Applying for Credit

Requesting your Internship Experience

SUNY Oneonta uses the Handshake application to review and register students for internship experience credit. Once you've been accepted for an internship experience, it is important to get started on your internship experience request right away. Be sure to work closely with your Faculty Sponsor to complete the process. Note: You must have a fully approved internship before you begin your hours. Retroactive credit will not be granted.

In order to formalize your internship, you’ll need to complete the following steps:

  • Fill out the Application and Learning Agreement
  • Develop an Internship Syllabus with your Faculty Sponsor.
  • Create an account in Handshake and follow the Opening an Internship Experience in Handshake instructions below. Tip: You can’t start the process and save it, so be prepared to complete the request in one sitting. We recommend completing your request on a laptop or desktop.
  1. Log in to your Handshake account using your myOneonta credentials.
  2. Click on the Career Center tab in the left-side menu bar.
  3. Select Experiences.
  4. Click Submit an Experience to open a new internship experience request.
  5. Complete the intake form. Tip: You only need to complete the fields with asterisks.

6. Please note the following definitions for the Review contact information section of the form:

Approver Input
Faculty Sponsor This is the professor or faculty member who is grading your internship.
Site Supervisor This is your employer supervising you at your internship.
Department Chair This contact can be found on the SUNY Oneonta department website. Ask your Faculty Sponsor if you are unsure of this contact.
Dean or Designee Ask your Faculty Sponsor if you are unsure of this contact.
Student Internship Liaison This contact will have auto-populated information.

  1. Click the Next Page button.

  1. Click New Attachment on the right sidebar. Upload your:

    1. Internship Syllabus

    2. Application and Learning Agreement.

    3. *Please name your attachments using the following convention: lastname_firstname_learning_agreement and lastname_firstname_syllabus.

  1. Once your experience is created and you have uploaded the Internship Syllabus and Application and Learning Agreement, your experience will be reviewed. You will receive an email from Handshake at each stage of the approval process. Tip: Handshake notifications may be sent to an approvers spam folder. We recommend informing your Site Supervisor to check their email folders for the email notification to review and approve the application.

  2. Once you have received approval at all stages of the process, you will be registered for your internship. The internship will be viewable on Degree Works.

Have Questions?

  • Reach out to the Career Development Center to book an appointment with a Career Counselor.
  • Email internships@oneonta.edu for specific questions about internships.
  • Stay connected with your Faculty Sponsor for requirements specific to your internship experience.

Handshake FAQ

Sometimes a change will be required to your internship application. You do not need to open a new request to submit an updated application. Follow the steps below to update your application:

  1. Update your PDF application and save off a new version on your local drive. Tip: Save the PDF with a new name to avoid confusion between the different versions.

  1. Sign into your Handshake account.

  1. Select Career Center from the left-side menu on the home page.

  1. Next, click Experiences. A list of your open experiences will open.

  1. Click View Details on the request you’d like to edit. Your request details are displayed.

  1. On the left menu bar, a list of your current attachments are displayed. Click New Attachment.

  1. Enter the name of the PDF and click the Choose File button to select your updated PDF.

  1. Once you’ve selected the correct attachment, click Create Attachment.

  1. Sign into your Handshake account.

  1. Select Career Center in the top right corner of the home page.

  1. Next, click Experiences. A list of your open experiences will open.

  1. Click View Details on the request you’d like to edit. Your request details are displayed.

  1. Scroll down to the Approvers section. Your approvers are listed in the order that they will be contacted for approval and have a status as either ‘pending,’ ‘approved,’ ‘declined,’ or ‘expired.’

If your application expires at any phase of the approval process, we recommend completing the following:

  1. Confirm that you’ve listed the correct email address in Handshake. If you find a typo, email Internships@oneonta.edu with a request to update the email address.

  1. Reach out directly to the Site Supervisor. It is possible the email notification from Handshake could be in their spam folder.

If your Site Supervisor is still unable to access the approvals, they may send an email directly to Internships@oneonta.edu to be manually approved.

Helpful Resources:

Submitting an Experience in Handshake

Uploading an Attachment in Handshake

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