The goal of the Internship Program at the American University in Dubai is to provide students the opportunity to apply theoretical principles learned in the classroom to the professional environment, and to help students make the transition from student to professional. The program promotes connections between AUD, the UAE professional community, and a larger global environment. This is in accordance with the mission statement of AUD which is to serve as a culturally diverse learning community committed to the pursuit of knowledge through excellence in teaching and scholarly and creative endeavors, leading to students’ academic, personal and professional success, as well as the advancement of society.

The internship course is compulsory for all majors at AUD, and students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this program. An internship can complement your classroom experience and allows you to earn credits toward your degree, all the while gaining practical learning experience in a professional, real-world setting.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ACCREDITED AND UNACCREDITED INTERNSHIP?
Accredited internships are recognized by AUD as a course and upon successful completion and a P/F grade is issued for 3 credit hours. They are typically more structured than unaccredited internships which often are considered professional development. Therefore, while both opportunities offer valuable work experience, accredited internships lead to earned credit hours.

AM I ELIGIBLE FOR AN ACCREDITED INTERNSHIP?
To be eligible, students must be of senior status, have completed a minimum of 90 credit hours, and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Different eligibility requirements are set by different departments; so, it is advisable to speak to your Dean/Chair or Career Services before applying. All accredited internships must be completed within the UAE.

HOW LONG DO I NEED TO WORK TO EARN 3 CREDIT HOURS?
It is related to your field of study and can range from a minimum of 225 hours up to 400 hours over 12 weeks to 16 weeks. Ideally, these hours are to be completed within one academic semester (Fall or Spring) or during the Internship Term (May – Aug).

HOW CAN I SECURE AN INTERNSHIP?

• Through the AUD Career Center (https://audubai.jobteaser.com)
• Through your personal network
• OR Through your faculty advisor/professors

WHAT IS THE INTERNSHIP REGISTRATION PROCESS AT AUD?
First, you should familiarize yourself with the Internship Manual before registering for the internship course.

It is important to apply for the course before commencing the internship and the required documents have to be submitted online at https://registrar.aud.edu/ before the end of the scheduled registration period at the beginning of each semester – the registration deadline for the internship extends beyond the registration period of other courses, kindly seek the guidance of the Registrar’s office in that regard.

The internship placement cannot be changed after the submission of the relevant documents online. The Dean/Chair’s approval needs to be acquired for exceptional cases.

Before you begin an internship, you must do the following –

• Complete the online registration ( https://registrar.aud.edu ) 

• Upload a stamped and signed copy of the acceptance letter on official company letterhead obtained from the host company in pdf format. In some cases where the acceptance letter is not available at the time of application for the internship, the student may upload a copy at a later date before the registration deadline. However, the application will remain “incomplete” at the Career Services level until receipt of the letter before the registration deadline.

During the internship, students are responsible for submitting required documentation to their faculty internship supervisor as per the course syllabus of each Department and as per the timeline suggested by the internship supervisor. The Internship Related Reports and/or Daily Journals should be compiled by the student.

All post-internship documents must be submitted to the faculty internship advisor for grading within ten (10) days after the completion of the internship unless differently instructed by the faculty advisor. Failure to submit components that contribute to the grading of the internship, will result in an incomplete or fail grade. It is your responsibility to ensure appropriate submission.

On the last day of the internship, the company supervisor receives a reminder email to evaluate the student by completing the Evaluation Report, please make sure they have received it before you leave the company at the end of your internship.

Note: Internships without an evaluation report from the company cannot be graded by the faculty internship supervisors, resulting in an incomplete grade.