Graduate Internship

UCF Division of Kinesiology

An internship with the Division of Kinesiology is an exciting, hands-on work experience that allows students to apply classroom learning to real-world settings. Students work closely under the guidance and support of an approved preceptor who is an expert in the field of kinesiology or exercise science.

In conjunction with the internship experience, students are simultaneously enrolled in the course ‘APK6946 Graduate Internship in Kinesiology’ and are required to complete class assignments as a part of their interactive learning at sites. Students who are completing an internship for course credit are required to both work as a student intern at an approved site and complete required coursework in APK6946 as a part of this learner-centered experience.

Students who wish to complete an internship for credit with the Division of Kinesiology can apply after successful completion of their first semester.

Credit Hours/Contact Hours:

3 credit internship (200 contact hours)

Internship Eligibility Requirements:

Minimum 3.0 overall GPA
Be in their second or subsequent semester of degree progress
Be confirmed as eligible by a kinesiology advisor
CPR/AED and first aid-certified. This certification must be active through the entire semester of internship.

Host an Intern

The Division of Kinesiology is pleased to partner with local and national institutions, businesses, hospitals and sports teams that can facilitate student learning opportunities within the career fields of exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, and kinesiology. Click below to provide information about your site, experience and preceptor contact information

How to Apply:

Students must apply in the semester preceding the desired internship experience.

Directions:

Find and secure an experience that aligns with your programmatic track and supports your future career goals.
Email your academic advisor to request verification of eligibility.
Upon advisor verification, you will be enrolled in the internship application portal to begin your application.
Submit all application documents in the application portal by the deadline.
Attend the mandatory internship orientation.

The Division does not place students with sites or internship experiences. We highly recommend finding your experience early as many students look for internship spots each semester.

Internship Experience Criteria:

To ensure that an experience is educational and eligible to be considered as a legitimate internship by the Division of Kinesiology, all the following criteria must be met.

The experience must:

Offer new educational learning experiences for the student. Students are not permitted to complete an internship at a current or past work, volunteer, or internship site.
Be an extension of the classroom as a learning experience that provides for the application of knowledge gained in the classroom and is supported by objectives that are outlined in an official internship manual. The experience must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
Be aligned with careers related to clinical exercise physiology, exercise science and kinesiology.
Be supervised by a qualified preceptor who holds degree/s and certifications/licensures in kinesiology or exercise science from nationally accredited programs and organizations.
Have defined beginning and end dates that follow the UCF academic calendar and an internship description with desired qualifications.
Have defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
Provide the student with routine, weekly feedback from the preceptor.
Provide appropriate resources, equipment, and facilities that support student learning objectives and goals.
Provide the student with experiences that are transferable to other employment settings.