Internships & Co-Ops for Credit
ENGR 395 – Get Course Credit
Register for ENGR 395 if you would like to receive technical elective credit while you are working in an internship/co-op. This is a required course for undergraduate international students in order to be eligible for CPT.
VIEW INTERNSHIP COURSE ENROLLMENT & SUCCESS WEBINAR
The course is graded Credit/No Credit. To get a passing grade, you will need to complete a 10 page technical report graded by a faculty member within your department. You are responsible for seeking out faculty that agrees to grade the report. View a sample syllabus here.
- Fall/Spring Semesters: 2 units
- Summer Session: 1 unit
- Co-Op: 3 units over 2 semesters*
*If you are interested in a co-op, please schedule an appointment on Viterbi Career Gateway to discuss the additional details.
- Completed at least three semesters of engineering curriculum
- 2.6+ GPA
- Work experience in the internship directly relates to your respective engineering major*
- Working at least 15-20 hours per week during the fall/spring semesters. During the summer, you can work up to 40 hours per week.
*CSBA majors that wish to do a business internship must enroll for a course in the Marshall School of Business. Business internships will not be approved for ENGR 395.
1) Completed Course Summary
The completed course summary can be found on Oasis. Please provide a one-page screenshot that includes your grades and GPA to date.
2) Offer Letter & Job Description
Submit an offer letter provided by the company on the company letterhead. The offer letter must provide a start and end date. You will also need to submit a detailed job description. The description should provide enough information to determine that the internship is related to the your major.
3) Signed Advisement Form OR Course Plan- Signed by Academic advisor
We have provided an advisement form that can be filled out by your academic advisor. However, it is preferable that you have your academic advisor create a semester course plan that includes ENGR 395 and have them sign it.
4) Student Agreement Form
The student agreement form is your acknowledgment and agreement to stay at your internship or co-op for the agreed upon time period. If you have to end your internship early because of an emergency, you must inform the employer and our office.
5) Signed Student/Employer Agreement Form
The signed student/employer agreement form is signed by the student and internship/co-op supervisor. If you have not been assigned a direct supervisor, please list your HR/company contact. The form goes over a few important details including:
- Students should not be expected to work more than 20 hours per week during the fall or spring semester unless they are enrolled in a co-op. Students enrolled during the summer semester should work no more than 40 hours per week.
- The student must engage in work that is related to their major.
- The extent of the assignment must match the academic semester in which the student is enrolled.
6) Faculty Agreement Form
The faculty agreement form must be signed by a faculty member within your academic department. You are responsible for seeking out a faculty that agrees to grade your report. Fill out as much of the form as possible so that the faculty member only has to sign the form.
7) CPT Form
International students must submit a CPT form to OIS. You will need to fill out the entire form. A VCC staff member will sign it once all registration materials are received.
The last day to register for ENGR 395 for Summer 2020 is, Friday, July 9th. Please submit your request at least 1-week prior. Once you submit your request it will be reviewed and you will receive follow up communication with next steps. It typically takes 3-5 business days to receive D-clearance.
International Student Career Resources
View the CPT & Internship Success Webinar or go to https://viterbigrad.usc.edu/cpt page for more information on graduate level CPT information.
Viterbi Career Connections supports international students through:
- Career & Internship Advising
- Navigating the US Job Search
- Interview Preparation
- Professional Development
- Career-Related Events
- D-Clearance approval
- CPT Pathway on Experience Viterbi App
- CPT Offer Letter Review
The VASE Advising Office supports international students through:
- International Student Services such as RCL, CPT, OPT, and Program Extensions
- Working Closely with OIS
- Completing Graduation Verification Section on OPT I-20
The Office of International Services supports international students through:
- Immigration Advising
- Providing Resources Related to Visa Status
- Obtaining US Work Authorization
- Immigration Services
- Providing Final Approval for CPT/OPT
CPT
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of work authorization that allows F-1 international students to participate in paid off-campus academic internships during their degree program. The purpose of CPT is academic, not just for employment purposes, and the internship must be considered an integral part of a student’s degree program.
NOTE FOR SUMMER 2020:
CPT authorization is intended to facilitate off-campus opportunities that resemble classroom instruction, albeit in a more practical context. A key characteristic of such an experience is a supervisory relationship, consisting of regular assignment and evaluation of deliverables. Practical Training also implies meaningful immersion in a professional environment.
Students who request CPT for remote positions should keep detailed documentation establishing
- the existence of a supervisory relationship throughout their period of authorization, and
- how they achieved professional immersion despite working remotely.
GRADUATE STUDENTS REQUIRING CPT SHOULD FILL OUT AN APPLICATION LOCATED AT HTTPS://VITERBIGRAD.USC.EDU/CPT/.
OPT
GRADUATE STUDENTS SHOULD REVIEW THE OPT INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THE VITERBI GRAD WEBSITE IN ADDITION TO THE OIS POST-COMPLETION OPT PAGE.
Work Authorization
FIND OUT MORE BY VISITING THE F-1 STUDENT EMPLOYMENT PAGE.
Viterbi Career Gateway
Gateway is a career-related resource dedicated to the needs of Viterbi students. This system allows you to search for engineering internship/co-op and full time jobs and gives you access to information about Viterbi-specific events and resources. There is also an option to filter for positions that offer visa sponsorship!
Tool Kit
Use the online tool-kit for job search quick tips and additional internship and career resources.
Career Advising
Not sure how to answer questions about your status during an interview? Take advantage of drop-in hours Monday through Friday between 12:00 - 3:00 PM to get your specific questions answered or login to Gateway to make an appointment.
Interstride
An interactive career platform designed by international students, for international students, to enhance their career exploration and job-search experience. Students can access Interstride through (https://web.interstride.com/) by logging in with their USC NetID and password.
USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub
Provides information to the public on employers petitioning for H-1B workers. The data hub is part of their continued effort to increase transparency in employment-based visa programs by allowing the public to search for H-1B petitioners by fiscal year (back to FY 2009), NAICS code, employer name, city, state, or ZIP code.
Accessible through Viterbi Career Gateway
GoinGlobal - 16 million+ worldwide internship and job postings searchable in the local language, as well as English, updated daily.
Career Beam - career development portal designed to provide all the resources necessary to guide individuals through the strategic job search process and achieve their career goals.
Candid Career - thousands of career videos with interview tips, job information, or career guidance to help you find your dream job.
Career Access Resource Library (CARL) - allows you to search hardcopy and online resources for your graduate school, internship, fellowship, & career exploration.
Versatile PhD - the oldest, largest online community dedicated to non-academic and non-faculty careers for PhDs in humanities, social science and STEM.
Vault.com - provides rankings and reviews to find the best companies to work for and the best internship programs.
iNet Internship Consortium - where employers post internships (only) for a select group of universities.
Viterbi Link - your exclusive online mentoring platform where alumni share their career and industry-related experiences and information with you.
External Links
More Opportunities
Login to USC Career Center's ConnectSC to apply for internship & co-op positions.
International Experiences
International Student Events
Check out events hosted by USC's Office of International Services (OIS)
Have an Internship?
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Check Out Where Viterbi Students Interned Over Summer…
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