- What is HTM 302?
- How many internships are required?
- Do they have to be during the summer?
- When can a student do a HTM 302 internship?
- What does the HTM Department consider an internship to be?
- What if a company does not offer internships?
- Does there have to be an equal number of hours spread between all 3 major areas of rotation?
- What kind of company should I try to work for to fulfill my requirement?
- How do I go about getting an internship?
- How do I go about negotiating for an internship?
- When should I begin and end my internship if it is during the summer or during a semester?
- What happens if during the summer or semester the employer isn't giving me the proper number of hours or rotating me as they had originally promised?
- What do I need to do to get the internship credit from the HTM Department?
- Other suggestions?
What is HTM 302?
It is the internship requirement that is necessary for all HTM students to graduate. (See HTM 302 Internship Procedures and HTM 302 Internship Participation Guidelines.)
How many internships are required?
Only one 400-hour internship is required. You will receive one credit hour for an internship. However, you can earn up to 4 credit hours of internship credit, if you desire, by completing the requirements with 4 different companies. If you do an internship for a full semester and complete 800 hours then you may receive 2 credits.
Do they have to be during the summer?
Internships can either be during a summer or during a semester. The number of hours required is still 400 hours, but they all must be completed during one block of time, either a summer or a semester.
When can a student do a HTM 302 internship?
You are required to have completed a minimum of 6 credit hours in the HTM department before you can complete your internship. Many students will get a job in the industry their first summer in HTM and then look for an internship during future summers or semesters.
What does HTM consider as an internship?
Our internship requirements are different from what a company might list as an internship. The HTM department considers an internship to be a position within a hospitality company for 400 hours where the student is rotated and gets experience in at least three major areas. For example, in a hotel you could be at the front desk, reservations, and housekeeping or at a larger hotel, you might work at the front desk, service desk, and concierge, etc.
What if a company does not offer internships?
Many companies that recruit on campus offer internships but the majority of companies that you might contact on your own DO NOT offer internships. (See a list of hospitality companies that recruit on campus.) HOWEVER, very often by not mentioning the word "internship" to a company, you can secure a summer position where you are given experience in a variety of different areas. This meets the HTM internship requirements even though the company does not call it an internship.
Does there have to be an equal number of hours spread between all three major areas of rotation?
No, we only require a reasonable exposure to those areas. Therefore, if you work 400 hours in a restaurant and do food preparation for 200 hours and 100 hours in service-related areas and the rest in a variety of different assignments, you have met our requirements.
What kind of company should I try to work for to fulfill my requirement?
The main goal of this internship requirement is to get experience in our industry. Other than that, we are very flexible in the kind of business you can work for. Basically, it needs to be related to the hospitality industry. Some examples might be country clubs, hotels or motels, foodservice in airports, businesses, sports venues, or health care facilities. Some students work at theme or amusement parks or at state or national parks. Some are involved in special event companies and some work at Purdue in related areas. If you are not sure if your job meets our requirements, please see either a faculty member or Jill Poehlein in the HTM Career Center .
How do I go about getting an internship?
We ask that you read our HTM 302 Internship Packet and attend at least one HTM 302 orientation if you are planning to do your internship the following summer or semester. There are a variety of different methods through which you can secure an internship. It is never too early for you to start talking to people about employment. If you want to live at home during a summer, then we recommend that you start contacting companies in your area and take the internship information with you so that you can explain to potential employers what their role is. You can also attend our HTM Career Day or other presentations and ask companies if they have locations near your home and ask for contact names or other help.
Another way to obtain an internship is by interviewing in the HTM Career Center. Many of the companies recruiting in the HTM Career Center offer internships. (See a list of hospitality companies that recruit on campus.) Some of these internship placements require you to live in another location for the summer, most often resort areas or bigger cities. Sometimes housing is supplied and sometimes not. There are also various job postings in the HTM Career Center for companies that are looking for people but who do not interview on campus, therefore you have to pursue these opportunities on your own. Do not wait until you get home in May before starting your search. This process could take several weeks to secure and begin a summer internship and by then you might not be able to complete the 400-hour requirement.
How do I go about negotiating for an internship?
You need to know all the rules and requirements so that you can explain them to the employer. For example, it is important for them to know that you MUST complete 400 hours during the internship in order to receive credit. You will need to hand in pay stubs to show proof of hours worked. The internship must be paid. If the employer offers room and or meals in exchange for some of your salary, that is acceptable. However, you must receive either an hourly or weekly salary. You must explain that in order to receive internship credit that they will need to expose you to three functional areas. The employer will sign the application form stating what these three or four areas are and that they will be employing you as a summer intern.
When should I begin and end my internship if it is during the summer or during a semester?
Since you are going to need to complete a minimum of 400 hours it will probably be necessary for you to work at least 10 weeks for 40 hours. If you can do it in less time, that is also acceptable. However, if you start the internship later in the summer and run out of time to get your hours or the employer cuts back on your hours, then you will not be able to receive the internship credit. It is your responsibility to complete the hours.
What happens if during the summer or semester the employer isn't giving me the proper number of hours or rotating me as they had originally promised?
It is your job to negotiate and work with the employer. The HTM department cannot force an employer into meeting their commitment. If the job is one you got from an employer through the HTM Career Center then we can offer you some assistance.
What do I need to do to get the internship credit from the HTM department?
If you are going to complete a summer internship you must turn in a signed Internship Application Form to the HTM Career Center no later than June 1. This form is in the HTM Internship Packet or you can download the Internship Application Form. The form is due October 1 for fall internships and by February 1 for spring internships. The Internship Application Form may be faxed, mailed, or given directly to Jill Poehlein in the HTM Career Center. Once we receive this, your employer will receive a letter from us thanking them for giving you this opportunity and attaching the employer progress report forms for the internship.
All internships require students and the employer to complete two evaluations/progress report forms which have specific due dates. (See a list of forms required for the HTM 302 internship.) The student and employer evaluations are due at the same times. If the internship was completed during the fall, the final report and proof of hours is due the first week of the spring semester. If the internship was done during the spring or summer, the report and proof of hours is due the first week of the fall semester. At this time, you will then sign up for a mandatory Internship Facilitation Session that you MUST attend in order to receive credit. We strongly recommend that you write down the date, time, and place so that you do not miss it.
The final paper must follow the guidelines in your Internship Packet (see HTM 302 Final Report Guidelines) and be completed in a professional and thorough manner. A faculty member will be reading this before you attend your facilitation session. If it is not done correctly it will be returned and could result in not getting internship credit.
Other Suggestions
We strongly suggest that you keep an internship diary or log. As you go through the summer or semester it is easy to forget what you have done or learned. You need this information in order to complete your report, so we recommend that you keep a record. If you are having a problem with your internship, do not wait until the middle of the summer to try and work it out with your employer or supervisor.
Please keep in mind that you will be in a real world situation. In some instances, the experience turns out different from what you might have imagined. Remember, it is only for one summer or semester and you will learn a great deal from the overall experience. Your experience will go on your resume and be helpful toward future employment. Please remember to be as professional as you can because not only do you represent Purdue and the HTM department, but most importantly, yourself.
If you should ever have any questions on the whole process, do not hesitate to contact Jill Poehlein in the HTM Career Center at (765) 494-4729 or poehlein@purdue.edu. You may also contact Professor Howard Adler at (765) 494-5998 or adlerh@purdue.edu, or other HTM faculty or staff.
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