CSPL 493 Overview
Wesleyan has established a credit/uncredit internship course, CSPL 493, for students to receive .25 credit upon successful completion of an internship, whether paid or unpaid. International students must receive CPT (Curricular Practical Training) through CSPL 493 for any internship or work experience, paid or unpaid. Many for-profit organizations require students applying for unpaid internships to document that they will receive such credit. To receive credit, students must satisfy the requirements of the internship and complete the course assignments. Students may receive internship credit through CSPL 493 up to two times during their undergraduate career. The internship must include at least 40 total hours of work.
Please see additional details below. If you have any questions, please email Tess Hamilton-Ward at internship_credit@wesleyan.edu.
The class does not meet, either in person or virtually, at any point. Students complete short assignments and a final reflective essay on Moodle throughout the internship to enhance students’ knowledge base and skills connected to their internship experience. It is helpful for participants to reflect on their experience throughout the internship and to have a record of work experience, lessons learned, and progress made in understanding professional, personal and academic goals. The student’s supervisor must also submit a verification form confirming that the student has completed their internship before credit will be awarded.
Grading
CSPL 493 is based on CR/U. Failure to complete course requirements by the deadline will result in a U for the course.
Overview of Process & Initiating Enrollment
The CSPL 493 enrollment forms can be found and completed on Handshake under Career Center > Experiences > Submit an Experience.
The enrollment process includes the following two forms:
- Student Enrollment Form (completed & submitted by the student)
- Internship Description Form (sent automatically from Handshake & completed by the internship supervisor)
** Students cannot be enrolled in the course until both forms have been completed and submitted. An Internship Description Form not completed within 5 days of receipt will expire and pause the approval process. We encourage students to contact their internship supervisor to confirm they received and are able to complete the form.
If both forms are submitted and the application is approved as a whole, our office will submit the student to the Registrar’s Office for enrollment in CSPL 493. Students will not be notified of enrollment via email but rather should check Moodle periodically for course access.
International Students: Course Enrollment & CPT Enrollment
International students must enroll through the OISA. Please visit the OISA website for information regarding CPT and CSPL 493 enrollment.
CSPL 493 has different enrollment dates depending on the time of year, as listed below:
Enrollment Deadlines
| FALL | October 1 |
| WINTER | December 15 |
| SPRING | February 1 |
| SUMMER | June 1 |
We recognize that not all internship start dates will align with the enrollment deadlines above. For questions regarding late enrollment, please contact internship_credit@wesleyan.edu.
Please note, enrollment can take up to two weeks before you have access to course materials on Moodle. Students are encouraged to submit their initial Experience Request form on Handshake prior to the enrollment deadlines above so that the enrollment process can be finalized before the start date of your internship. Students must complete a minimum of 40 working hours through the internship experience within the academic term in which they are enrolled in CSPL 493 ; credit cannot be rewarded retroactively.
Course Withrawal
Students wishing to withdraw from the internship course, CSPL 493, without having a “W” appear on their transcript must inform the Gordon Career Center (internship_credit@wesleyan.edu). If the student drops the internship, if the internship fails to materialize, or if it terminates for any other reason, the Gordon Career Center must be notified immediately of the circumstances. Otherwise, the student may receive a U for the course.
Fraudulent Employers
Wesleyan University cannot guarantee the accuracy of information provided by external employers. Students should conduct their own due diligence when evaluating opportunities and report any inaccuracies and concerns to the Gordon Career Center. The University is not responsible for safety, compensation, working conditions, or any other aspect of off-campus employment.
The following policies have been adopted by the Educational Policy Committee:
Tuition
There is no cost for students participating in internship course CSPL 493. Upon successful completion, students will earn .25 credit.
Eligibility
Students must be actively enrolled at Wesleyan University full-time in order to be eligible for internship credit through CSPL 493.
Students who are not actively enrolled at Wesleyan, or who are on probation are not eligible to earn credit through CSPL 493. Additionally, students who are getting paid for their work by the University or who are receiving academic credit through other avenues (eg. independent study) are not eligible to earn internship credit through CSPL 493.
Internship credit cannot be earned retroactively for internships completed during previous semesters.
Students must complete a minimum of 40 working hours through the internship experience, within the academic term in which they are enrolled in CSPL 493. There is no maximum hour limit; it is up to the intern to determine with the employer how many work hours are reasonable. Students are only eligible to earn a maximum of .25 credit per internship, regardless of how many hours are worked.
Students may receive internship credit through CSPL 493 up to two times during their undergraduate career. Students may complete up to two internships within the same academic term. If you are earning credit through CSPL 493 for two different internships during the same academic term, you must complete CSPL 493 course requirements twice; you must submit separate course assignments for each internship.
Students are not eligible to receive internship credit for the same internship more than once. If a student plans to intern for the same organization twice and wants to receive credit for both, the internship experiences must be distinct from one another – including interning for a different department, with a different supervisor, and responsibilities and assignments significantly different from those of the first internship.
This course is only for internships external to Wesleyan. Please see a similar course for on-campus experiences: Ideals Into Practice Course: CSPL 405
Academic Integrity and Community Standards
All students in CSPL 493 are expected to adhere to the Wesleyan University Honor Code as described in the Student Handbook, and all work submitted must be the student’s own.
Please note that there may be instances where the content of your final reflective essay will prompt staff to take further action. For example, in the case of workplace harassment, faculty and staff will reach out to appropriate partners on campus to ensure student safety and privacy.
Wesleyan University is committed to ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, its programs and services. To receive accommodations, a student must have a disability as defined by the ADA. Since accommodations may require early planning and generally are not provided retroactively, please contact Accessibility Services as soon as possible.
If you have a disability or think that you might have a disability, please contact Accessibility Services in order to arrange an appointment to discuss your needs and the process for requesting accommodations. Accessibility Services is located in North College, rooms 021/022, or can be reached by email (accessibility@wesleyan.edu) or phone (860-685-5581).
