Internships are an important aspect of your undergraduate experience - allowing you to apply the skills you have gained from your academic pursuits in practical work environments and research. Our department is committed to the ASA's curricular recommendations for students to be career ready and competitive in the job market. We offer a career development course for our majors; numerous opportunities for departmental engagement and development of leadership skills; and include an option in our senior capstone for students to pursue approved internships for credit.
SOC 199: Career Development
Meet your peers and dive into all career-development designed for Sociology majors; examine the skills you obtain through classes; identify your marketable skills; and be prepared for your internship/job/career/grad school searches. Students will leave the course with a better understanding of the career decision-making process; career options for Sociology majors; the internship/job/grad school search process; and prepared to design their Illini experience for success.
Register by visiting Course Explorer and searching SOC 199.
SOC 400: Internships
Sociology 400 is the Sociology Department's internship course and is one of the options to meet the Capstone Requirement. To enroll students must get any internship on or off-campus, approved by the undergraduate academic advisor using the application linked below. Applications must be received before the 1st class day of the term in which they are applying and internships must meet the Guidelines for Internships.
Application for Course Approval - SOC 400 Internships
Seats are limited and reserved for primary majors.
If students have questions regarding special circumstances or accommodations, they are encouraged to email soc-adivsing@illinois.edu
Internship Search Resources
Sociology majors find internship opportunities in a variety of ways:
Find existing internships:
- Make an appointment at the Career Center for Career Coaching to begin your search process
- Utilize Handshake https://grad.illinois.edu/careers/handshake
- Combine technology skills + professional experience through ATLAS Internship Program
- UIUC Research Park offers the chance to work alongside industry leaders
- LAS designed guidance on internships, career exploration, mentorship from peers at LAS Career Services + the Peer Mentoring Hub
- Think outside of campus - Washington D.C., Chicago, even our local Champaign-Urbana community
- SOC Advising - we may have internships available in our own department!
Create your own internship:
Think about and research what and where you'd like to intern. Find the contact info for the organizations and reach out.
- Ask friends, relatives, adviser, former employers for ideas/leads
- If they already have a volunteer program, they may be more willing to make you a intern
- Reach out early and provide your resume, statement of interest and references.
- Identify organizations/companies in your local area to connect with for possibly internship experience
Additional Tips on Searching
- Watch the UIUC Department of Sociology Conducting an Internship/Job Search Zoom presentation.
Implement Effective Internship Search Strategies. Landing an internship offer requires planning, preparation, and persistence. Be prepared to apply to many positions, know that even if you are a qualified candidate, you may not get the offer - prepare for rejection and develop your support network of who you lean on when you get discouraged and who will cheer you on and keep your confidence high. Secrets of a Recruiter: Job Search Strategies to Get That Interview!
