Gaining practical, on-the-job experience under the guidance of an experienced HR professional is a fundamental cornerstone of the graduate program in Human Resource Development at Villanova. In fact, it is so critical that working as an intern is one of our requirements for graduation.

The key to making the experience beneficial is ensuring that the intern’s manager is someone who has proven skills and competencies in one or more of the HR functional areas – such as compensation, benefits, employee relations, organization training, talent management, employee development, or recruiting.

Process at a Glance

One of the benefits of being a student in Villanova’s program is that we assist the students to acquire an internship. By working with their advisor, students are able to get prepared for interviews and get assistance in seeking out companies where good work experiences are available.

Upon accepting an internship, the student needs to do the following:

• Give their manager the required forms and explain our policies and procedures. Both student and the employer are required to complete the forms – including the evaluation and the student’s weekly activity log. This documentation is required in order for the student to get credit for the internship.
• Communicate with his/her academic advisor to ensure that he/she is registered for and gets credit for the internship. The advisor will meet with the student on a regular basis to review activity progress and feedback from the employers.

Internships require a minimum of 120 hours in duration, they can span over more than one semester, and they are always paid. The number of hours per week will vary according to the employer’s needs and the student’s availability. Many times after completing an internship, the student will be offered a permanent position with the organization. **Please note: In order to fulfill the internship requirement in the HRD program and receive the 3 credits, a student must be financially compensated by the employer for that internship position.

Should a student have sufficient work experience in the field of human resources when they begin their graduate studies in HRD, he/she can request to have the internship requirement waived. This would require the student to submit documentation, such as a resume, which would provide specific examples of his/her work experience in human resources. Waiver requests should be addressed with academic advisors.

Employers interested in recruiting Villanova students in the Graduate Programs of Human Resource Development for Internships, should contact Patricia Russell, the Program Coordinator, at patricia.russell@villanova.edu for details and procedures.