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The School of Management Internship Program

The Graduate Internship sets Union Graduate College apart from other MBA programs. Full-time MBA candidates are required to complete a 400-hour internship. Not only is the internship an important resume builder and a “foot in the door” to job opportunities, the internship also provides students with hands-on experience that adds relevance to the classroom experience.

 Our MBA programs draw extensively on the experience and potential of Capital Region businesses. We leverage connections to the business community to ensure that every MBA candidate has access to a multitude on internship opportunities. Opportunities abound in finance, marketing, human resource management, healthcare and other related areas. More than 95% of our internship opportunities are paid positions. A full-time Coordinator of Career Services is available to assist students in securing a meaningful internship.

Purpose of the Internship
Meeting the Requirement
Internship Paperwork
Waiving the Requirement
Contact Information

Purpose of the MBA internship
  • Apply graduate study theories, concepts and skills learned in the Union Graduate School MBA Program;
  • Gain exposure to the day-to-day functions of an organization while accomplishing comprehensive tasks;
  • Strengthen judgment, decisiveness, critical thinking and teamwork skills;
  • Assess and develop professional capabilities in the work environment for a successful career in business.
Meeting the MBA internship requirement

In order to graduate, full-time, matriculated MBA Degree Program Study students are required to complete a minimum of 400 hours of meaningful employment in a business environment including JD/MBA, PharmD/MBA and the accelerated BA or BS and MBA program students.

Students pursuing part-time graduate study may participate in an internship, although it is not required.

Steps to complete the MBA internship process
  1. Search for an Internship It is the student’s responsibility to actively search for a position, although the Union Graduate College Coordinator of Career Services will support and assist you in your search. Generally, students start this process sometime after their first term so they can get a better understanding of how to balance their course load with the internship hours, and their internship area of interest. Typically, internships will be paid positions.

  2. Qualify the Internship
    Internships posted by the Career Services office will indicate whether or not the position meets the requirement. If a student finds a position on his/her own, the Coordinator of Career Services will need to review the position to determine if it meets the intent of the internship.

  3. Get the Internship Approved
    The student must complete an Internship Agreement, which includes a detailed description of the job and the work it entails. Once the Internship Agreement is completed, it must be signed by the student, his/her supervisor and the Coordinator of Career Services. This form is kept in the student’s file in the Career Services office.

  4. Register for the Internship Course
    This is done in Union Graduate College’s Registrar’s office, and is a no-cost, non-credit bearing internship. Once the internship hours are completed, a student will receive a pass/fail grade, indicated on the student’s transcript.

    General MBA: register for course MBA683
    Health MBA: register for course HCM 683

    The internship requirement must be met in order for full-time, matriculated students to graduate, in addition to the 20 required courses.

  5. Submit the Internship Paperwork
    After completing the internship, the student must submit the Union Graduate College Employer Evaluation- MBA intern (completed by the supervisor) and the Union Graduate College Student Evaluation – MBA internship (completed by the student). Once these two reports are received, based on the information provided within these reports, the Coordinator of Career Services will determine pass/fail status. Written verification will be sent to the Registrar’s Office and the grade will be processed on the student’s transcript.

    Note: Full-time, matriculated students who need to meet the internship requirement may complete their internship hours at more than one company, as long as the total number of hours meets or exceeds 400 hours.

    Until all paperwork is received, the student will receive an Incomplete as a grade (indicated by an “I” on the transcript)

Waiving the internship requirement
In exceptional cases, where a student can submit proof of qualified, meaningful work experience that relates to the MBA, the internship may be waived. The waiver and proof of work, typically indicated through an updated resume, is submitted to the Coordinator of Career Services to determine waiver status.

For more information or questions regarding MBA internships, contact
Jane Fleury, Coordinator of Career Services
(518) 631-9851



What Students Have to Say

“Doing an internship at GE greatly enhanced my resume. I was given the opportunity to do some meaningful work for the world's most respected company and it was met with high regard when I interviewed at my current employer. I definitely attained the job I have now as a result of the internship and my resume is stronger because of it.”
Chris
Financial Analyst
The Ayco Company, LP,
a Goldman Sachs Company


“My internship opened the doors to my current position. It was a valuable experience within my chosen field and without it, I can honestly say, I would not be where I am today. One of the projects I completed was a business plan for a software company. Not only did I help the company, but all my hard work paid off because it helped me land a position in the industry I was studying! “
Rachael
Senior Marketing Coordinator
PepsiCo


“I fully believe without coming to Union Graduate College, I wouldn’t have had the same internship opportunities. Not only did it provide me with valuable and applicable experience in my chosen career field, but it led me to obtain my current position with the company. The skills that I have obtained from this organization have not only strengthened me as a person, but also strengthened my future career opportunities. “
Traci
Benefits Operations Specialist
GE Corporate
US Employee Services


“I’ve traveled and worked with different clients within the healthcare industry, had a chance to shadow different managers to see how they interacted with their clients, and was given a mentor that helped direct me within and outside the company. I worked on projects that dealt with the changing healthcare requirements inside and outside New York State and those that would prove beneficial to different hospitals/universities/clients. Being able to network within different offices on the Northeast and the West Coast has been very helpful in developing my future career. This internship has given me a chance to better understand this field and build my resume by working with such a well-known and well-received corporation.”
Jennifer
MBA intern

PriceWaterHouseCoopers
Healthcare


“Having this internship has definitely strengthened my chances of landing a job in an industry considered very difficult for those lacking experience (PR and marketing). It's a very competitive field, especially in larger markets, so the amount of responsibility I have been given at my internship and the portfolio I have built for myself has surely improved my resume. Right now, I’m working on a video advertisement contest for one of my firms' clients with the help of YouTube. I've also written several press releases that have been picked up by various media outlets for full-length stories and features. In addition, I have had the opportunity to network with and meet a variety of important public figures. This undoubtedly will assist me when it comes time to start my career.”
Natalia
MBA intern
Gramercy Communications


“I heard about my internship through an information session hosted by Union Graduate College, and so far it’s been very eye opening. GE is huge a business; I've only ever worked for much smaller firms. The GE Internship Program keeps us involved in all the makings of the business, providing great experiences in presenting to colleagues and exposure to very real business scenarios.”
Avanelle
MBA intern
GE
US Employee Services
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