College of LAS career courses

Career courses offer an in-depth approach to exploring careers and developing your career management skills. Classes offered by the LAS Career Services team are open to all LAS students. These include: LAS career courses

LAS 199 / LAS 289: Internship Experiences (Zero Credit Hours)
LAS 302: Internships and Professional Experiences (1 – 3 Credit Hours)
LAS 279/BTW 279: Writing Job Applications (1 Credit Hour)

Some departmental career and internship courses are offered, tailored to their specific majors. Students are encouraged to connect with their academic advisors regarding how these classes fit with their program and academic progress.

LAS 199 / LAS 289: Internship Experiences (Zero Credit Hour)

Internships are a great way for students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to a professional environment while exploring potential futures. The zero-hour internship courses support students in situations that require an academic course. For example:

International students (F-1 Visa) engaging in internships prior to their graduation must connect that internship to an academic course and apply for CPT (Curricular Practical Training) through ISSS
Some non-profit or government organizations who offer unpaid internships require connections to an academic course

This course meets these requirements and facilitates connection between your internship experience and your academic classes.

The course requires:

Attending a brief (20 – 30 minute) kick-off meeting at the beginning of the semester for a course overview and access to resources and supports
Completing three brief reflections about your experiences – initial goal setting, mid-semester check-in, and final reflection on learning and next steps

Throughout the semester, resources relevant to your internship experience will be shared, along with career services supports.

LAS 199 and LAS 289 meet concurrently. Which course fits my needs?

See the descriptions below. Two students participating in class. One student reads from a paper.

LAS 289 – for Full-Time Internships
0 credit hours | Fall, Spring, Summer | Asynchronous-Online | S/U Grading
LAS 289 is a zero-credit undergraduate internship course, with a reduced tuition model especially designed to support students engaged in full-time internships who are not concurrently enrolling in other Illinois classes.

To be eligible for LAS 289, you must:

Have completed at least 30 credits, including a full academic term of coursework at Illinois prior to internship
Secure an offer for a full-time internship (at least 30 hours per week, for at least 10 weeks during fall or spring terms, or at least 8 weeks during the summer)
Register for LAS 289 during the semester of your internship
Not register for any other Illinois classes during the term of your full-time internship
Not be completing your full-time internship during your graduating semester
Obtain permission of both (1) academic advisor and (2) instructor

LAS 199 – for Part-Time Internships
0 credit hours | Fall, Spring, Summer | Asynchronous-Online | S/U Grading
LAS 199 is designed to support students with a zero-credit internship class while they are engaged in part-time internships and also enrolled in other Illinois classes.

To be eligible for LAS 199 you must:

Be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Secure an offer for an internship or professional experience during the term that you would like to take LAS 199
Engage in the internship or professional experience for a minimum of 60 hours during the academic term over a prolonged engagement (e.g., engaging for a minimum of 6 hours per week for 10 weeks during the fall or spring term, or a minimum of 10 hours per week for 6 weeks during the summer term)

Permission of instructor is required for enrollment in LAS 199 or LAS 289

To request permission to enroll in either course, please:

Complete the Zero-Credit Hour Internship Class Proposal Form
LAS 289 requests only: (a) must be signed by your academic advisor, and (b) must be submitted with a copy of your internship letter
Submit your form and documentation to: las-careerservices@illinois.edu

Once permission of instructor is received, you may register for the course. Additionally, International students must have ISSS approve CPT work authorization before starting work.

Questions about LAS 199 or LAS 289 maybe be directed to las-careerservices@illinois.edu

LAS 302: Internships & Professional Experiences

1 - 3 credit hours | Fall, Spring | In-Person | Letter Grades
In LAS 302, LAS students develop career readiness competencies as they are actively involved in professional experiences (e.g., internship, service learning, volunteer, part-time job). Make the most of your hands-on experience by engaging in active reflection as you connect your experiences to both your academic journey and your next steps after Illinois. Apply career development strategies to address complex career decision-making and management tasks, as well as to develop skills you will use through your lifetime.

Eligibility requirements for LAS 302 include:

Be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program in the College of LAS.
Be engaging in a professional experience concurrently with course enrollment.
Those seeking the 2 or 3 credit hour options should be dedicating at least 60 hours of time to their professional engagement over a prolonged time (e.g., 10 weeks, for 6 hours per week)
Those seeking the 1 credit hour option should be engaged for at least 30 hours in their professional activity over a prolonged time.

The course may be repeated for up to a total of 6 credit hours, with instructor permission.

For more information on the credit hour options, please see descriptions in the example syllabus. These options will also be reviewed during the first class meeting.

LAS 279/BTW 279: Writing Job Applications

1 credit hour | Fall, Spring | Online | Letter Grades
In LAS 279, students learn theories and practical techniques of writing successful cover letters and resumes. This course emphasizes adaptable communication and research skills, including use of career resources, investigation of potential employers, selection of appropriate jobs that fit students’ skills and interests, and targeting of resumes and cover letters to particular job applications.