Internships

Students who fulfill specific academic standards, including a minimum grade-point average and certain coursework, are invited to apply for internships with public accounting firms and corporate employers that participate in the Department of Accounting's internship program. The department also offers a summer internship program that offers three academic credits upon successful completion of the internship.

All receive staff training; either local or regional. Some of the interns are flown to out-of-town training schools. In any event, they hit the ground running, gaining invaluable experience through their field assignments. The program affords students the opportunity to obtain practical, career-related experience while still in school.

Saint Joseph's University's accounting department offers two internship options:

Option 1: Spring Semester Accounting Internship Program

The first option gives students the opportunity to apply for internships with public accounting firms and corporate employers that participate in the Department of Accounting's internship program. Students must fulfill specific academic standards, including a minimum grade-point average and certain coursework.

Option 2: Summer Accounting Internship Program

The accounting department also offers a paid summer internship program that includes three academic credits upon successful completion of the 600-hour internship program. Students must be pre-approved to participate in the summer internship program during the spring semester of their junior year prior to the start of their internship.

To be considered for the spring internship program, students must fulfill certain academic standards (e.g. a minimum grade-point average and certain coursework). A current resume and personal application must be filed with the Career Center early in the fall semester of a student’s junior year.

Spring Accounting Internship Process

After filing a resume and personal statement with the Career Center, students choose which firms they wish to send their resumes to. All resumes are then forwarded to the firms that select the students they wish to interview. The process is competitive and very similar to the selection process for full-time employees. Selected students then interview with the firms. Offers are made by each firm and students decide which offer to accept.

Summer Accounting Internship Process

In order to make continued progress towards graduation, students complete a two-part summer program. The first consists of an accelerated four-week session and two three-credit upper-division accounting courses. This is immediately followed by the traditional seven-week summer session, which concludes by the first week of July. In addition to working approximately 600 hours with their firms, students are evaluated by their sponsoring firms, are required to maintain a journal documenting their work experiences and must complete a research paper for the course.

Whatever housing accommodations students had prior to the internship will remain the same. For example, if they lived in campus housing, they will continue to do so. Students spend the spring semester with their sponsoring firms. All receive staff training, either local or regional. Some of the interns are flown to out-of-town training schools. In any event, they hit the ground running, gaining invaluable experience through their field assignments.

To learn more about the accounting internships, please contact Joseph Larkin, Ph.D., spring semester accounting internship coordinator, and Kent St. Pierre, Ph.D., summer accounting internship coordinator.