Disney's advanced internships are available to students who have completed WDW's College Program or who have training in specific fields. They must be either a junior or a senior in good standing, and the application process is similar to that of the College Program. Internships are available in more areas than the College Program. They include such fields as finance, marketing, sales, journalism, horticulture, biotechnology, and library science. The advanced internships last seven to nine months and often the students receive up to 12 semester credit hours.
Students work at different jobs that relate to their field and are moved from site to site.
For example, a student interested in water park management may work at guest relations at Typhoon Lagoon or be a coordinator of recreation at one of the resort hotels. A portfolio is also required in the advanced program. Each intern is assigned both a manager and a mentor, each providing the intern with individual guidance and role models. The Disney internships are but one example of the internships that students in our department have experienced. Over the past 25 years, I have consistently seen the merit of internships as an educational tool.