Internships
Overview
The Department of Economics offers an academic internship program where students earn course credit for their internship. This internship course (ECN491) fulfills the experiential learning requirement for economics majors. Our goal is for at least half of our majors to complete an internship before graduation.
Economics, Analysis, and Policy Internship Program
The Economics, Analysis, and Policy Internship (ECN 491) at Saint Joseph's University is a course that allows students to work as unpaid or paid interns with local employers while earning academic credit. The program is available in the fall, spring and summer semesters.
The program is a three-way partnership between a student intern, an employer, and the internship director. The department maintains connections with dozens of employers who are committed to offering internships to students. In addition, students may find their own internships, which must be approved first by the internship director prior to the start of the semester.
How Can I Find an Internship?
Students should take ECN290 - Professional Prep Seminar (1 credit hour) prior to starting their internship search. This course will help them to learn more about their career interests and will teach them job search skills. Then, students can find a wide range of opportunities through Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed.com, Idealist.org and many other job or internship search sites. Additionally, when alumni and other employers notify our department of other positions, the internship director sends out emails to economics students.
How Long Is the Internship Program?
During the fall and spring, internships run for 14 weeks, with student interns working 10-12 hours per week. The internship director works closely with student interns and employers before, during and after the internship. As a result of this partnership, both students and employers maximize the benefit they derive from the experience.
How Do I Get Academic Credit for My Internship?
Students who register for ECN 491 get upper-division credit toward their major or minor. If their position is sufficiently analytic, they may receive credit for a math, data sciences or decision and system sciences elective. If their position is sufficiently policy-related, they may receive credit for a public policy elective.
If you're interested in learning more about this academic internship program, please contact us.
How to Have a Successful Internship
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- Students must have completed ECN290 - Professional Prep Seminar or register for it concurrently with ECN491.
- Students must contact the internship director as soon as they have secured an internship. The student is required to research the employer's position in the industry and in the local Philadelphia economy.
- Students must be registered for ECN491 prior to the start of the internship and have their internship approved by the director.
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- While working 10 hours per week, students are responsible for keeping a daily work journal. They must also find academic articles related to their work, write a about these articles and submit a write-up about the integration of their internship experience with their academics, among other assignments.
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- The internship director will hold a meeting with interns to share their experiences and reflect on their work experiences.
- The director will contact internship supervisors for an evaluation of their interns.
Past Internships
Our economics students have participated in a wide range of positions during their time at Saint Joseph's University. Internships gave them the opportunity to learn more about numerous fields such as financial services, health economics, environmental policy, economic development, labor economics and more.
Students have previously interned at the following companies and government agencies:
- AXA Advisors
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Center for Public Health Research
- Comcast
- Commerzbank North America
- EducationWoorrks
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
- Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
- Fiberlink
- GuideStar
- Haverford Quality Investments
- IMA Consulting
- ING Financial PartnersJP Morgan Chase
- KPMG
- McAdams Financial
- Morgan Stanley
- Northeast Professional Planning Group
- NY Life
- Pepperidge Farm
- Profugo
- Randano Law Office
- RBC Wealth Management
- SciStarter
- Sears Holding Corp
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- U.S. Department of Labor
- Wawa
- Windsor Financial Group
- Zeigler’s Beverage