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CSCI 6930 Professional Internship (1, 2, or 3 Credit Hours)

This class allows students in the Department of Computer Science to receive academic credit for internships that relate to their graduate-level coursework.

Overview

CSCI 6930 Professional Internship is a restricted elective class, and is only available to current, degree-seeking graduate students in the Department of Computer Science. Eligible students will need to apply for the course and be approved by the department graduate committee in order for their academic advisor to enroll them in the course. Students have the ability to choose how many credit hours (between 1-3) they will enroll in during a given semester. However, they need a total of 3.0 credit hours completed to count it towards their degree requirements. Credits cannot be retroactively applied towards the degree.

Participation in the internship course requires submission of the��Universal Professional Internship Application, with an offer letter, not a verbal offer, and includes an agreement between the student and the department, to ensure that the student is meeting the academic expectations of the internship course. The faculty teaching CSCI 6930 in any given semester will serve as support for academic related issues that arise and will facilitate a midterm and final assessment of the student’s performance.

CSCI 6930 Professional Internship can be taken in any semester that a student is enrolled in a computer science graduate program. In the summer, the course is offered in Term D with Term B deadlines. Please visit the��academic calendar for more information on when courses begin.

Students must adhere to the program deadlines to apply for the course. The final deadline to apply for the internship course, in any given semester is the first Wednesday after classes begin. Exceptions will be considered by the graduate committee if the student has an offer letter, not a verbal offer, on the first Wednesday after classes begin.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate expertise and integrate foundational concepts in software, project, management, and/or team skills during the design, development, test, and/or delivery activities in a computing-related industry setting.
• Network and build relationships with companies and their staff members to facilitate the student’s preparation for a career after graduation.

​Eligibility for the Internship Course

• Students must apply, with an offer letter, by the posted deadline and be approved by the department graduate committee.
• Students must be a current, degree-seeking graduate student in the Computer Science department.
• Students must have at least a 3.30��overall GPA at the time of their application.
• Students��who are enrolled in CSCI 6930 must maintain the following throughout the duration of the course:
  • A minimum of a 3.30 GPA.
  • Good academic standing.
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress towards their graduate degree requirements.
• The position must be an internship.
  • Internships have to be a position of a student or a trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for qualifications.
  • Students may not use a permanent full-time or part-time job to count towards the CSCI 6930 course.
  • Temporary or contract work may be permitted if the offer letter and supporting documentation clearly states that the role is an internship.

Requesting the CSCI 6930 Internship Course

• Graduate students in the Department of Computer Science may count CSCI 6930 Professional Internship as an Elective course for their degree, if and only if, they complete exactly three (3) credit hours of CSCI 6930.
• Application -��Once the student has received their official internship offer letter, the student must submit the��Universal Professional Internship Application.
  • Be as descriptive as possible so the department to review can verify that the internship aligns with the academic goals of the professional internship course.
  • You are��required to upload your offer letter to this application
• Credit Hours - The form will ask for a number of credit hours to enroll in during the indicated semester.
  • Students may request 1, 2, or 3 credit hours in a given semester.
  • Students can count exactly three (3) credit hours of CSCI 6930 towards their degree. See the Variable Credit Hours section below to learn more.
• Request Deadline -��The form must be completed by the student by the first Wednesday after classes begin.
  • In the summer, the course is offered in Term D with Term B deadlines. Please visit the��academic calendar for more information on when courses begin.
  • Exceptions will be considered by the graduate committee if you have an offer letter, not a verbal offer, on the first Wednesday after classes begin.
• Submitting the form does not guarantee approval for the internship course.

Requirements for the Offer Letter

• Internship offer letters should have the following information:
  • Start Date
  • End date (or duration of the internship)
  • Hours per week (e.g., “full-time”, “40 hours”)
  • Location / Modality (e.g., Remote, In-Person with address)
  • Role/Job Title
  • Areas of responsibility / major tasks
• If any of this information is not included, the department will ask for you to provide additional documentation.
  • This could be an email from the company, the original job description, or a modified offer letter. This can delay the processing of your request.
• International students requesting CPT should also refer to the CPT offer letter requirements listed on the��ISSS website.

Variable Credit Hours

• Students may request to enroll in 1, 2, or 3 credit hours of CSCI 6930.
• Each credit hour represents a minimum of 40 contact hours of documented internship activities.
  • 1 credit hour equates to a minimum of 40 hours worked over the duration of the entire semester.
  • 2 credit hours equates to a minimum of 80 hours worked over the duration of the entire semester.
  • 3 credit hours equates to a minimum of 120 hours worked over the duration of the entire semester.
    • A student wishing to enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer semester must be working full-time (40 hours per week) and this must be documented on the offer letter.
• Students may be engaged for more than the minimum contact hours required as long as permissible by the internship supervisor and, if applicable, the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS).
• Students who do not meet the minimum contact hours are not eligible for the internship course.
• Graduate students in the Department of Computer Science may count CSCI 6930 Professional Internship as an Elective course for their degree, if and only if, they complete exactly three (3) credit hours of CSCI 6930.
  • Students who complete fewer than 3 credit hours of CSCI 6930 may not count any CSCI 6930 credit hours towards their degree.
  • Students who complete more than 3 credits may not count any extra CSCI 6930 credit hours towards their degree.��

CSCI 6930 Internship Application Form Walk-Through

• Citizenship category: This is asking if you are a Domestic or International student.
• Degree program: Put ‘CSEN’, which stands for Computer Science.
  • If you put something different, the form will not route correctly.
• Year: put '2nd', if you finished a full academic year by the time the semester of your internship begins.
  • If you've been in the program longer, then you would put something different.
• Section you wish to enroll in: This refers to the modality of CSCI 6930, which is online by default, even if your internship is in-person.
  • If you need an in-person section of CSCI 6930 for a special circumstance, you must request this in advance and notify your advisor as soon as possible. These requests are rare and are only approved on a case-by-case basis.
• Summary of work for evaluation: This is the form of the final evaluation for the CSCI 6930 course and typically aligns with the final evaluation tool of the internship (e.g., report, presentation).
  • If you don’t know, then put something that you would like to produce/prepare, such as a final paper, report, publication, or presentation.
• Describe the academic goals of the internship
  • Be as detailed as possible. Include the academic goals of the internship you are participating in. Refer to classes you have taken or will have completed that will help you successfully participate in the internship.
• Describe the nature of the work proposed internship
  • Describe what tools you will use in your internship.
    • Include a detailed list of the technical software you will use and any processes, tools, or software you learned in previous courses that will help you succeed in the internship. Be as “techy” as possible.
    • Remember that you are requesting for your internship to count for graduate-level credit in an advanced computer science degree program.
  • Describe the project in detail, including major tasks, areas of responsibility, teams you might meet with, your expected role in a software development cycle, etc.
    • Refer to documentation from your internship company such as the original job posting, your offer letter, and/or the job description.
  • Ultimately, you are responsible for providing sufficient justification for why your internship should qualify for CSCI 6930 course credit.
• Employer information
  • If you do not yet know who your internship supervisor will be, you can put the hiring manager’s contact information.
• Academic advisor information
  • Put your academic advisor’s name & CU email address
• Faculty instructor (if applicable)
  • Leave this blank.

Counting CSCI 6930 as an Elective Toward Your Degree

• CSCI 6930 Professional Internship is not a required course for graduate programs in the Department of Computer Science. CSCI 6930 provides a way for students to use their internship working experience toward their degree requirements.
• Domestic students, when eligible, can participate in an internship and choose not to enroll in the course.
• International students must enroll in CSCI 6930 in order to participate in an internship.
• Students need to complete a total of three (3) credit hours of CSCI 6930 to count towards their degree.
  • If a student earns three (3) credit hours of CSCI 6930, the course will count as an Elective course.
• Students in the Professional MS in Computer Science (MSCPS) with 2 or more years of full-time work experience in software development may request a��waiver for their projects course if they earn exactly three (3) credit hours of CSCI 6930. Click here to learn more.
• Students must adhere to the deadline to apply for CSCI 6930. Students may not get credit for an internship retroactively.

About the Internship Course

• The exact course structure is at the discretion of the faculty member teaching the course.
• You can expect that the professor will support you in your internship, as well as a mid-term and a final.
• The course is typically online.
• Students not submitting the proper materials by the due date specified by the instructor will receive a grade of Incomplete (I), and if not completed within one calendar year, the Incomplete grade (I) will convert into an F, in accordance with the��.

Domestic Student Information

• Domestic students taking the CSCI 6930 course during the academic year must submit the Impact of an��Internship/Co-op on Financial Aid and/or Scholarships Form before leaving on an internship/co-op assignment.
• Domestic students do not need to submit this form for summer internship/co-op assignments.
• Completing the form verifies that any scholarships or financial aid will not be affected by your internship or co-op experience.

International Student Information

• Students with a visa granted by the University of Colorado must connect with the Office of International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) to learn about how to get work eligibility for their internship.
• Students must work with ISSS to have all of the necessary documentation to start their internship. Most international students use CPT.
  • ISSS Employment Workshop Series
  • ISSS Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Website
  • ISSS Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Website

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

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