The value of credit bearing internships for students, employers and institutions of higher education

A well-educated workforce is critical for the economic development and success of this country (Kazis et al., 2007; Symonds, 2005). Colleges and universities are being challenged to demonstrate effective ways this is contributing to the development of a successful workforce. Although many in academe believe that experiential education is a good thing for students as they make the transition to the world-of-work, there is relatively little research regarding how this benefit the individual student’s development. Internships, one form of experiential education, have been designated high-impact educational practices by many colleges and universities throughout the United States, because they bestow substantial educational benefits to the students who participate in them (Kuh, 2008; O’Neill, 2010). The study purpose to determine the “value” of credit bearing internships for college students. This archival study examined data from approximately 27,500 undergraduates from 298 colleges and universities throughout the United States who were surveyed between September and December 2011.