FAQ for IS 399
Q. How do I get an Internship?
A. There are two primary methods to getting an internship.
If you have no job or placement you should visit the Shriver Center and sign up to get an internship through the school.
If you already have a job in the IT field you should visit the Shriver Center in order to link your current position to the internship program. If you have a position and you are not sure if it qualifies for IS 399 credit, contact the IS 399 instructor.
Q. The Shriver Center has given me a permission slip to register for the class, now what do I do?
A. Make an appointment with the instructor for IS 399 . The instructor will make sure you are eligible for the class and give you the syllabus. If you are registering prior to the last day of the regular add date for the term, you will be given electronic clearance and you can then go online and register. Once your 399 class shows up on your schedule you won’t need your copy of the permission slip. However: If you are registering for 399 late in the term, there will be an extra step involved to get you added to the class. (IS399 is open until about 1 month after the start of classes in Summer I, Fall and Spring.)
Q. I have been given electronic clearance to register and I have tried adding the class but it doesn’t show up on my course list with the number of credits I thought I would get.
A. IS 399 is a variable credit course available for 1,2, or 3 credits. In order to complete your registration you have to actually indicate the number of credits you want. Go back and try again and pick the credits and add the class. (You may actually end up having to try a drop/add.)
Q. I notice there is a PRAC class listed on my class list, is that the same as IS 399?
A. No. The PRAC class is the indicator automatically placed on there by the Shriver Center in order for them to keep track of the internship students they are sponsoring each semester.
Q. Do I have to pay for IS 399?
A. You bet! If you are part-time student or taking it during the Summer, then you pay by credit count as usual. If you are a full-time student and are taking it as part of your Fall or Spring semester then the price is included in your full-time tuition.
Q. Why would anybody pick less than the full 3 credits?
A. For some students they are taking the IS 399 class as part of finishing their degree and only need 1 or 2 upper level credits to graduate. Some students have limited internship hours and only qualify for a smaller number of credits. Some students are more interested in getting their current internship posted to their transcript and don’t want to pay for the extra credits.
Q. IS 399 was the greatest course I ever had, can I do it again?
A. Sure- up to a point. The limit is 6 credits no more than 3 per semester. You do need to think about your transcript. It is great to have 1 internship listed but does it do you better to have it listed again or would you be better served using your time to included another structured elective course and potentially improve your GPA? Contact your IS Advisor for advice.