University at Buffalo School of Management

Credit-Bearing Internship Program (CBIP) The School of Management is a leader among other management schools in that it requires MBA students to complete a credit-bearing internship as part of the course of study. Credit-bearing internships provide students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to real-world projects within diverse professional work environments. The internship program operates within the Career Resource Center (CRC) and builds relationships with employers to develop relevant internship opportunities for School of Management undergraduate and graduate students. The internship program is comprised of professional staff members and a faculty advisory committee. Requirements • MBA students performing academically at a GPA of 3.0, or above are granted access to the internship program after the first semester (fall semester) of the curriculum. • There is no application - instead, the expectation of excellence in academic performance coupled with a strong resume that reflects skills and qualifications necessary to apply to internship postings. • Academic registration for internships is equal to three academic credits, enrolled during the same semester as the internship occurs. • Students must complete a minimum of 150 hours of on-site participation during the internship • International students are required to obtain work authorization, called Curricular Practical Training (CPT), prior to the start of the internship. Registration for academic credit corresponding with the internship is necessary in order to request CPT. Students will work directly with the CBIP to initiate this process once an internship offer is accepted. A new I-20 is issued verifying the CPT work authorization. International students may not begin their internship participation until the new I-20 is received. • All students participating in credit-bearing internships must submit academic assignments as outlined in the CBIP syllabus. Internships are graded pass/fail. NOTE: Only one (1) three-credit internship may count toward the 60-credit graduation requirement The Internship Search These internship postings are located in an on-line database called BizLink. All internship postings found in BizLink are pre-screended by the internship program director and eligible for academic credit. Postings reflect experiences in privately held, publicly traded, governmental and non-profit organizations. Students conduct an internship search by browsing and applying to postings in the BizLink system. However, there are multiple means for securing an internship, to include: attending on-campus events, such as career fairs and employer speaking engagements, as well as networking with contacts on and off-campus. Internship Waivers An MBA student who has one year of full-time post-bachelors managerial experience in a relevant professional environment may be waived from the internship requirement. Students will be notified of their waiver status in the fall of the first year and will have the option of accepting the waiver or completing an internship. If the student chooses to accept the waiver, they must take an additional course to replace the three credits otherwise provided by the internship. If a student does not qualify for a waiver, and does not complete an internship, then he or she will not graduate until the internship requirement is satisfied. Awards Each year, the CBIP honors the outstanding achievements of student interns and employers at a reception attended by the Dean, faculty, staff and employers. Complete information regarding the program can be found on the website: http://mgt.buffalo.edu/internships/students 19

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