Department of Animal Science

Why Complete an Internship?

Professional internships provide an academic opportunity to work for a period of time in an animal-related field while gaining credit toward graduation requirements. Internship programs provide important learning experiences that allow students to develop professional skills, apply classroom information, and establish important contacts for their potential careers. Many employers seek students with work-related experience when they graduate, increasing the importance of an internship.

In order to take full advantage of the professional internship program, a few requirements and guidelines need to be followed to ensure a successful and rewarding experience.

What Qualifies as an Internship?

An internship is a work experience where students are temporarily employed (either paid or volunteer) by an organization. An internship enhances the quality of the undergraduate experience through hands-on, career related experiences and enables students to develop and put into practice the skills, techniques and knowledge that are important for success in their future careers. 

A few important guidelines:

1. Internships should provide students with a new, hands-on experience. Employment under supervisors for whom students have worked, volunteered, or shadowed previously are generally not permitted;
2. Internships under relatives (e.g., the student’s family farm) are not permitted;
3. Hours must be accumulated under a single internship position and combinations of hours from more than one position are not allowed;
4. Students must commit to a minimum of 10 weeks and 400 hours of work-related experience at the internship to count for ANS 493 credit.

Obtaining an Internship

Students can find internship opportunities through HandShake.

Students can also seek out opportunities on their own, or with the help of a faculty member that specializes in the species or discipline of interest.

Any area of animal science can be pursued, including livestock production, meat procurement and processing, veterinary clinics, wildlife rescue, extension, commodity groups, breed associations, zoological parks, entertainment facilities utilizing animals, finance, marketing, sales, research, and livestock product production. Students can choose locations throughout the U.S. or internationally.

Earning Credit for an Internship/ Enrolling in ANS 493

Internships must be pre-approved by the internship faculty coordinator, Dr. Karen Waite. An online application form must be completed for approval, including details about the internship responsibilities and contact information for the employer. You must have identified and secured an internship before filling out this application. If you have any questions about the suitability of an internship, contact the faculty coordinator.

Application Link

Once the application is completed, you should hear from the coordinator in one week. Please note that students cannot obtain credit for internships that began without prior approval. Therefore, you need to plan accordingly – make sure you have enough time to get approval before your internship is scheduled to begin.  

Course Requirements

Students enrolled in ANS 493 will need to complete monthly reports, a final PowerPoint presentation, and an evaluation of the internship. The employer will also need to complete an evaluation of the student’s performance at the end of the internship. A grade of pass or fail will be assigned upon completion of the requirements.

More questions?

Please contact the internship faculty coordinator, Dr. Miriam Weber (msw@msu.edu), for more information.