What students must do to successfully complete an internship for credit.

1. The Internship Process:
Six Stages to Success
Public Policy majors, follow these instructions carefully
to fulfill your major requirement.
No internship, no graduation — no exceptions!
Don’t tackle this challenge alone. We are here to support you! Not
sure where to begin? Overwhelmed?
Visit Career Services in Sanford Suite 257 for guidance.

2. Spend 15 Minutes to Save Hours
It takes no more than 15 minutes to review these slides, but they will save
you hours of trouble, frustration and wasted time. Getting an internship
can take up to 12 months, so return to this information whenever you are
uncertain about your next step.
This presentation explains how to get an internship, covering these six
stages of the process:
1. Get ready.
2. Find internship options.
3. Prepare resume with your internship TA.
4. Meet with Career Advisor to discuss options and resume.
5. Apply for internships and receive offer.
6. Complete your requirement.
Essential details and deadlines you must know are included.

3. Know This Before You Begin
• Finding an internship is not a DIY process – it’s your job to ask
for help, and it’s our job to guide you.
• Meeting with us early in your internship seeking process is
essential to avoid missteps and wasting time .
• Getting information from an older Duke student instead of
following these directions nearly always backfires. Internships
and requirements change often.
• Planning to complete these five classes prior to the start of
your internship is crucial:
1. PPS 155 2. PPS 301 3. PPS 302
4. Stats 101 5. PPS 303 (or Econ 201D)

4. Internship Hours Requirements
• Internships completed over the school year
require 280 total hours (roughly 20 hours per week if
completed during a single semester or 10 hours per week if
completed over 2 semesters.)
• Summer internships require 350 hours.
• Combinations of semester and summer
internships require 300 hours.

5. Stage 1: Get Ready
• Create a Career Link (CL) account.
• Complete your Personal and Academic
profiles on CL.
• Create your LinkedIn profile.
• Attend a mandatory information session.
Career Services announces dates and
times for these sessions in CL.
If you have problems with Career Link,
contact nicole.kubinsky@duke.edu
(You can’t see the Jobs & Internships or Employer
listings until these profiles are completed).

6. Stage 2: Find Internship Options
Search for internships with these resources:
Internships Databases
• Career Link
• LinkedIn
• Idealist
• Indeed
• Brad Traverse
Duke Resources
• Stanback Internships
• Hart Leadership
Program/SOL/ELI/LAPI
• Summer Internships in India
• Duke in DC
• DukeConnect
• Duke Engage (a few of these
programs qualify)
• Career Services Staff
Watch out for early deadlines! The
State Dept., CIA and other federal
agencies have October 17th
deadlines.

7. Stage 2: Find Internship Options
(continued)
• Tell your family, friends, professors and
Career Services staff what kind of
internship you are seeking. Ask if they can
help.
• Create a spreadsheet using the CL
template, listing information on at least 20
possible internships.

8. Note on Academic Year Internships
Important change for academic year internships beginning Fall
2015:
• Complete your requirement through the Local Impact Consulting
Internships program.
• Notify Career Services staff before May 1 if you plan to
participate in the Local program or you may delay your
graduation.
• Know that research with faculty will NOT meet your Public Policy
internship graduation requirement.
• Visit Career Services in the Sanford Building, Suite 257, if you
have questions.

9. Stage 3: Prepare Resume
• Prepare your resume with your internship
TA using CL templates.
• Upload your resume for approval on CL
once your TA gives you the “OK.”

10. Stage 4: Meet with Career Advisor
• Schedule appointment with Career
Services Staff via Career Link (not email).
• Bring your computer, list of potential
internships and approved resume to your
meeting with Career Services staff.
• Take notes and email your next steps to
your TA and Career Services staff after the
meeting.
Always put your full name in the subject line of emails!

11. Stage 5: Apply for Internships & Receive
Offer from Organization
• Make sure the internship is approved before accepting it!
See if your internship organization is listed in CL under
Employers.
(If not, fill out “Does This Fit PubPol Criteria?” in CL and follow up with Career Advisor
to confirm approval in 5 days.)
• Add the new internship to your internship record. (Click on “Add
New” and fill out the internship information form. “Work Plan” and “Learning Objectives”
sections must be approved by both your supervisor and Career Services.)
• Check CL 7 days after all materials are complete to confirm
internship approval.

12. Step 6: Complete Your Requirement
• Submit Student Evaluation via CL by August 5th. (Click on Internship
Record next to the red circle on Student Evaluation – icon is only there if the internship record is
filled out.)
• Meet with your internship supervisor to review your
performance.
• Ensure your supervisor has completed your evaluation by
August 5th. You may check the status of your internship
requirements at the bottom of your personal profile page on
CL.
• Write and upload your 5-page memo by August 5 – see next
slide.
• Register for PPS 120 – see upcoming slide.

13. Memo Details
• Write your 5-page double spaced memo,
using the CL template.
• Use this file name notation: Last two digits
of the current year, last name, first name,
memo and .pdf (Example file name for Jane Doe who
completes an internship in 2020 would be “20DoeJaneMemo.PDF”.)
• Upload to documents page in CL by
selecting “Memo/Other Documents.”

14. Public Policy 120
This “class” is not a traditional class - it’s your internship. PPS
120 is required to graduate so please note how to register for
it:
1. Make sure your internship record has been approved.
2. Request a permission number from
Nicole.Kubinsky@duke.edu. She will assign numbers after
June 1 for approved internship records.
3. Register for PPS 120. Drop/add rules apply.

15. Important Deadlines
Summer Internships
May 1 – internship record
August 5 – memo
August 5 – student and
supervisor evaluations
Fall Internships
May 1 – internship record
Wed. after Fall Break – memo
Dec. 1 – student and supervisor
evaluations
Spring Internships
Dec. 1 – internship record
Wed. after Spring Break – memo
May 1 – student and supervisor
evaluations
To graduate on time, and to avoid failing PPS 120, you must meet these
deadlines! Provide the items listed by 11:59 p.m. on the dates below.
Want to graduate on time?
We want you to also! You need to see
Career Services Staff before Spring
Break (at the latest) of your junior year
and meet these completion deadlines to
graduate!

16. Essential Tips for an
Easier Internship Process
• Put your name in the subject line of all emails to
Career Services Staff.
• Use the cover letter, resume and other
templates in CL.
• Ask Career Services Staff about possible
funding if your desired internship is unpaid.
• Pay attention to deadlines to avoid missing
application dates and failing PPS 120.

17. Questions?
Do not delay getting your questions
answered so you can keep moving forward
in the internship process!
Visit Career Link for important details OR
come see us in the Career Services Office
located in the Sanford Building, Suite 257.