In order for a Winter Term Internship application to be approved, the members of the Curriculum Committee must be convinced that the internship will provide the intern either an opportunity to grow intellectually or a professional experience directly related to the intern's major or intended postgraduate career. Mere bystanding is not sufficient, and a distinction is made between professional careers and other work experience. Routine office experience, clerical work, or the continuation of a summer job or internship is not suitable. Winter Term Internships require a minimum of 100 hours of active participation during Winter Term. According to Middlebury College policy, internships for academic credit are unpaid career experiences, although students may receive a stipend to pay for their living expenses.
Internships are available to sophomores, juniors and seniors.
A student may not repeat the same winter term internship for credit. A second internship must be substantially different from the first. Generally, the Curriculum Committee will not look favorably on an application that involves work in the same organization as an earlier internship, or work that involves repeated application of the same skills and experiences used in an internship previously completed. A maximum of two internships may be taken during any student's four year college career. The Curriculum Committee has established a list of pre-approved internships undertaken by students in previous years.