Step 1

To receive academic credit for your internship, the experience must be related to your major and take place outside of ASU.  If you are participating in a research lab at ASU, please complete the DocuSign OMNIBUS form for academic credit.

 Please download and read through our Student Information Packet for more information on this course and to ensure you meet the requirements:

• Enrolled in a School of Life Sciences degree program, either through ASU Online or at the Tempe campus
• 2.75 GPA or higher for all of the courses
• Successful completion 45 or more credit hours
• Secured internship opportunity (student's responsibility)*
• You must identify and secure your own internship site. We do not place you with an employer.
• Your internship responsibilities must be action-oriented, as job shadowing will not be approved. (see Internship Opportunities tab)
• Students are encouraged to contact Career Services to learn how to find an internship through Handshake and other sites.  We encourage you to review our Careers page for inspiration on pathways and organizations to pursue.
• *Even if you are in the midst of applying for an internship and won't be notified about your status until after this semester's application due date, please fill out the application form so the Internship Coordinator is aware of your status.

Step 2

Prepare to submit your application form.  Below are helpful tips to expedite the application process.

• Which course to request to enroll in? 
• BIO 484 is for both on-ground and ASU Online SOLS students
• MIC 484 is for microbiology students only, MBB 484 is for molecular bioscience and biotechnology students only
• BIO//MIC/MBB 495 is for research experiences at ASU; to register for one of those courses, please complete the DocuSign OMNIBUS form.
• MBB students: Contact Professors Tsafrir Mor; Hugh Mason or Willem Vermaas for assistance in finding your internship. Prior to enrollment, secure approval from one of these professors for the internship
• Conservation Biology and Ecology students (on-campus and ASU Online): Prior to enrollment, work with your adviser to seek faculty approval to use BIO 484 as the Field Methods requirement in your major.  
• Dr. Sharon Hall created a dynamic list of resources under the “undergrads” for students interested in conservation and the environment: https://halllab.asu.edu/
• Study Abroad students: If you are participating in a study abroad experience and the application due date has passed, please contact ASU Online Internship Coordinator Ivy Esquibel or on-ground Internship Coordinator Dr. Serena Christianson.
• Pre-health students: If you are applying for/interested in an internship that has anything to do with Pre-Health, please refer to the Pre-Health Internship Program and your assigned academic advisor (found on your My ASU) for further details.  This means anything in a clinical setting, as well as shadowing and scribing duties.  Please see below for more resources to help you gain extracurricular experience.
• Honors Students: Honors credit is not offered in this program. If you want honors credit, contact your Barrett Honors advisor about HON 484. 
• If you do not qualify or are not ready to pursue an internship, we encourage you to gain experience through volunteering. Visit ASU’s VolunteerMatch for assistance.

Step 3

Complete Application Form* at https://asu.joinhandshake.com/experiences.  Please note the due dates for each term.  

• Fall semesters, due June 30
• Spring semesters, due October 31
• Summer semesters, due March 31
• *Even if you are in the midst of applying for an internship and won't be notified about your status until after this semester's application due date, please fill out the application form so the Internship Coordinator is aware of your status.

You will be asked to provide the following information:

• First and last name
• ASU ID
• ASU email
• Major of study
• Which 484 class you are applying for (BIO/MIC/MBB 484) and if it is for online or on-campus students
• Number of credits you will be registering for (as noted in the student handbook, each 1 credit = 45 hours of work in the semester)
• Name of organization offering internship
• A description of the duties of your internship and how this relates to your career ambitions.
• Whether this internship is paid or unpaid
• Name of your supervisor/contact at your upcoming internship
• Your internship supervisor's email address

ASU Online Internship Coordinator Ivy Esquibel or on-ground Internship Coordinator Dr. Serena Christianson will contact you after the application period has closed to update you on your application status.

Step 4

• You will be contacted by the Internship Coordinator throughout the application process.  If accepted, it is the student's responsibility to enroll in your internship course by or before the add/drop date for the semester

Step 5

Complete all course assignments and submit them by the deadlines provided through Canvas.

Career exploration resources to find internships

The Career and Professional Development Services office can help you plan your career and develop job-search skills. They can help you build your profile and navigate possible opportunities on Handshake, ASU's online hub for all things career and internship.  The career advising team is available for the rest of your life as you move through different phases of your career.  They are located on every campus as well as through ASU Online.

On your My ASU > Campus Services > Career Planning, Career Milestones are available to guide you in your professional development, no matter where you are in your career journey!  Track your progress and find out more about available professional development resources available to you with Career Milestones! Get started today on the Campus Services or Resources tab of your My ASU account, or on the ASU Mobile App. 

In-state internship opportunities

Below is a list of employers who have participated in our program. Read about their internship opportunities and find out whether they are currently accepting interns. If possible, apply for a position directly through their website.

Internship provider

• AAWL (Instructor and Small Animal Keeper)
• American Conservation Experience (ACE)
• Arizona Game & Fish
• Arizona State Health Lab 
• Arizona Science Center (Guest Experience)
• ASU Arboretum
• Banner Health
• Barrows Neurological Institute
• Desert Botanical Gardens
• Kroger, Tolleson Dairy
• Liberty Wildlife
• Mayo Clinic
• Phoenix Zoo (Conservation Center)
• Science Is Fun   
• TGen
• USDA Forest Service

Many more internships are available in Arizona. Students are encouraged to contact Career Services to learn how to find an internship through Handshake and other sites.  We encourage you to review our Careers page for inspiration on pathways and organizations to pursue.

Out-of-state internship opportunities

Below is a list of employers who have participated in our program. Read about their internship opportunities and find out whether they are currently accepting interns. If possible, apply for a position directly through their website. 

Internship provider

• Abbott Laboratories
• Disney Agricultural Sciences
• EPA
• Genentech
• Monsanto
• National Science Foundation (Research for Undergraduate/REU’s)
• National Zoo (Conservation & Research Center)
• South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (MIMES Program)
• Student Conservation Association
• Sustainable Farming and Agriculture Internships
• The Broad Institute (Summer Research Program in Genomics/SRPG)
• University of Virginia Blandy Experimental Farm
• US Department of Energy (Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship/SULI)
• US Navy Marine Mammal Internship Program

Students are encouraged to contact Career Services to learn how to find an internship through Handshake and other sites.  We encourage you to review our Careers page for inspiration on pathways and organizations to pursue.

Thank you for your interest in providing our students with a rewarding internship experience. Our internship program provides School of Life Sciences students with an opportunity to earn academic credit, while learning new skills to help them achieve their personal educational and career goals.

We expect our student interns to be supervised, and for each internship to include meaningful, project-based work. In order for ASU students to receive academic credit for their pending internship experiences, ASU requests a valid Student Placement Agreement (SPA) between the employer and ASU to help ensure a safe supportive learning environment and meet Arizona Board of Regents requirements.  Once the student applies for enrollment into the internship course, the Internship Coordinator will contact you to begin the process of signing the SPA.  

Please download our Employer Information Packet for more further information on this course.

Our student internship goals:

• To enhance our undergraduate degree programs by connecting students to experts in professional settings
• To provide opportunities for students to gain professional and scientific experience by using current technology and contributing to significant projects
• To provide opportunities for building interpersonal communication, teamwork and leadership skills
• To help students network with professionals in many industries
• To help students develop a resume that reflects key skills and accomplishments 

Student participation requirements:

• 2.75 GPA
• 45 credit hours completed
• All internships must be related to a student’s degree program

Required work hours:
To earn academic credit, a student must work the following number of hours:

• 270 hours = 6 credits
• 225 hours = 5 credits
• 180 hours = 4 credits
• 135 hours = 3 credits
• 90 hours = 2 credits
• 45 hours = 1 credit

Is an employer required to pay an intern?

Internships may be either paid or unpaid (Department of Labor Guidelines).

To post your internship opportunity with ASU:
Register as an Employer through Handshake.

Questions? Contact ASU Online Internship Coordinator Ivy Esquibel or on-ground Internship Coordinator Dr. Serena Christianson. 

Spring 2021 Internship Fair

Hosts:  Career and Professional Development Services

Date:    February 12, 2021

Time:    11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Where:  Online; Registration required through Handshake to attend

Cost:     Free for students to attend  

Thank you for your interest in learning more in how our students can participate in a rewarding internship experience. Our internship program provides School of Life Sciences students with an opportunity to earn academic credit, while learning new skills to help them achieve their personal educational and career goals.

Faculty information packet 

Questions? Contact ASU Online Internship Coordinator Ivy Esquibel or on-ground Internship Coordinator Dr. Serena Christianson. 

Pre-health students: If you are applying for/interested in an internship that has anything to do with Pre-Health, please refer to the Pre-Health Internship Program and your assigned academic advisor (found on your My ASU) for further details.  This means anything in a clinical setting, as well as shadowing and scribing duties.  Please see below for more resources to help you gain extracurricular experience.

• Emergency Department Internships offered by the Pre-Professional Advising Office, which involves placement into a partner hospital and enrollment in BIO 390, a class that focuses on preparation for the application to medical school
  OR
• General Pre-Health Internships offered through the Pre-Health Internship Program where students will enroll in a separate BIO 484 not managed by SOLS and also be required to attend the BIO 390 class 
• This BIO 484 offers opportunities to students pursuing any health professions program, including dentistry, pharmacy, physician assistant, physical therapy and more
  
• Students interested in BIO 390 or this pre-health BIO 484 should meet with the Pre-Professional Advising Office (PPAO) to discuss their interest and preparation for a career in healthcare

Questions? Contact Office of Clinical Partnerships

Hosts:  Department of Physics, Department of Psychology, School of Earth and Space Exploration, School of Life Sciences, School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, School of Molecular Sciences 

Date:    TBD

Time:    TBD

Where:  Online; Registration required through Handshake to attend

 Cost:     Free for students to attend