Did you know that 75% of 2022 grads experienced an internship or pre-professional opportunity while at UNH? This means that as a UNH student, you’ll take part in internships, practicums, clinicals, research or fieldwork that will prepare you for your future career or further education.
Read on for answers to common questions about internships and pre-professional experiences at UNH and stories of students who have taken advantage of a wide variety of UNH’s experiential learning programs.
What is an internship?
An internship is a pre-professional job where you learn the skills you need to have a full-time job in that field. Internships can be paid or unpaid. UNH students intern at UNH offices and labs, as well as companies in the greater Seacoast area, Boston and beyond.
Meet an undergrad intern: Justin, intern at the UNH InterOperability Lab (IOL)
“My responsibilities include writing code for our various projects, troubleshooting issues with our servers and assisting clients as needed.”
learn more about Justin's internship
How do I get an internship?
There are many ways to get an internship as a UNH student. Here are a few of our favorite ways:
Reach out to CaPS
UNH Career and Professional Success (CaPS) is prepared to help you find a successful internship placement. You can also use tools like LinkedIn and Handshake to network and search for internships.
Your academic department
Internships are an integral part of lots of programs and majors at UNH and some programs and majors even have universal internship or fieldwork completion. Many professors have extensive career networks in their fields, offering students assistance in finding an internship. Career coaches are also integrated into every college, meaning that career and internship advising are always available to students. Students also find internships through UNH's strong alumni network.
Internship Fair
Attend the CaPS Career & Internship Fair to meet with employers from all industries!
Meet an undergrad intern: Kathryn, intern at Lonza in Portsmouth
“I am lucky that my manager is easy to talk to because the more I learn about the professional field, the more I can determine what I want to do after graduation.”
learn more about kathryn's internship
Do interns get paid?
There are many opportunities for paid and even fully-funded internships and experiential learning opportunities at UNH. Many colleges offer competitive stipends for unpaid internships, such as the Paul College Internship Opportunity Fund and the CEPS FUEL Fund. Students can also get academic credit for some internships.
What are some unique experiential learning opportunities at UNH?
Undergrads at UNH benefit from being able to choose from some truly unique and impactful experiential learning opportunities, including:
The Washington Center Program
UNH students of all majors participate in internships and seminars in Washington, D.C.
Meet a Washington Center Program participant: Joyce
Sustainability Fellowships
UNH students of all majors work on transformative sustainability projects for municipal, educational, corporate and non-profit partners.
Meet a Sustainability Fellow: Brett
Meet a Sustainability Fellow: Nate
Meet a Sustainability Fellow: Durga
International Changemaker Grant
UNH students help strengthen partnerships and create international solidarity to address sustainability challenges in the global south.
Meet International Changemaker Grant participants: Grace & Alyssa
Semester in the City
Students earn 16 UNH credits while spending a semester in Boston working a rigorous internship with a leading social change organization.
Meet a semester in the city participant: Mel
Why should I consider an internship or pre-professional opportunity?
There are so many reasons why a majority of UNH students work internships or explore experiential learning:
Discover what you want to do after UNH
A great way to figure out where your path after UNH leads you is by trying out a few different career fields before you graduate. Internships and pre-professional opportunities will give you actual experience in the field to decide if a career area is right for you.
Gain professional experience
Employers are increasingly looking for graduates who have had experience working in a professional environment prior to graduation and learning the skills that come with that experience. Your internship or pre-professional experience will be a highlight on your resume, showing you have put in the valuable professional work it takes to succeed.
Find an entry point to your career
Although working an internship does not guarantee you will get a job offer, it does provide a doorway into a career field and valuable professional connections who could help you land a job. Of 2022 UNH grads who had at least one internship, 39% had a full-time job offer, and of those 55% accepted the job offer.
Experience applied learning
Internships allow you to take what you've learned in class and apply it in the field. Our students love leaving the classroom and seeing the bigger impact their work has on the community and world as a whole.
Why Should You Get an Internship?
Real-world opportunities such as internships and experiential learning are an integral part of the UNH education. The majority of UNH students work internships over their four years and there are so many reasons why. read more about internships
