Field-based learning is an important part of the graduate curriculum allowing students to gain valuable industry experience and networking opportunities. Students can explore interests and use knowledge gained from coursework in their work environment.
Field-based options include internships, courses with fieldwork projects, and Global Business Experience courses.
Students are limited to taking no more than two of the following to satisfy elective or concentration requirements:
- Credit-bearing internships
- Field-based directed studies
- Global Business Experience courses
General Policies & Requirements
- All required work for an internship must be completed during the term of registration.
- Students are expected to work 20 hours per week for a minimum of 12 weeks, unless otherwise noted.
- Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0, unless otherwise noted.
- Graduate assistants must obtain permission to register for an internship course. Please email Associate Dean of Business, Heikki Topi or bring the form to Morison 305.
- Entire application process, including faculty submission of student information to Registrar, must be completed no later than the add/drop deadline of each semester.
- Any courses dropped to accommodate internship course registration beyond the add/drop deadline of each semester are subject to published refund deadlines.
- Regular withdrawal deadlines and penalties apply once the student has been registered for the internship course through the Registrar’s Office.
- Regular grade reporting deadlines apply.
Additional Information
Obtaining an Internship
Step 1: Review the Internship Policies & Requirements governing internships for credit to determine eligibility.
Step 2: Review the available internships. Career Services advisors are available for appointments to discuss the internship options.
Step 3: Complete the Internship for Credit form (below).
Step 4: Schedule an advising appointment with an academic advisor to review academic qualifications.
Step 5: Obtain permission from the Internship Coordinator for your program (see program specific requirements below).
Note: International students must consult with CISS (STU 350) to determine requirements and eligibility for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Present the signed CPT form and offer letter to CISS who will process the new I-20 in 3-5 business days.
Forms
Internship Options
One-Credit Internships
One-credit internship are subject to the following policies
- All required work for an internship must be completed during the term of registration.
- Students are limited to a single one-credit internship.
- A one-credit internship experience cannot be used to extend a three-credit internship; students completing both must clearly distinguish the two in terms of work responsibility and supervision.
- All one-credit internships are 500-level courses; students should consult program guides for degree requirements.
- A student may not take a one-credit and three-credit internship in the same semester.
Three-Credit Internships
A three-credit internship is subject to the policies governing field-based learning
- All required work for an internship must be completed during the term of registration.
- MS and MBA students may only take a total of two field-based learning courses.
- Dual Degree students may take a total of three field-based learning courses; however, only one field-based learning course can be shared across masters and MBA degrees.
- A three-credit internship experience cannot be used to extend a one-credit internship; students completing both must clearly distinguish the two in terms of work responsibility and supervision.
- A student may not take a one credit and three credit internship in the same semester.
Program Specific Requirements
Select Your Program
Other Internship Courses
Accountancy
Completion of nine credit hours of accounting courses at the 600-level or higher.
Completion of two semesters of grad coursework at Bentley or demonstrated academic understanding of accounting from undergraduate studies at an intermediate or higher level.
Must have a 3.0 GPA overall and in all accounting courses.
May only do one one-credit internship and one three-credit internship in the Master of Accounting program.
Internship Coordinator: Scott Boss
AC 701 Internship in Accounting Practice
Prerequisites: 3 AC courses at the 600-level or higher
Note: Students are expected to work 35 hours per week for a minimum of eight weeks
AC 590 Internship in Accounting Practice
Note: Students must work a minimum of 15 hours per week for a minimum of 10 weeks
Business Analytics
May only do one one-credit internship and one three-credit internship in the Master of Business Analytics program.
Internship Coordinator: Piaomu Liu
ST 701 Internship in Business Data Analysis
Prerequisites: ST 625
Note: Students are expected to work 15 hours per week for a minimum of 12 weeks.
ST 590 Internship in Statistics
Note: Students must work a minimum of 120 hours
Computer Information Systems (CIS)
Internship Coordinator: Lincoln Matra
Three-Credit Option: CS 701 Internship in Information Process Management
Three-Credit option for STEM MBA students is CS 881
One-Credit Option: CS 590 Internship in Information Process Management
Note: Students must work a minimum of 120 hours
Finance
Internship Coordinator: Claude Cicchetti
FI 701 Internship in Finance
FI 590 Internship in Finance
Note: Students must work a minimum of 200 hours
Human Factors in Information Design
Internship Coordinator: Janelle Estes
HF 790 Internship in Human Factors in Information Design
HF 590 Internship in HFID
Note: Students must work a minimum of 120 hours
Marketing
May only do one one-credit internship and one three-credit internship in the Master of Marketing program.
Internship Coordinator: Erin Flynn
MK 701 Internship in Marketing Practice
Prerequisites: 2 MK courses at the 600-level or higher
Note: Students are expected to work 12 hours per week for a minimum of 10 weeks
MK590 Internship in Marketing
Note: Students must work a minimum of 120 hours
Taxation
Internship Coordinator: Scott Boss
TX 781 Internship in Tax Practice
TX 590 Internship in Tax Practice
Note: Students must work a minimum of 15 hours per week for a minimum of 10 weeks
MBA
Full-Time MBA (formerly Emerging Leaders MBA and Masters/MBA): Must complete at least two semesters in MBA program.
Part-Time MBA (formerly Evening/Professional MBA): Must complete all MBA foundation courses, plus two additional courses.
MG 701 Internship in Management
Prerequistes: none
Note: Students are expected to work a minimum of 200 hours across one term
MG 590 Internship in Management
Note: Students must work a minimum of 200 hours
Other Internship Courses
Business Ethics
(Internship Coordinator: Jeffrey Moriarty)
Three-Credit Option: ETH 701 Internship in Business Ethics
Economics
(Internship Coordinator: Sacha Gelfer
Three-Credit Option: EC 701 Internship in Business Economics
Prerequisites: none
Important Information for International Students
International students must meet immigration regulations in order to complete an internship.
A student in F-1 status at Bentley is eligible to participate in practical training after he/she has completed one full academic year (fall and spring semesters) of full-time study in a valid visa status immediately prior to the CPT experience.
During the Academic Year (fall/spring semesters), CPT cannot be the only course a student with an F1 visa takes in their final semester; they must also register for an in-person, degree-counting course.
Please visit CISS for more information about Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
Directed Study
Students are limited to taking no more than two of the following to satisfy elective or concentration requirements: Global Business Experience courses, field-based directed study courses or credit-bearing internships. Individual programs may have further restrictions. Consult with a program director for details.
Preparation for Directed Study
Students interested in pursuing a directed study must prepare a syllabus in collaboration with the faculty member who will be supervising the directed study.
The syllabus should include the following:
- A brief description of the investigation
- Goals and objectives for the investigation
- A required readings bibliography
- Explanation of course deliverables
- Percentage attributed to each course deliverable
- Timeline for course deliverables and course completion
- Faculty evaluation methods for deliverables
- Students must also complete a Directed Study Petition and submit the proposed syllabus with the petition.
- Once complete, supervising faculty and department chairs will be required to sign off on the merit of the proposal. If approved, the student will be registered for the approved course.
Deadlines for Directed Study
- Requests for directed study must be submitted by the first day of the semester that the course will be taken.
- Approval must be granted prior to beginning the study.
Cost of Directed Study
- Current tuition is charged for each directed study.
Transcript Notation for Directed Study
- These courses will be recorded on the transcript with a notation of the topic investigated along with a corresponding course number assigned by an academic department.