Internship Brochure

What is the accountancy internship program?

The internship program is designed to give students an opportunity to combine their formal academic preparation with an exposure to professional accounting practice.

Participants are hired on a full-time basis for a minimum of eight weeks into entry-level professional positions in corporations, accounting firms, and government organizations.

This "real world" experience benefits students not only upon graduation, but also during the remainder of their coursework in the 150-Hour and MAcc Programs.

In addition, the accountancy internship program allows students to earn three hours of course credit and an entry-level professional salary. These internships often lead to permanent job offers upon graduation.

Eligibility

You must meet the following requirements to participate in a for-credit internship, and therefore, to interview on campus with the accounting firms:

Students will have completed (at the time of the internship) at least 105 hours, including the completion of Accountancy 3326, 3328, 3346, 3347 and 3353.

Academic credit is not available for an internship during a student's final semester in the program. The academic advantages of an internship experience are tied to the student's return to academic classes.

You may only receive credit for one internship.

I meet the eligibility requirements. What do I do next?

Register with the Career Services Office (in the College of Business) so that you can participate in on-campus interviews. On-campus interviews for winter and summer internships are held during the Fall Semester, usually in October. You should attend a Career Services orientation meeting (held during the first week of classes in the Fall Semester).

Keep in mind that often times, winter internships are of higher quality than summer internships. Since it is the "busy" season, students have better job assignments and they have a more realistic view of what they will be doing upon graduation. Additionally, the accounting firms have more intern positions available during the Winter Semester.

When you have accepted an internship offer, enroll in Accountancy 4940 or 7940. Upon enrollment, you will receive an internship contract. You will be required to complete a written assignment to receive Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory credit. Your employer will be required to complete an evaluation of your internship performance.

I don't meet the for-credit requirements, but I would like to complete a non-credit internship. What should I do?

If you decide to pursue a non-credit accountancy internship, you cannot interview on campus. You must contact the accounting firms directly on your own.

The on-campus interviews are for students who are seeking a for-credit internship. The objective of the internship program is to give all of our students an opportunity to have a for-credit internship. The senior year is a key time to complete an internship because employers often extend full-time offers to students after they have completed an internship (since they only have a year remaining until graduation).

Generally, employers prefer to get acquainted with you during your junior year in preparation for an internship during your senior year. As a junior, it is still beneficial to be registered with the Career Services Office. You can begin utilizing valuable services they offer such as resume workshops, etiquette dinners, and mock interviews. The registration fee is a one-time fee.

As you are planning your courses, you may want to consider summer school after your junior year if that would enable you to complete a Winter Internship during your senior year.

If you participate in a Winter Internship, you spend eight weeks of the semester doing your for-credit internship. During the remaining eight weeks of the semester, you return to campus to complete six hours of eight-week courses. You can earn nine hours of course credit during the Winter Semester. Be sure to plan your coursework with Phyllis Moore to minimize disruptions in your program.

Additionally, summer school might enable you to get ahead in the program, allowing you to take fewer hours of coursework during the last semester before you graduate. Many students find this extremely advantageous. A lighter course load in the final semester allows you to devote more time to a CPA Review course and to study for the CPA Exam. Students then take the CPA exam in the Spring, right before they graduate. Many students like this option because if they pass the CPA exam the first time, they don't have to worry about taking the exam and studying while they are working full-time.

If you have further questions about Accountancy Internships, contact:

Loren Nikolai
Director of the 150-Hour and Master of Accountancy Programs
303 Cornell Hall
(573)882-2869
nikolai@missouri.edu