Internship Program

Internship opportunities come from local companies, alumni, and partners of the School of Business and Economics, all of whom want to work with SSU students. Many internships accept students continuously so check any posting that looks interesting. We are committed to expanding and improving both the number of internships we jointly sponsor and the quality of our efforts. The SBE also offers Work Experience opportunities for students. Learn more about Work Experience options. 

The School of Business and Economics (SBE) Center for Professional Engagement works to systematically:

1. Develop internship opportunities for our students.
2. Develop close relationships with organizations sponsoring internships.
3. Track the outcome of internship experiences from the point of view of the intern and the sponsoring organization.

Internships require the prior approval of the Internship Director, Dr. Kyuho Lee. This means students must attend an information session prior to applying for an internship AND all internships must be approved before their start date.

Contact Dr. Kyuho Lee at leeky@sonoma.edu.

See Internship Listings

Internship Requirements for BUS 499 and BUS 596

The typical intern works ten to twenty hours per week. Forty-five hours of work are required per unit of credit.

For undergraduate students, internships may be used as one of the five courses required for any given concentration, except accounting. Accounting students, however, very frequently do an internship because of their inherent value. For graduate students, an internship may be used as one of the electives required in the MBA program. All internships are designed in a fashion that requires payment under state and federal wage and hour laws. 

Internships may not be done where students have already been employed.

Internships are appropriate for advanced undergraduate or graduate students working in fields that relate directly to their career or academic interests. Students must have completed two courses in their concentration prior to seeking an internship; Wine Business Strategies students must have completed BUS 305W prior to seeking an internship. A waiver of these requirements requires extraordinary circumstances.

Criteria used in approving internships:

• Internships must be paid.
• There must be a clear and specified relationship to an academic program.
• Placement must be at a professional level of responsibility appropriate for university credit. This does not imply that interns do not do routine work.
• Internship credit is not appropriate in an organization where a student is already employed.
• Internships involving a potential conflict of interests are not appropriate. Working in a small family business would be an example of such a potential conflict.
• Internships require prior approval of the Internship Director.

For undergraduate students, four units maximum may be applied to the major in Business Administration. More than four units may be earned; however, units exceeding four are elective units and may apply toward the overall unit total needed for a degree. For graduate students, a maximum of three units may be applied toward the requirement for the MBA degree. See the Internship Director to Apply.

Tips for Finding a Great Internship:

• View internships on the SBE Internships Google Drive.
• Search for internships on Handshake often, as new positions are added regularly.
• Explore internship postings on other recommended job search sites.
• Explore internships in other Business concentrations. They might give you valuable insight into a different field that you would enjoy.
• If you're interested in an internship with a company not listed on Handshake, go to the company's website and use the internal search function to search for careers, jobs, or internships.

If you have any questions about internships, please email Dr. Kyuho Lee.