Internships provide students with real-world experience in the field or fields they are interested in eventually working.
Whether approved for course credit or not, internships are a valuable part of a student's education outside of the classroom.
The Integrative Biology department offers BSC 4940: Biology Internship.
This course allows you to gain 3 hours of USF credit for your internship experience.
You can review the Biology Internship Syllabus for more information.
Please note, the syllabus for this course is subject to change.
Biology students can earn up to 4 credits of experiential learning toward their Biology Major electives.
- Since the BSC 4940 class is 3 credit hours, students can only earn 1 credit of BSC 4910: Undergraduate Research in addition to this experience.
- A student who has earned 4 credits of BSC 4910, cannot use BSC 4940 toward their major electives.
In order to be eligible to enroll in BSC 4940 and receive credit for your internship, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must have an internship lined up for the semester in which you wish to gain credit.
- Internship credit cannot be used on past internship experiences as the course requires you to complete activities as you are moving through the internship.
- It is the student’s responsibility to apply for and be accepted into an internship prior to requesting this credit.
- You must meet all of the following requirements:
- You must have earned at minimum of 30 credit hours.
- You must be in good academic standing (not on Academic Probation).
- You must have a USF GPA of a 3.0 or above.
- If you have a USF GPA below a 3.0, you must either submit the Faculty Reference Form with your application or a recommendation letter from a faculty member to override this requirement.
- You will need to submit an application for review and be approved to enroll in this course.
- See the information below for approval criteria.
**While being a Biology major is not required to earn BSC 4940 credit, Biology majors will be given preference for this type of credit.
Internships will be reviewed and approved based on the following criteria:
- The internship must be related to Biology, preferably your Biology Major.
- The internship must include meaningful and worthwhile activities, determined at the discretion of the department.
- The internship must require you to dedicate a minimum of 135 hours throughout the semester it is offered.
- The internship must agree to and sign the USF CAS Affiliation Agreement (Valid for 5 years).
Please keep in mind that meeting all of the above criteria does not guarantee approval for BSC 4940.
To get started on the application process for BSC 4940: Biology Internship, please click on the button below.
**For Summer 2023 Internship credit, you should submit the application by April 28th.
You can submit after this deadline, but students who submit prior to this date will have priority for seats in BSC 4940. BioAdvise will respond to all summer internship applicants by May 12th with a decison.
**For Fall 2023 Internship credit, you should submit the application by August 4th.
You can submit after this deadline, but students who submit prior to this date will have priority for seats in BSC 4940. BioAdvise will respond to all fall internship applicants by August 18th with a decison.
Other Resources with Lists of Opportunities
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The people who work in AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are passionately committed to the animals in their care and to the critical need for conserving wildlife and wild places. Many of these AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums offer internships designed to provide practical experience.
For more information please refer to the AZA Careers website.
There are various internships available at the Florida Aquarium, including Marine Operations, Animal Husbandry, Hoticulture, Veterinary Medicine, and more.
For more information on internships (or available jobs), please see the Florida Aquarium Internship website.
Internships are available in a variety of areas including, Marine Mammals, Sea Turtle and Aquatic Biology, Sea Turtle Nesting, and Water Quality. Additionally, students can intern with the Rescue Team to gain hands on experience responding to sea animals in need.
For more information, visit their Internship Programs website.
The NOAA provides various internships all over the US. View their Student Opportunities website for more information. This site also provides scholarship programs available to undergraduates.
The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP) is a collaborative partnership dedicated to dolphin research, conservation, and education. Interns serve as assistants in various research projects.
For more information please visit their Internship website.
THE FWRI offers internships and volunteer opportunities for undergraduate and post-graduate students. These internships provide students with experiences in a variety of Florida based research, inlcuding Fish and Wildlife Health, Manatee Photo-ID, Sea Turtle Migration, Fisheries, and more.
Check out their Internship website for more information.
Big Cat Rescue is a unique sanctuary dedicated to the care of abused, orphaned, abandoned, unwanted, and elderly wild & exotic animals. Interns gain valuable knowledge and working experience with a non-profit organization accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.
Information about this internship can be found on their Intern website.
Internships with STRI are for undergraduates, recent graduates (post-bachelor’s) and beginning graduate students interested in advancing their professional goals and intellectual skills under the guidance of a scientist working at STRI. With the opportunity to meet and interact with scientists from around the world, gain hands-on experience in their area of academic interest, and delve into Panama’s rich culture, students gain an immense appreciation for their chosen career field.
Information and instructions, including how to apply, can be found on the STRI Internshipwebsite.
Other Work experience stuff
The Diversity Project
The Diversity Project is an international, integrative, undergraduate, research program for under-represented students, which focuses on marine biodiversity research. The project locations include Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The program is completely free for participating students, including travel and housing costs. For more information visit their Program website.
Summer Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK)
SPARK is a ten-week research training program, offered by Moffitt, that provides outstanding college undergraduates a summer opportunity to gain research experience. These students are selected to work with researchers in various programs including: Molecular Oncology; Immunology; Drug Discovery: Experimental Therapeutics; Risk Assessment, Detection and Intervention; and Health Outcomes and Behavior. Application and program information is found on the SPARK Internship website.
Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program
The Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program is a 10 week challenging project for those interested in becoming successful MD-PhD applicants and students. Admission is extremely competitive but very rewarding. The Summer Program website has more information if you are interested in this program.