Kinesiology Internships

If you are on an exercise science, fitness management and personal training, or applied fitness and sports performance plan of study, you must complete all prerequisite courses listed below with a grade of C or better.

Exercise science majors are required to complete:

• BIOL-N 261 (or BIOL-K 101)
• BIOL- N 217 (or BIOL-K 103)
• KINE-P 215
• KINE-P 246
• KINE-P 258
• KINE-P 373
• KINE-P 374
• KINE-P 403
• KINE-P 409
• KINE-P 410
• KINE-P 419

Fitness management & personal training majors are required to complete:

• BIOL-N 212 & BIOL-N 213 (or BIOL-N 261)
• BIOL-N 214 & BIOL-N 215 (or BIOL-N 217)
• KINE-P 215
• KINE-P 246
• KINE-P 258
• KINE-P 373
• KINE-P 403
• KINE-P 409
• KINE-P 410
• KINE-P 419

Applied fitness & sports performance majors are required to complete:

• BIOL-N 212 & BIOL-N 213 (or BIOL-N 261)
• BIOL-N 214 & BIOL-N 215 (or BIOL-N 217)
• KINE-P 215
• KINE-P 246
• KINE-P 258
• KINE-P 373
• KINE-P 403
• KINE-P 409
• KINE-P 410
• KINE-P 419

You need to have met all prerequisite requirements listed to take KINE-P 443.

If you are on an exercise science, fitness management and personal training, or applied fitness and sports performance plan of study, you must complete all prerequisite courses listed below with a grade of C or better.

Exercise science majors are required to complete:

• BIOL-N 261 (or BIOL-K 101)
• BIOL- N 217 (or BIOL-K 103)
• KINE-P 215
• KINE-P 246
• KINE-P 258
• KINE-P 373
• KINE-P 374
• KINE-P 403
• KINE-P 409
• KINE-P 410 
• KINE-P 417
• KINE-P 419
• KINE-P 420
• KINE-P 443

Fitness management & personal training majors are required to complete:

• BIOL-N 212 & BIOL-N 213 (or BIOL-N 261)
• BIOL-N 214 & BIOL-N 215 (or BIOL-N 217)
• KINE-P 215
• KINE-P 246
• KINE-P 258
• KINE-P 373
• KINE-P 403
• KINE-P 409
• KINE-P 410
• KINE-P 417
• KINE-P 419
• KINE-P 420
• KINE-P 443

Applied fitness & sports performance majors are required to complete:

• BIOL-N 212 & BIOL-N 213 (or BIOL-N 261)
• BIOL-N 214 & BIOL-N 215 (or BIOL-N 217)
• KINE-P 215
• KINE-P 246
• KINE-P 258
• KINE-P 280
• KINE-P 373
• KINE-P 403
• KINE-P 409
• KINE-P 410
• KINE-P 419
• KINE-P 420
• KINE-P 443
• KINE-K 460

You need to have met all prerequisite requirements listed to take KINE-P 393.

KINE-P 443 is a graded class; you must obtain C or higher to continue with KINE-P 393.

KINE-P 393 is a graded class evaluated by the internship director; students must obtain a C or higher.

The grading criteria includes submitting all required assignments (reflections, portfolios, site project) and evaluations you receive from your site supervisor including mid-term and final evaluations and a site visit.

Within the first two weeks, there will be some informational forms and professional goals due at the start of the semester. Students complete weekly assignments encompassing career preparation reflections, updating professional portfolios and project work for the site. The internship concludes with a one-hour exit interview reviewing work and reflecting on the internship and next steps. Students should check Canvas daily for emails and announcements related to the internship course. The internship director will make at least one site visit during the semester. Additional visits are welcome.

You may take a maximum of six credit hours. You should devote most of your energy to top-notch performance in your internship.

For the KINE-P 443 class, you may take as many credit hours as needed to maintain your normal academic load.

Visit the course Canvas site daily for announcements, updates, and more. There will be specific assignments each week and times when students are required to connect with the director such as site visits, mid-term/final evaluations, and the exit interview (close out meeting).

Registering for KINE-P 443

Students seeking to register for KINE-P 443, should meet with their academic advisor and confirm that all the required prerequisites are met. Then submit the KINE-P 443 course intent form. After receiving the form, the internship director will verify all prerequisite courses are completed and that students' AHA or American Red Cross BLS Health Care Provider certification (for adults, children, and infants with in-person skills check off) is current. Students who meet the internship eligibility requirements, will be emailed a “Conditional Approval to Register for KINE-P 443” letter with instructions for registering for the section that fits their schedule.

You must complete KINE-P 443 as your first internship course.

Registering for KINE-P 393

These steps outline what you need to do to register for the KINE-P 393 course. For this external internship course, you must also complete the application and onboarding processes that are required by your internship site.

1. Start by meeting with your academic advisor to confirm prerequisite classes.
2. The internship director will visit KINE-P 443 classes (in the first week of the semester) and outline the internship process including resumes, cover letters, KINE-P 393 course intent form, interviewing, and onboarding.
3. Know the deadlines for submitting the KINE-P 393 course intent forms:
   
   • Spring course intent deadline is September 15th
   • Summer course intent deadline is February 15th
   • Fall course intent deadline is March 15th
4. Know the deadlines for securing an internship:
   
   • Spring internship deadline is October 15th
   • Summer internship deadline is March 15th
   • Fall internship deadline is May 15th
5. Consider your professional goals and internship expectations. Research internship(s) that will move you forward in your professional trajectory and increase contacts in your chosen field.
6. Each KINE-P 443 student will meet (for 45-60 minutes) with the internship director to discuss internship goals, potential sites, eligibility requirements and refine their resumes and cover letters.
7. If approved for KINE-P 393, the internship director will email a “KINE-P 393 conditional approval,” advising students to proceed with applying to a position at their preferred internship sites. If not approved, the director will advise students on what steps to take to earn eligibility. Note that students may not register for KINE-P 393 until they have secured an internship, and their site supervisor sends a confirmation.
8. Once the internship director emails the “KINE-P 393 conditional approval,” students submit their cover letters, and resumes to their top internship sites.
9. Notify the internship director of your internship application status, whether offered or declined a position. If unable to find or be accepted at your top sites, then immediately contact the director to identify other potential internship sites. Stay informed and prompt with this process to allow the internship director to assist with alternatives.
10. Discuss what onboarding (background checks, training, CPR, vaccines, etc.) is necessary with the internship site supervisor and communicate this with the IU Indianapolis internship director.
11. To register for the KINE-P 393 class, have the site supervisor confirm you have an internship by emailing the internship director. The director will then give you authorization for course registration. 
12. Attend the mandatory on-boarding meeting for interns. This meeting outlines internship expectations and explains the syllabus and course details. Failure to attend this meeting may jeopardize your internship eligibility.

Students can begin exploring internship opportunities a year before their intended internship. The internship director (kineint@iu.edu) is happy to meet with future interns to discuss internship goals, but students do not need permission to investigate or visit a potential site. This is the fact-finding or information-gathering phase regarding your internship. Students should look for sites where the site supervisor is willing to mentor a student, has a degree in the field, a professional certification, and has been working at the site for at least 3–5 years. Inform prospective internship sites that you will need to be declared eligible, and your internship course intent form approved by the internship director before you will be authorized to accept a position at a potential host site for internship credit.

We will provide options for internship sites, based on your goals for your internship during your 45–60-minute meeting with the internship director (when you are taking KINE-P 443).

If you find a promising site, check out the details, and email kineint@iu.edu to discuss your findings. Do not assume that you are automatically permitted to do an internship at a site until it is approved by the internship director.

We want to make sure that students are in an internship position that allows them to learn and grow in a professional environment. It also ensures that the current site supervisor can provide adequate supervision for students. This might change from semester to semester based on life circumstance, professional duties and change of job sites.

You are looking for a site that suits your needs, goals, and interests. Past internship students have relayed that the most effective internships brought them out of their comfort zones and resulted in much new learning. Students who began their search early, applied early, and chose internships that pushed them beyond their comfort zones tended to have the most rewarding experiences. The more research you do ahead of time, the more likely you are to locate a site that meets your expectations for the internship experience.

Criteria you should consider:

• Does the site match your goals for the internship?
• What is that site’s internship application process?
• What is the deadline to apply for the internship?
• When are internship applicants notified of acceptance?
• Is an internship program already in place or will you be the first?
• Will you be the only intern or will there be several?
• Who is the internship coordinator? What is their contact information? Talk with that person about the internship.
• Will selling memberships or personal training packages be part of the internship? If so, find out more about it. Decide if selling is for you.
• Is site orientation and training part of the internship? Or are you expected to learn as you go without a formal orientation?
• What are the hours? Will you work weekends or split shifts?
• When can you start?
• Will the internship have a positive impact on graduate program admissions or future career goals? 

Keep in mind, the point of engaging in an internship is to expand professionally, network, and learn new approaches to training or treatment. This is more difficult to achieve at a place you’re familiar with from working at since you know their ways and techniques. Therefore, doing an internship at a location where you currently work will necessitate a detailed job description from the current job and an internship job description. This should be two distinct job descriptions with obvious new learning opportunities within the internship role. There should be a clear effort from the site to view you as an emerging health professional rather than as someone simply doing the same, more entry level job. These will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Contact the internship director to discuss your interest in this site. You should not move forward with the internship if you want it to count toward your internship credit for KINE-P 393.

Before you contact the director, you should gather specific information about the site including the internship contact person, the name of the organization, address, phone, website address, email, and potential duties and internship job description. The director is responsible for contacting potential sites and determining the learning opportunities and qualifications of the site. Then, the director will make the final determination if an internship can take place at this new site.

When you are discussing internship possibilities with prospective internship sites, ask whether the site requires liability insurance and then ask if they provide it or expect you to provide your own coverage. Some internship sites provide interns with liability insurance coverage; others do not. In some instances, sites may require that you show proof of liability insurance coverage before you will be allowed to start your internship.

If you’re needing liability insurance check with the director to explore potential sources of coverage.