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Career Center

Non-Credit Internships

Non-credit internships are opportunities for students to gain career exploration and short-term work experience without enrolling in an internship course. 

*For more information about internship courses please see, Credit Internships.

Benefits of a Non-Credit Internship Opprotunity: 

  • Engaging in network opportunities
  • Gaining team building experience
  • Handling conflict and pressure in the workplace effectively
  • Enhancing your people and customer service skills
  • Creating a competitive edge
  • Learning to communicate with various audiences
  • Having exposure to a diverse group of individuals

Steps for a non-credit internship

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  • Step 1: Determine your internship goals

    Obtaining an internship takes advanced preparation. Consider the following questions prior to searching for internships:

    • What are your specific career interests?
    • What do you want to gain from the internship?
    • What type of organizations are you interested in?

    In addition, consider: 

    • Visiting the Career Center for assistance in career building. 
    • Asking your social and professional networks about internship opportunities.
    • Attending the CSUSM Internship and Career Fairs to learn about internships in your field.
    • Researching companies, careers and future trends in your field of interest

    For more information about preparing for an internship, see the Student Intern Handbook. 

  • Step 2: Search for internship sites and opportunities

    Handshake and the CSUSM Internship Database is a great place to start your search. Log in using your CSUSM username and password.

    • Search for internships either by  name in internship SITES or type of internship in OPPORTUNITIES.
    • Narrow down your search by keywords, location, industry type, type of service, virtual opprotunities, etc. 

    Non-credit internships can be paid or non-paid, based on type of employer. Non-profits are not required to pay interns per the US Department of Labor. Businesses and for-profit organizations must provide interns with compensation and/or participate in a credit internship. 

    In addition, watch the Internship Safety Orientation.

  • Step 3: Apply and secure an internship

    Once you have found a potential internship opprotuntity through Handshake or the CSUSM database, follow the specific instructions detailed in the opportunity or site listing. 

    See the Career Center for assistance in resume review, cover letters, interviews and more. 

    *If you want to work with a particular organization that is not in the database, refer to the steps for requesting a community partner.

    Application deadlines vary on the organization type. Government agencies and larger companies typically recruit students 6 months up to a year prior to the internship start date. Some businesses and non-profit organizations will recruit several weeks prior to the internship start date. For exact deadlines, research organizations you are considering applying to in the future.


For more information, see the student frequently asked questions.

Internship Database

Student Resources