Paid Internships
For more than a decade, hundreds of public administration (MPA), public policy (MPP) and survey research and data analysis (SRDA) students have gained professional experience across Connecticut. They have worked with senior leaders of municipalities, state agencies, nonprofit organizations and private firms.
Through paid internships students apply the skillsets they learned in the classroom to real-world policies and programs. While developing professional contacts and building their resume, students can explore potential occupations. In some cases, internships may lead to full-time employment
Internship Options
Students need six credits of internship to complete their degree, and those with significant professional experience may be able to waive this requirement. For questions about internships or the waiver process please email publicpolicy@uconn.edu
Option 1: Internship and Professional Practice (IPP) Program
MPA and MPP students in the IPP program intern with an organization for 15 hours per week for an entire academic year (late August through late May). Students gain meaningful, significant managerial and/or analytic work experience with a local or state government agency or a nonprofit organization. In compensation for their work, students receive:
- 585 hours of skilled experience
- Stipend and medical benefits
- Tuition scholarship
While there are typically dozens of placements available, the IPP program is competitive. Students apply for the IPP program and participate in a selection process that includes submitting a resume and cover letter and participating in an interview with the host organization. The decision to offer an IPP placement rests with the host IPP organization.
The School aims to develop as many IPP opportunities as there are students seeking them. Students can also develop their own IPP placement if it meets the internship requirements for the program.
Connecticut State Agencies
Capitol Region Council of Governments
Working with Director of Special Projects on transportation and planning throughout the region
Capitol Region Education Council (CREC)
Working in the Office of Communications
Working in the Office of Data Analysis, Research and Technology
Working with Planning Specialist
Working with Director of Marketing
Connecticut Economic Resource Center
Strategic Planning and Research Support
CT Council on Developmental Disabilities
Working with Executive Director
Working with Chief Human Resource Officer in data analysis and long-term planning
Department of Children and Families
Working with Director of Multicultural Affairs
Working with Director of Public Policy
Working with Director of Results-Based Accountability
Working with Chief of Staff
Department of Economic and Community Development
Working on compliance project
Working on strategic competitiveness project
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Working in the Office of Chief of Staff Working with Budget Director
Working in Human Service Contract Unit
Working with Assistant Director of Forensic Services
Working in the Office of the Division Chief
Working in the Office of Corporate and Public Relations
Working in the Office of Planning, Research & Unit Analysis
Working in the Office of Support Services
Department of Revenue Services
Working on developing diversity training and standardization of HR processes
Working on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program
Working on compliance assessment of USDOT guidelines
Working on program assessment of Early Screening and Intervention Pilot Program
Office of Auditors of Public Accounts
Working with Executive Budget Officer
Working with Chief Budget Analyst
Working with Nonprofit Liaison to the Governor
Office of the Healthcare Advocate
Enhance Database Usage—Data to Information
Office of Policy and Management
Working with Executive Budget Officer
Working with Officer of Labor Relations
Working with Legislative Program Manager
Working with Budget and Financial Management Division
Office of the Connecticut Secretary of State
Working with the Legislation & Election Administration Division
State Contracting Standards Board
Working with Executive Director
Town Municipalities
Bristol Resource Recovery Facility
Working with the Executive Director
Working with the Mayor's Chief of Staff
Working with the Acting Deputy Director of the Department of Management and Budget
Working on Department of Human & Health Services projects
Working with the Mayor's Director of Constituent Services
Working with the Office of Budget and Grants
Working with Captain of EMTS
Working with the Mayor's Chief of Staff
Working with New Haven Public School's Chief of External Affairs
Working in the Office of Management and Budget
Working with the Green Housing Development
Working with the Director of Finance
City of Norwalk Redevelopment Agency
Working with Senior Project Manager for Development
Working with the Town Manager
Revising plan of conservation and development
Working with the Director of Economic Development
Working with the Director of Human Resources
Working with the Town Manager
Economic Development
Working with the Town Manager
Working with the Town Manager
Working with the Selectmen creating an economic development plan
Working with Town Manager
Working with Economic Development Manager
Town of Mansfield Housing Authority
Working with Executive Director
Working with the Town Manager
Board of Education
Working on Curriculum projects with Superintendent of Schools
Working with the Superintendent
Working with the Director of Transportation Services
Working with the Associate Superintendent for Human Capital
Working with the Town Manager
Working with the Director of Finance
Assisting in development of a town tax abatement program
Working on developing policies and procedures for the Fiscal Office
Working with Assistant Town Manager and the Directors of Human Resources and Public Works Working with Director of South Windsor Mass Transit Commission
Town of Thomaston Public Schools
Working with Superintendent in developing business manual for the district
Working in the Department of Public Works
Working with the Town Manager
Working with the Accounting Manager
Working with the Director of Human Services
Working with the Town Manager
Nonprofits
Adelbrook Behavioral and Development Services
Working with Chief Compliance Officer
American Federation of Teachers
Working with Communications Director
Access Community Action Agency
Working with the Executive Director
Working with the Executive Director
Working on education policy research
American Red Cross of Connecticut
Working with Senior Development Officer
Boys and Girls Club of Hartford
Working with Executive Director and Development Officer
Working on program assessment and finance
Resource Development and Researching Employment Trends
Working with the CEO
Working with Director of Migration and Refugee Services
Charter Oak Community State College
Working with Director of Institutional Effectiveness
Coalition for New Britain’s Youth
Working with CEO on program development and research
Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut
Working on data analysis of program impact within New London School system
Community Health Center Association of Connecticut
Working on researching federal policy and SNAP
Working with Executive Director creating asset mapping data system
Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Working with the Help Me Grow program
Connecticut Community Providers Association
Working with CEO on public policy development
Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies
Working with CEO on public policy development and research
Connecticut Fund for the Environment
Working directly with Senior Staff in Policy Development
Connecticut Housing Coalition
Working with Executive Director
Working on building databases to facilitate program evaluation
Excel Bridgeport
Working on education policy research
Working in the Office of the CEO
Working with CEO on town-level data analysis of hunger and food insecurity
Goodwin University Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Working with Director
Governor's Prevention Partnership
Working with Program Manager for the Connecticut Mentoring Partnership
Working with President & CEO
Working with Executive Director
Working with senior leadership on a variety of key strategic program enhancement projects
Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation
Working with Executive Director
Working on strategic planning for hospital
Working with senior staff to streamline business operations and data capture.
Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy
Working with Senior Researchers for: Connecticut Results First Initiative Connecticut Sentencing Commission
Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford
Working with Director of Development
Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut
Working with Executive Director
Working with CEO on economic impact, policy and strategic planning
Working on nonprofit policy analysis
Working with Director of External Affairs
Working with the Executive Director
South Central Regional Council of Governments
Working with Executive Director
Working on school administration projects
Salvation Army of Greater Hartford
Working with Director of Development
Traveler's Community Foundation
Working with Vice President of Community Relations
Universal Health Care Foundation
Working with Director of Advocacy Working with Campaign Manager
United Way of Coastal Fairfield County
Working with Bridgeport Prospers designing collective impact assessments
University of Connecticut Health Center
Working with the CEO
Working at Center for Public Health and Health Policy
Working with Chief Communications Officer
Working with Chief Operating Officer
Working with Coordinator of BEST Program
Working with the Department of Labor Relations
Working with Director of Community Outreach
Working with Director of the Office of Emergency Management
Working with Director of Office of Institutional Research
Working with Director of Procurement for the University of Connecticut
Working with Director of Procurement of UConn Health Center
Working with Director of Service Learning
Working with UConn Fire Chief
Working on Graduate School Minority Recruitment Policies
Working with Hartford Campus Dean of Students
Working with Hartford Campus Director
Working with Human Resource Benefits Manager
Working with Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness
Working with Office of Service Learning
Working with Office of Veterans’ Affairs and Military Programs
Working with Operations Manager, Office of Procurement, Storrs
Working with Office of Transportation
Working with Office of Urban Studies
Working with UConn Women’s Center
Working on public policy development
Working on women shelter voter registration strategies
Working on program evaluation with Director of Resource Development
Option 2: Sponsored Internship (SI) Program
Each year the School offers a limited number of SI's with local or state government agencies or nonprofit organizations. First-year, full-time MPA and MPP students who have not been awarded a graduate assistantship are eligible to apply for an internship through this program. Undergraduate Fast-Track Master’s Program students may also be eligible to apply for a sponsored internship (SI), if they have fulfilled course requirements.
Students participating in the SI program receive a stipend and may earn internship credits for their work. Students typically work 15 hours per week for an entire academic year (late August through late May).
Positions are usually circulated in the spring semester for internships beginning the following August. Students must submit a resume and cover letter to apply for the position, and most organizations will conduct interviews before selecting a student for the position.
Option 3: Find Your Own Internship
Students completing an internship independently must fill out and submit the Internship Placement Record Form for approval prior to beginning the internship. The internship may be completed over the summer or during the semester. Students register for six internship credits in the spring semester and submit a reflection paper. An internship evaluation is collected from the internship supervisor.
For Employers
The Internship and Professional Practice (IPP) Program matches the School of Public Policy’s second-year Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Public Policy (MPP) graduate students with state agencies, municipal governments, and nonprofit organizations for an entire academic year (August - May).
Benefits to your organization include:
- 585 Hours: Graduate interns work on special projects and provide program support for 15 hours a week from late August to mid-May annually, for a total of 585 hours over 39 weeks. Scheduling is arranged directly be host sites and interns.
- Quantitative Assessment and Skills: Most students have completed a year of rigorous graduate study and have developed significant skills in finance and budgeting, research design, statistical analysis, economics, policy analysis, human resources, and other key areas of public and nonprofit program management.
- Low Cost, High Yield: The cost for an IPP intern to work in your organization is $18,250 (2025-2026 cycle). Should organizations host a Sponsored Intern (SI) student, the program cost is $16,500 (2025-2026 cycle). UConn SPP staff handle all the administrative paperwork and payroll details for students.
- The Right Match: UConn SPP staff work with you to find the right student match to fit the needs of your organization through a comprehensive application and interview process. Multiple interview rounds are carried out each year, so organizations have the ability to interview a wide array of IPP and SI student intern candidates.
2025-2026 UConn SPP Internship Program Flyer
Read more about the IPP program on UConn Today.
Program Details
Employers select qualified MPA and MPP students through a competitive application process. Classes are held in the evening, which allows interns to work during the day. Students are able to work fully in-person, in hybrid formats, or fully remote - though host sites are encouraged to allow student interns to work on site as much as possible. Final work modality formats are established between students and supervisors at host sites.
Timeline for Upcoming 2025-2026 Cycle:
Student internships for the 2024-2025 cycle run from August 23, 2024 - May 22, 2025. For the upcoming 2025-2026 cycle, the formal application process will begin in December 2024. An Intent to Participate Survey will need to be submitted by all prospective host sites to confirm organizational details, supervisor and fiscal staff contact information, and other program logistics. Click the following link to complete this host opt-in survey:
2025-2026 Graduate Internship Program Intent to Participate Survey
- February 17, 2025: Deadline for prospective internship host sites to submit Intent to Participate Form. This is not a formal commitment, only an expression of intent. Once submission deadlines pass prospective host sites will be contacted to submit formal job descriptions by February 24, 2025. Job descriptions will be included in a formal student application packet. Host sites have no obligation until intern candidates accept a formal offer.
- March 26 - April 25, 2025: Interview window for "Round 1" (IPP students only). Throughout the interview window, SPP staff provide logistical details directly to host site contacts via email. Internship offers are not made until after interview window passes.
- April 25 - May 7, 2025: Matching, selection, and offer process. Sites submit details for preferred top student candidates and an "Early Match" process is carried out before the open offer period.
- May - June, 2025: Round 2 interview processes as needed for unplaced interns and host sites still searching for intern support. New "Sponsored Internship" (SI) candidates join for Round 2. Sites with confirmed students can also request internship agreement contracts in relation to staffing and invoicing/payment plans.
- Mid-August, 2025: Host site supervisor and student intern orientations. Final event details and logistics provided to host sites with confirmed interns throughout Summer 2025.
- August 23, 2025: Graduate intern contract windows begin, and students join the work of your organization! Note: students may be able to join host sites in advance (Summer 2025), though host sites would oversee any administrative/payroll/onboarding process for early start dates. Contact SPP staff with questions!
- October-November 2025: UConn SPP staff provide invoices to internship host sites.
For questions or more information, please contact Ryan Baldassario, SPP Director of Engagement.