Here you will find a list of frequently asked questions about TISM For Credit Internships.  You may also want to check the For Credit Internship Guidelines Page for more information.

You will find answers to the following questions on this page:

• When will I hear back on my For-Credit Internship Application?
• I don’t meet one of the TISM For Credit Internship eligibility requirements. Can I still get credit for my internship?
• How many credits can I get for my internship?
• Do I need a professor to sponsor me?
• Do I have to pay for TC 493 credits?
• Am I required to take TC 493? Am I required to register for internship credit hours?
• Do I have to take my internship for credit?
• The employer has asked me to supply them with something from MSU saying that I will be getting credit.  How do I get that?
• I missed the application deadline, can I still apply for TISM Internship Credit?

If you have more questions, contact tismjobs@msu.edu.  If you have questions specifically about how TC 493: Telecommunication Internship fits into your academic program, please contact your advisor.

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When will I hear back on my For-Credit Internship Application?

Your application must go through a few different steps/people.  The following things happen after you turn in your application:

• the eligibility criteria is checked against the MSU Registrar’s records
• your application is reviewed for completeness and accuracy
• the internship is evaluated in terms of relevancy to your academic program and for quality experience
• your internship supervisor is contacted if there are any questions about the internship, including relevancy, tasks, time committment, etc.

Applications are viewed in batches. There is usually an early bird deadline and a final deadline each semester where all applications turned in by that date are reviewed and processed by the end of that week.  The application for the semester you are applying for lists the specific dates and deadlines for that semester.  If you do not make the final deadline, your application may still be reviewed (depending how far into the semester it is), but you may be charged late fees by the Registrar’s Office for late enrollment when you enroll in the class.  There is nothing the TISM department can do to waive these University late fees for you.

I don’t meet one of the TISM For Credit Internship eligibility requirements. Can I still get credit for my internship?

Submit a TISM For Credit Internship Application form by the deadline and make sure to include a Waiver form with your application that describes what eligibility requirement you need waived and why you think it should be waived.  Submitting a TISM For Credit Internship Application and Waiver, does not automatically mean the waiver will be granted.  However, all requests are considered and if you need only one of the eligibility requirements waived, there is a decent chance it will be approved.  If you need multiple eligibility requirements waived, there will be less of a chance that it will be approved.  Of course, you are encouraged to take internships even if you don’t quality for MSU TISM Credit.

How many credits can I get for my internship?

You take TC 493: Telecommunication Internship to earn internship credit.

You can receive up to 1 credit for every 5-6 hours of work per week across a 15-week semester.  If you will not be working the whole semester, then your credits will be calculated based on the total number of hours you will work at the internship during the semester. See the chart.

The total number of TC 493 credits allowed during your degree program is 7.  It is suggested that you don't use all 7 in one semester because you may want to use them for additional internships in future semesters. You may have no more than 12 credits from TC 493 (Internship credits) and TC 490 (Independent Study credits) combined.

# of credits	minimum # total work hours	minimum # hours per week across 15-week semester
1	75	5
2	150	10
3	225	15
4	300	20
5	375	25
6	450	30
7	525	35

Do I need a professor to sponsor me?

The TISM internship coordinator is the MSU contact for your internship, you do not need another faculty member to sponsor your internship.

Do I have to pay for TC 493 credits?

Yes, like any other course, you do have to pay for TC 493 credits when you enroll in them.

Am I required to take TC 493? Am I required to register for internship credit hours?

TC 493: Telecommunication Internship is not required for graduation.  It counts as a 400-level TC class.  You should talk to your advisor if you have questions about academic degree requirements and how TC 493 fits into your schedule and overall plan.

Do I have to take my internship for credit?

We (MSU/TISM) does not require you to take internship credit.  Obviously, there can be advantages because it can count as a 400-level TC class towards your degree requirements, but like any other course, you do have to pay for the credits.  However, some companies/employers require that you are earning internship credit, especially when it is non-paid.  So, you should check with your employer to see if they require you to earn internship credit.

Even if you don't take your internship for credit, we would love to hear where you interned and if you liked the internship.  If you feel that you have an internship success story that you would like to share with other students, contact us.  Any feedback that you have will be helpful to other students looking at internships, you can contact us at tismjobs@msu.edu.

The employer has asked me to supply them with something from MSU saying that I will be getting credit.  How do I get that?

It depends on what your employer needs, but we're happy to help provide you with what they need.  This is a fairly common practice and we supply confirmation letters to employers often.

Some employers require a letter verifying that you will be earning internship credits.  If you have been offered an internship with them and have completed the TISM For Credit Internship Application and enrolled in TC 493, then we can provide a letter for you.

If you haven't been offered the internship position yet, we have an alternate letter that we provide. We cannot provide you a letter verifying you are enrolled in internship credits until you have completed a TISM For Credit Internship Application, been approved, granted an override, and enrolled in the course.  However, we can do a pre-approval of your eligibility requirements and supply a letter stating you meet the requirements and that once they offer you the position and verify that with us by supplying a supervisor letter, you can enroll in the credits.  This is typically what they are looking for.

I missed the application deadline, can I still apply for TISM Internship Credit?

Turning your completed application in by the deadline guarantees it will be processed in time for you to register before the Registrar's Office starts late fees.  If you miss the application deadline, it may still be possible to get internship credit, but it depends on how far into the semester it is.  Contact tismjobs@msu.edu to explain your situation.