A younger intern and an older colleague sit together at a desk, smiling while reviewing information on a laptop in a modern office.

Academic Internship Program

Located within: Connected Learning

Kickstart your career with an internship!
• Gain hands-on experience
• Earn college credits
• Get a competitive edge in the job search market
• And more!

Starting Your Search

Internship Opportunities-Handshake

Handshake is a free job-site platform where you can access jobs, internships, and career events based on your interests & skills. All BC student have a free account. USE YOUR BC EMAIL.

Activate Your Handshake Account

Internship Program

The Academic Internship Program at Bellevue College (BC) offers students the opportunity to earn college credit while gaining hands-on experience in business, industry, government, and non-profit settings. Through structured and supervised internships with approved organizations, students apply classroom knowledge to real-world work environments, develop new skills, and strengthen existing ones. Guided by clear learning objectives and supported by faculty and workplace supervisors, students connect with professionals in their field, explore potential career paths, and build professional networks while earning academic credit.

Internship Search Tips

  • Ask your instructors: Visit your instructors during office hours and ask them if they know of any industry contacts or organizations that could offer a meaningful internship or job opportunity.
  • Social media: Many organizations post internship and job announcements on their social media channels. Follow organizations across multiple platforms (such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) to stay in the loop. Make sure to pay attention to recommended accounts as a way to expand your knowledge.
  • Professional associations: Many professional organizations have student memberships at a reduced cost. As a member you have access to member lists–these are great places to start if you have an interest in a specific industry or region. Many of these organizations also welcome interns.
  • Staying Organized: It can be overwhelming to manage all of the information you’ve collected during your job or internship search.

Informational Interviews

An informational interview is an informal conversation with a professional who has experience working in a role, company or industry that interests you. They offer a unique opportunity to connect with and and learn from someone doing work that you might want to do in the future, while also building your professional network.

You are only asking for information so you are in control of the interview—you decide the questions to ask.

Never… never… ask for a job in an informational interviews.

Arranging An Internship

Search for internship opportunities on multiple platforms including Handshake, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed. If an organization of interest doesn’t have a specific internship opportunity listed you can still reach out to them to inquire about opportunities (see inquiry letter below).

Get your resume in order

Make sure you’ve updated your resume and it tells a compelling story.

Be transparent with your application status

Let your potential internship site know if you’re applying to this internship as part of a BC’s Academic Internship Program. Communicate any relevant program deadlines to your potential internship site to double check that their timelines align with BC’s quarters.

Elevator pitch

Before you begin sending out emails, identify what you have to offer in terms of knowledge, experience, skills, and interests.  Develop a brief “elevator pitch” about yourself and what you would ideally like to do.  Do your homework about the organizations you are contacting, studying their website and printed materials.

Start early, be persistent & responsive

When making contact, give yourself a lot of time, especially when communicating with community-based organizations, which are often overworked and understaffed.  If you do not hear back, be friendly, patient, but persistent.  Try using multiple forms of communication—sometimes phone calls are returned more often than emails.

Inquiry Letter

Inquiry letters are used to contact companies and organizations that may not have posted or advertised internship opportunities. Letters can be sent by email or US Postal Service (snail mail). Remember emails are very easy to delete; businesses always open hardcopy letters.

If you know someone in the organization, ask them for a contact name to send the letter to.

If you don’t know anyone, begin by researching companies and organizations online. Try to identify a manager who would be responsible for hires in your field. This information is often found in the ‘about’ section.

Not everyone you contact will be interested in your proposal to be an intern. Send letters to multiple organizations at the same time.

General FAQs

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting [National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)].

Through internships, students practice skills and learn new ones. Students make professional connections related to their area of study which contributes to their understanding of their career path. During the internship, employers provide guidance and support.

Internships are structured and supervised professional experiences, within approved organizations, for which students earn academic credit. Internships are guided by learning objectives and supervised by both academic and professional personnel.

Academic Credit
The Academic Internship Program allows you to earn course credits while working and learning in a professional environment. You will receive a letter grade for this course, which may help boost your GPA and will appear on your transcript as an official internship.

You may take EXPRL 191/2/3 (a three-course sequence) at the associate level and EXPRL 490/1 at the bachelor’s level. For more information on the internship classes, please email internship@bellevuecollege.edu or make an appointment with an internship coordinator.

Real-World Experience
You are able to apply the knowledge and skills you have gained in the classroom in a work setting, thus enriching your learning experience.

Stronger Resume
An internship enhances your resume. It shows employers your ability to apply your knowledge and skills. In a competitive hiring environment, internships can really help you stand out in the crowd. For tips on customizing your resume, view this webpage.

Explore a career
An internship is an excellent opportunity to test your current field of study and career path to make sure it is right for you.

Networking
Who you know is as important as what you know. Internships are a great opportunity to meet people in your field and make connections. Keep in mind that many companies hire former interns as full-time employees!

Work Flexible Hours
Most interns have various responsibilities competing for their time. Many companies understand this and offer their interns flexible schedules that fit their busy lives.

The Academic Internship Program allows you to earn academic credit for your internship experience at the associate (EXPRL 191/2/3) and bachelor’s (EXPRL 490/1) level.

You can only register for the class if you have secured an internship offer and it has been approved by the Internship Coordinator and program chair for the bachelor’s program.

The internship class (EXPRL 191/2/3) at the associates level is a variable credit class that offers 1-5 academic credits depending on the total number of hours worked:

1 credit = 50 hour
2 credits = 100 hours
3 credits = 150 hours
4 credits = 200 hours
5 credits = 250 hours

The internship class (EXPRL 490/491) at the bachelor’s level is a 5-credit class, and depending on the program’s requirements, you may be required to complete 10 total credits.

This class is designed as an independent work experience arranged with an employer around your class schedule. Students do not meet in a classroom setting.

Students apply what they have learned in their classes, preparing them for employment and continuing education.

As part of your internship, students must complete structured assignments to help them reflect on their internship experience.

This is a Graded Course with Asynchronous Assignments.

There is a one-time liability insurance fee of $14 added to this class.

Schedule an appointment (You may make a virtual or on-campus appointment. Select “internship” when scheduling an appointment). The Internship Coordinator will determine if your internship is eligible for credit at the associate level (EXPRL 191/2/3) or bachelor level (EXPRL 490/491).

For students in associate degree programs, once your internship has been approved for credit by the Internship Coordinator, you and your employer both need to fill out the training agreement. After the training agreement has been completed, signed, and returned to the internship coordinator, enrollment information will be sent via email.

For students in the bachelor’s program, you will need to get approval from your program chair before you can register for the class. EXPRL 490/1 classes are only applicable to students enrolled in Applied Accounting, Business Management and Technology, Cybersecurity, Database Management & Analysis, Software Development/AI, & Computer Science.

For international students, please refer to the international students page for the approval process including getting CPT (Curriculum Practical Training) approval.

Step 1: Search Job/Internship Platforms (such as Handshake, LinkedIn, and Indeed)

  • Handshake
    • Handshake is a free internship and job search platform for you to access jobs, internships, and career events based on your interests and skills.
    • Set up your profile on Handshake. Make sure to answer all the questions and complete all the stops on Handshake.
    • You will be able to search and apply for internships through Handshake.
  • LinkedIn and Indeed
    • When searching for internships on other platforms, type the job title and then the word “intern” next to it for best results. For example: Data Management Intern

Step 2: Create/Update your Resume

College Credit for Internships

The Academic Internship Program offers college credit for internships. These are Graded Courses with Asynchronous Assignments. Internships courses are available every quarter including Summer.

EXPRL 191/192/193 Academic Internship Classes

The internship classes EXPRL 191, 192, and 193 at the associate’s level are variable credit classes that offer 1-5 academic credits depending on the total number of hours worked during the quarter:

1 credit=50 hour  2 credits=100 hours  3 credits=150 hours

4 credits=200 hours  5 credits=250 hours

EXPRL 191 EXPRL 192 EXPRL 193

Two women looking at notes while handling a camera

EXPRL 191 B & 192 B Interior Design

Students in the Interior Design Bachelor of Applied Arts degree program are required to earn two credits of internship (EXPRL 191 B). Work experiences related to interior design qualify for internships, such as working for staging companies, interior design firms, architecture firms, design consultants within retail stores, and sales associate positions in interior design-related retail stores. (paint, furniture, tile, carpeting, and window treatment). Internships must be approved by the Interior Design Program Chair and the Internship Coordinator.

2 credits=100 hours

EXPRL 191

Two female architect discussion and brainstorming to design interior building project on blueprint.

EXPRL 490/491 Internship Experience Classes

The internship classes EXPRL 490 and 491 at the bachelor’s level are 5-credit classes, and depending on the program’s requirements, you may be required to complete 10 total credits. Credits may be earned over multiple quarters.

5 credits=250 hours 10 credits=500 hours

EXPRL 490 EXPRL 491

Students collaborating, looking at sketches for a project including a laptop and notes

For more information, book an appointment

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