbook for more details.
Department Internship Handbook
Title IX Brochure and Resources
Title IX Information for Students Completing an Internship
Summer 2020 HHS Internship Application Form
Spring 2020 HHS Internship Application Form
To obtain a winter internship you must meet with your advisor. These internships are only approved on a case by case submission.
Application Deadlines
The following dates refer to Internship Application Deadlines. Students should plan accordingly to meet with the Internship Coordinator, establish an internship site, and submit required paperwork prior to the following deadlines.
| If you are planning to complete your internship during the following semester: | The university deadline for application submissions is: |
| Fall | July 1 |
| Spring | November 1 |
| Summer Pre-Session | March 15 |
| Summer Session I | April 15 |
| Summer Session II | May 15 |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I secure an internship?
- Set up an appointment with the Department of Management Internship Coordinator:
Professor Stephen Shiring, Chairperson
Department of Management, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Ackerman Hall, Room 15, 911 South Drive, Indiana, PA 15705
PH: 724-357-2562
Fax: 724-357-7582
Email: sshiring@iup.edu - Work with IUP's Career and Professional Development Center to learn all the ins and outs of career planning and placement.
- Take advantage of networking industry professionals that visit the Management Department throughout the school year. Many times, these individuals will conduct interviews in Ackerman Hall. These opportunities are communicated through IUP e-mail from our faculty.
- Follow IUP Management Department on Instagram @iuphospitalitymanagement and visit the Management Department website.
- Visit various job employment and internship websites (i.e., Hcareers.com, Indeed.com, etc.)
- Develop connections with prior employers.
- Discuss options with your academic advisor.
2. Where can IUP approved internship sites be found?
Here is the list of .
3. What are the general internship requirements?
Two internships are required for the Department of Hospitality Management.
Internship 1 Overview: HOSP 393 Exploratory Hospitality Field Experience
The first internship experience requires students to obtain employment for a company within the hospitality industry for an entry-level or hourly position. Students should select a segment of the hospitality industry relating to their interested concentration area to obtain experience. Students will earn a minimum of three credits by working for a minimum of 120 hours (40 hours for each scheduled credit within a professional hospitality operation). The portfolio detailing the student's experience will be submitted at the end of the internship.
Prerequisites: HOSP 310, 2.0 overall GPA, 60 earned credits for BS or 45 earned credits for AS, and 12 earned HOSP credits.
Internship 2 Overview: HOSP 494 Internship
The second internship experience requires students to obtain employment for a company within the hospitality industry as either:
- a supervisory or management training (shadowing) position, or
- a position that allows the student to rotate through three or more departments within the organization.
Students will earn a minimum of three credits by working for a minimum of 120 hours (40 hours for each scheduled credit within a professional hospitality operation). The portfolio detailing the student's experience will be submitted when the internship is complete. More details are provided below.
Prerequisites: HOSP 393 Exploratory Hospitality Field Experience, senior status, 2.0 overall GPA
4. How do I register for internship credits? When should I start this process?
A minimum of 12 weeks prior the anticipated start of an approved internship, students must:
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Meet with the department internship coordinator to complete the HHS Internship Application and obtain initial approval.
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The student must submit a copy of their job description that includes job duties and develop a document that identifies nine learning objectives that they plan to meet through the internship experience and three career goals (Goals and Objectives Worksheet). These two items must be submitted to the internship coordinator along with the HHS Internship Application (see requirement #3 below).
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Student completes Part I and II of the HHS Internship Application and signs Part IV. (These forms are located at the department office, Ackerman 10.)
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The internship coordinator will complete and verify Part III of HHS Internship Application and sign in Part IV, only for already approved sites.
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The department chairperson will sign Part IV of the HHS Internship Application, if approved, and sends it to the HHS Dean's Office in 216 Zink Hall.
- Note: If the application is incomplete, it will be returned to the department without action.
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The HHS Dean's Office checks to see if IUP has a current internship agreement with the internship site.
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The HHS Dean's Office will approve or deny the internship agreement.
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If the internship is approved, then the student will receive an e-mail from Sherry DiPaolo, department secretary, directing them to register for their internship course.
- Note: The student must register prior to the end of the drop/add period for the semester they will be completing their internship.
- Important: Hours worked in the internship will not start accumulating for credit until after the internship has been approved by the Dean's Office and the student has registered for the correct semester.
Winter internships are approved on a case-by-case basis only. The university reserves the right to deny requests for winter internships.