There are many benefits of internship for students.

• Accounting internships offer students opportunities to develop practical, marketable skills and integrate practice with the theory and foundation learned in the classroom.
• Exposure to the real world--Through internships, students gain opportunities to practice what they learned in school; obtain greater familiarity with the business environment; enhance knowledge of specific industries, organizations, occupations, and positions; and extend their understanding of business processes. As a result, subsequent coursework becomes more relevant and relatable.
• Students have a chance to practice their communication skills in the business environment. This leads to a deeper appreciation of the key role of communication skills in the business world and greater insight into the interaction between people as a critical factor in business success at all levels.
• The internship program improves the working relationship between the Department of Accounting and the community by developing a mutually beneficial partnership.
• Internships assist students in solidifying or modifying career goals, developing a realistic approach to the job market, and becoming familiar with various types of employers.

Students must meet certain requirements to receive academic credit for internships.

• The internship program is open to UNLV junior and senior students with a declared major in accounting (ACC 481) and MSA students (ACC 781). Undergraduate transfer students must have completed at least 24 credit hours (including a minimum of six credit hours in accounting) at UNLV.
• Students may earn three credit hours (ACC 481) by completing a minimum of 150 work hours during the internship. ACC 481 is graded as either satisfactory (S) or fail (F). Students will pass the class upon completing the requirements (discussed later) and receiving a satisfactory evaluation from the employer. ACC 781 students will receive a letter grade that is based upon the student paper, employer evaluation and the completion of the other requirements (discussed later).
• Students must have a minimum 2.5 overall grade point average and a minimum 2.5 grade point average in accounting. Employers may specify higher criteria for particular internships.
• Students must have completed six credits of upper-division accounting classes (ACC473 does not count towards this requirement).
• Generally, the intern may not have a pre-existing relationship with the employer. For example, neither an internship with an existing employer nor an internship with a family member is allowed.

Accounting majors and MSA students should be on the lookout for internship opportunities that are sent through unlvccounting@unlv.edu. If you see an internship that interests you, please follow the instructions in the email for applying. Internships offered through unlvaccounting@unlv.edu generally meet the requirements for academic credit.

If an employer offers you an internship and you want to receive academic credit for the internship (ACC 481 or ACC 781), please email Danny Siciliano (danny.siciliano@unlv.edu) to start the approval process. Undergraduate accounting majors will need to complete an application. The application will be approved by the internship coordinator. MSA students do not need to complete an application. Instead, they will need the approval of the internship coordinator and the director of graduate programs for accounting.

Eligible students can also find an internship on their own through their personal contacts, through the Lee Business School Career Services office or through the UNLV Career Link site. In order for these internships to qualify for academic credit, the internship coordinator will determine whether the position involves duties and responsibilities normally assigned to professional accountants holding an undergraduate degree in accounting. Clerical positions solely involving bookkeeping, accounts payable, payroll, etc. are not eligible for internship credit. While these positions provide a student with useful experience in the mechanics of an accounting information system, they do not provide the professional challenges and experiences necessary for internship credit.

To obtain the desired benefits from the experience, interns must:

• Approach the internship in a professional manner and be a productive employee. Interns act as goodwill ambassadors, representing the employer, the Department of Accounting, and the Lee Business School.
• Meet the professional requirements of the work assignment and assume all duties and responsibilities inherent in the employer-employee relationship.
• Adhere to company work hours, policies, procedures, and rules governing professional staff behavior.
• Contact the internship coordinator promptly if problems arise during the internship.

In order to receive academic credit for internships, there are five requirements:

1. At the beginning of the internship, submit a paper (one-page maximum) describing your internship expectations. Specifically, please answer the following three questions:

• What skills do you expect to learn?
• How do you assess your current skillsets and readiness to perform the work required in the internship?
• How do you think this internship will help you with your career goals and job search?

2. Schedule a meeting and meet with the internship coordinator halfway through your internship to provide a status update relative to your expectations set in the first requirement above.
3. At the completion of your internship, you must submit a two-part paper (5-8 pages for ACC 481 and 3-5 pages for ACC 781) reflecting on your internship experience and the insights you gained regarding your future career goals and plans.

• Part I: What did you learn? Evaluate your internship experience. Did you achieve your learning objectives? What did you learn about the organization/company/industry? What did you learn about yourself and what skills and behaviors were effective? What development needs did you discover?
• Part II: How will this experience shape your career goals and job search? Develop a self-marketing plan that indicates your career objectives subsequent to graduation and a step-by-step plan to achieve your goal. Discuss networking connections made during your internship experience.

4. At the end of the internship, the student needs to ensure that his/her employer completes the Certificate of Completion, verifying that the student satisfactorily completed the internship.
5. At the end of the internship, the student needs to ensure that his/her employer completes the Internship Evaluation.

The Internship Coordinator will determine your grade based upon the five requirements above.

Faculty Internship Coordinator

Danny Siciliano, CPA, CMA
danny.siciliano@unlv.edu