The Office of Career Development works collaboratively across the college, providing student career integration opportunities and employment consultation while enriching external opportunities and visibility in creative industries for students and alumni.
The Career Development staff is available to meet one-on-one with students and alumni to assist with career development. Topics include assistance writing and editing resumes, cover letters, and other professional correspondences; career exploration and industry research; interviewing practice; networking strategies; and industry-specific practices. To schedule a one-on-one appointment for assistance with Career Development staff, please email careers@mcad.edu and provide a brief message regarding your topic of interest and/or inquiry. Career Development staff will respond to your message in order to schedule a time to connect.
Career Development manages the MCAD Internship Program. Internships provide valuable, real-world experience to prepare students for professional life. Working on-site or remotely, students apply their skills to actual projects while learning about the industry, enhancing their skills, networking, and building their portfolios.
In order to be approved for academic credit, potential internship opportunities must align with the following internship site eligibility requirements:
- Be an established business/organization.
- Provide an internship site supervisor who will guide and mentor the student in professional and ethical practices throughout the duration of the internship. The site supervisor must be an expert in the subject of the internship, i.e., the site supervisor for a graphic design-focused internship must be a professional graphic designer/art director. A site supervisor may only supervise a maximum of two MCAD interns at a site per semester. An immediate family member may not serve as an intern’s site supervisor.
- Provide projects and assignments that expand on and apply knowledge and skills that students have gained in the classroom. At least 50% of the intern’s tasks must be related to their field of study.
- Provide necessary equipment for the internship. Internship sites may not rely on MCAD facilities and/or technology.
- The site supervisor must be willing to submit two evaluations, the mid-progress and the final, and verify and sign the final time sheet.
- The site must be able to provide enough work hours for at least one academic credit (1 credit= 40 hours of work at the site).
- Internships may be paid or unpaid, but we strongly encourage employers to offer some compensation.
Internships, part-time and full-time jobs, and freelance/temporary contract opportunities are posted online by employers on Handshake. This site is accessible by students and alumni and allows users to submit documents (resumes, cover letters) for critique as well as view available opportunities.