Frequently Asked Questions

• What is an accounting internship?

• Why do an accounting internship?

• Are internships paid?

• When should students seek internships?

• How do students find internships?

• Is academic credit available for an internship?

• What does internship credit count toward?

• How do students apply for accounting internship credit?

• What if an internship starts after the semester is underway?

• Does the student receive a grade in Accounting 4510?

• Can I use my current job for internship credit?

• Additional Questions?

What is an accounting internship?

An accounting internship is work at a professional level in the field of accounting. It may be a highly-structured, project-oriented position officially titled “internship” or a part-time position of an ongoing nature.

The most important criteria are that the job content be beyond clerical/bookkeeping and that the student be working with or for a professional accountant.

Why do an accounting internship?

Accounting students are not required to complete an internship as part of their degree; however, the following benefits demonstrate that internships provide a critical supplement to the learning that takes place in the classroom.

• Students grow their professional development by adapting to the business environment, asking relevant questions, and putting classroom material into the context of real business situations.
• Students gain insights into the area of accounting they want to pursue and the type of business that can assist them in achieving their career goals.
• Employers increasingly favor new hires having one or more internships on their resumes over those who have none.
• Internships are a pathway to a full-time job. Most internship programs have the intention of hiring interns full-time upon graduation. So, the number of full-time, entry-level positions is reduced because many of these positions are filled by prior interns. Start you accounting career with an internship instead of waiting until graduation!
• Internship hours can often contribute to experience requirements for various accounting certifications.
• Accounting students are in high demand, and internship opportunities are vast in the Omaha area. Typically, there are more internships available than there are interested accounting students!
• Accounting students are highly recruited and adequately compensated. Internships provide flexibility so students can stay on track with their academic program while jump-starting their careers.

Are internships paid?

Yes! Nearly all accounting internships are paid, usually between $10 and $25 per hour.

When should students seek internships?

Due to the nature of the profession and the high demand for accounting students, employers typically recruit for interns and full-time hires early in the fall semester.

Employers often seek out sophomores and juniors. Many employers are hiring almost a year in advance of position start dates. So, for instance, if you want to secure an internship for the spring of your junior year, you should apply for that position in the fall of your sophomore year.

However, while the fall semester is the optimal time to secure an internship, there is really not a bad time to look for an internship. Typically, at any given time, there are many, many accounting internship postings on Handshake.

How do students find internships?

Many available internship positions are posted in Handshake. Students register in Handshake and upload a current resume and transcript.

They are then able to search job postings by a variety of parameters. Both the CBA Career Center Director and the Accounting Internship Coordinator are available to help with Handshake or other questions. Students might also find positions through family connections or by visiting company websites.

Is academic credit available for an internship?

Up to 3 hours of undergraduate academic credit may be earned in Accounting 4510 by students who are declared accounting majors, have successfully completed ACCT 3030, have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (both overall and in all upper-division accounting courses taken to date), and have worked 50 clock hours per credit hour in a position approved by the Internship Coordinator.

To be approved for credit, the position must have content beyond clerical/bookkeeping, and the student must be working with or for a professional accountant.

What does internship credit count toward?

Credit hours earned in Accounting 4510 DO NOT count toward the 24 upper-division accounting hours required by UNO for an accounting major. They DO count as a general elective toward the bachelor’s degree and toward the 30 hours of upper-division accounting required to take the CPA exam in Nebraska.

How do students apply for accounting internship credit?

Once a student has secured an accounting internship position, he/she should download the application, complete it and email it along with a brief job description to the Accounting Career Advisor.

She will contact the employer to review the job content, and also to request that they agree to provide a written evaluation of the student’s work and verification that at least 50 clock hours were worked for every academic credit hour. She will then email a permit number to the student, enabling registration through the normal MavLink process.

Tuition is charged at the usual undergraduate rate.

What if an internship starts after the semester is underway?

Accounting 4510 is offered in the summer session as well as both the spring and fall semesters. Students should register in the semester in which the required number of clock hours will be completed.

Contact the Accounting Career Advisor for enrollment permission if you start an internship mid-semester but will complete the required number of clock hours by semester’s end.

Does the student receive a grade in Accounting 4510?

Yes. Grades are based on successful completion of the internship, on the employer’s evaluation, and on a paper written by the student at the end of the semester.

Can I use my current job for internship credit?

It is possible, but not common. In order to do so, a student would be required to take on new responsibilities that are significantly different from his/her previous duties, and must be able to demonstrate that additional skills and knowledge have been gained.

Additional Questions?

Contact Ms. Simonsen by email at lsimonsen@unomaha.edu