PCIP Application and Participation Information

How to Apply for PCIP

• Step 1 -- Attend three (3) required workshops.  Workshops are offered in October and February each year.  Students must attend the workshops at least one semester prior to the start of their internship.  Workshop dates and times are posted in Route 47.  Log into your account, go to the Events Tab, then do a keyword search for PCIP.
  • Required Workshops
    1) How Internships Can Help You Find Your Career (Optional Follow-Up Workshop: What Do I Want To Do With My Life?)
    2) So Tell Me About Your Liberal Arts Degree
    3) Workshop of Your Choice – Attend a workshop/presentation at one of the Claremont Colleges that appeals to your interests.
• Step 2 -- Attend a mandatory PCIP Information Session—look for dates and times in the fall or spring semester schedules on the Route 47 Calendar. PCIP Information Sessions occur one semester BEFORE the actual internship begins. For Fall PCIP applications, the Information Sessions are in held in March, for Spring PCIP applications, the Information Sessions are held in October.
• Step 3 -- Submit a PCIP application and apply for internships on Route 47 by the deadline (same deadline for both).  Details and instructions are provided at the mandatory information sessions.
• Step 4 -- Organizations will contact those students that they wish to interview.  These interviews occur during November (for spring) or April (for fall) to secure an internship for the following semester.
• Step 5 -- Report accepted internship offers to the Internship Coordinator in the CDO.  The Internship Coordinator will notify students of acceptance into the program during the last two weeks of the semester.

Applying for PCIP while Studying Abroad

For students studying abroad, please email the Internship Coordinator in early March (for a fall PCIP) or early October (for a spring PCIP) for directions on how to apply.  You’ll submit a PCIP application and apply to internships on Route 47 by the deadline. Interviews with employers for internships will occur via email, by phone or Skype. Note: students need to coordinate interviews times with each employer.

PCIP Selection Criteria

The strongest consideration is given to candidates who:

• Have done some career exploration and decided that they are ready to try working in the field they have researched.
• Can clearly articulate how the internship relates to a career idea they would like to explore.
• Have applied to internships well suited to the career path that the student wants to explore.
• Followed the PCIP application directions and met all deadlines.
• Have space in their weekly schedule.  Students need to demonstrate changes they are prepared to make in their schedule to accommodate the significant time commitment of an internship.  PCIP is a big time commitment with 8-10 hours a week at the internship plus commute time.  There should be at least 1 free day during the week for the internship.  Seniors who are doing a thesis need to address how they will make time to do a PCIP internship.
• If student previously participated in PCIP the experience was a positive one free of problems.

Eligibility Criteria for a PCIP with an Outside Organization

Students have the option of selecting an internship at an organization with whom PCIP does not currently have an existing relationship. The internship must meet the following criteria:

• A supervisor is assigned to guide and advise the intern.
• Intern is given guided tasks and projects intended to provide pre-professional skill development and exposure to the career similar to that of an entry-level employee.
• Interns are given minimal administrative duties (less than 25% of the internship should be spent doing grunt work).

If students need guidance on how to find outside organizations that fit their interests, please contact the Internship Coordinator or visit the CDO during Drop-in Advising [pdf] hours.

Program Requirements

Students accepted into the program will be required to:

• Attend a Getting Started workshop which will equip them with the logistical information and tips.
• Complete an internship agreement form and final evaluation.
• Meet with their supervisor for a Mid-Semester Check-in.
• Conduct three informational interviews with people at their site or in the field of their internship.
• Journal about their experience to ensure that they are reflecting on what they are learning.