Career services are available to students and alumni, and career counseling is provided to students of all class levels as well as to alumni. In addition to career counseling, the primary functions of the office are to arrange for campus interviews, prepare a current file of job opportunities, maintain an extensive library of occupational information, conduct follow-up studies of graduates, and provide general assistance in the career planning and job-seeking process.

The Office of Career Services also receives and makes available to graduates and undergraduates information concerning summer employment and internships.

The university does not guarantee positions, but IUP’s record of placement is one of the very best in Pennsylvania.

Service Learning offers IUP students curriculum-based, wage-supported, and volunteer opportunities to explore, expand, and fulfill their altruistic interests. Service Learning works closely with nearly sixty Indiana County human service agencies and six school districts to place students in volunteer host sites.

Students with undecided majors are encouraged to explore options for majors as early as possible while at IUP; to delay doing so may delay graduation. Students desiring to explore majors may take a 1-credit course, ADVT 170 Career Exploration, taught by the Advising and Testing Center, or use the Career Exploration Center (CEC), 108 Pratt Hall. The CEC is open afternoons and early evenings during the week. Appointments may be made by calling 724-357-5701.

Many departments of the university have developed internship/cooperative education programs which allow a student to participate in university-supervised work experiences for variable academic credit. Internships/co-ops are viewed as an integral part of a student’s academic preparation. An internship/co-op gives the student an opportunity to apply theoretical and philosophical tenets of a discipline in a practical job experience related to the student’s academic program.

The Harrisburg Internship Semester is available to an exceptional student from any IUP major for the fall or spring semester. The program provides a semester-long experience at the policymaking level in the executive or legislative branches of state government as well as independent boards, agencies, or commissions. Students will earn 15 credits.

Requirements for eligibility are 57 or more earned credits and an overall GPA of at least 3.0. Applicants must also submit a sample of their writing skills which must be a copy of an IUP writing assignment that has been graded by an instructor.

Housing with kitchenette is arranged through The Harrisburg Internship Semester Program at minimal cost to students. Students must first pay IUP tuition, room, and board and then be partially reimbursed via a biweekly paycheck during the semester. Students are responsible for their own transportation costs between their home and Harrisburg.

T.H.I.S. is offered through the Internship Center, Office of Career Services, in conjunction with the academic department of the successful candidate. Applications are submitted to the Internship Office, 302 Pratt Hall. Deadline for submission for fall is March 1; the spring semester deadline is October 1. See the website www.iup.edu/internships for more information.