Why Internship?
The Computer Science Professional Internship Program (CSPIP) is a formally recognized internship program for undergraduate students in the department. Eligible students can participate in networking and career readiness opportunities, and obtain 12 or 16 months of practical "on-the-job" experience with a sponsoring company prior to completing the final year of their undergraduate degree program. There are many benefits to participating in CSPIP, including:
- Strengthening your resume with practical training and valuable experience in your prospective career area
- Getting an "inside track" on full-time employment opportunities with the same company in which the student interned, through established professional contacts
- Earning an income to help finance the final year of your university education
- Retaining return eligibility to complete your degree after your 12-16 months in industry.
Did You Know?
- Employers estimate that 31% of their new grad hires had previous work experience in their organization. (As reported in the Canadian Campus Recruitment Outlook Report 2024 by Brainstorm Strategy Group)
- Between 2020 and 2022, 71% of CSPIP students reported receiving either part-time or full-time offers to continue working for their sponsoring company after they completed the internship program.
Program Description
While participating in the Computer Science Professional Internship Program, students typically complete 12 or 16 consecutive months of supervised work experience with a sponsoring employer in addition to the requirements for a computer science program. Normally, the work placement commences after the student has completed three years of the B.Sc. Four-year degree program. Placements can start in May or September and be 12 or 16 months in duration. Only in exceptional circumstances (e.g. for medical reasons) will a shorter duration work period be considered a complete CSPIP experience.
Students should note that an internship is NOT a summer work program.
Only a limited number of internship placements will be available in a given year. Eligibility to participate in the internship program will be decided by the Internship Co-ordinator in the Department of Computer Science, while hiring decisions for work placements are made by the employers. Being accepted into the internship program does not guarantee a placement.
Students are required to apply in September for admission to an internship in May or September of the following year. Students securing an internship work placement must complete the academic requirements described below, in addition to the regular requirements of the B.Sc. degree, to receive the Professional Internship designation on the University transcript.
Interested students are encouraged to continue reading for further details about the internship program.
From the student perspective, it is important that there be formal recognition of the internship experience on the university transcript. The University has deemed that Internship students shall register in their placement as a course, and for the period of the placement they are considered to be full-time students of the University of Saskatchewan, with return eligibility following the placement to their College and program. The program itself is distinct from the regular program, in that it would require a longer period of study and the degree requirements would include successful completion of the placement.
The internship placement is made three or four 4-month work terms equalling the length of agreed upon employment. These work terms are associated with academic internship courses that enforce the link between the work placement and the student's education. Students must complete the originally agreed upon employment term length and all required assignments during this time to complete the program.
To this end, internship students register as full-time students in appropriately designated internship courses during the internship placement:
- CMPT 401.0 - Professional Internship Program I
- CMPT 402.0 - Professional Internship Program II
- CMPT 403.0 - Professional Internship Program III
- CMPT 404.0 - Professional Internship Program IV (for 16-month placements)
Each of these courses is four months in duration, to match with the requirements of the Office of the Registrar. The courses are non-credit courses, graded on a "Pass/Fail'' basis.
Students who successfully complete all required aspects of the internship program receive formal recognition of such on their university transcript. Students who do not successfully complete all requirements of the internship program may still receive the present B.Sc. degree in Computer Science, providing that all degree requirements of that program are met.
CSPIP students are required to register in the appropriate internship couse (CMPT 401-404) for each four-month work period.
Because of this registration, they are considered to be full-time students and are required to pay tuition and student fees for the sessions in which they are registered.
More information about tuition and fees can be found here.
It is important to note that student loans are usually able to be deferred during an internship placement. In addition, scholarships and bursaries can maintain their validity during a placement.
International students are welcome to apply to the Computer Science Professional Internship Program, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements (see the Program Admission section).
After admission into the program, international students are required to apply for a Co-op Work Permit from the Government of Canada in order to successfully pursue a 12-16 month internship in Canada.
It is important that international students submit their applications as soon as they are admitted to the program, as it may take several months to obtain your Co-op Work Permit from the Government of Canada. International students must have their Co-op Work Permit before the scheduled start date with their sponsoring company (i.e. before May 1st of the same academic year enrolled in CSPIP).
For more information about the application process, please contact the Internship Coordinator or the the International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC) at the University of Saskatchewan.
Important Notes
- An Off-Campus Work Permit is not a sufficient permit for an internship placement. Students must obtain a Co-op Work Permit.
- In order to work in Canada, students will need to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN). If an international student did not receive a SIN at the port of entry, they must apply at Service Canada.
Program Admission
Students should be aware that this is a competitive program. Admission capacity will be determined by assessing the quality of applicants and the resources available.
The tabs below contain information regarding admission criteria, decisions, and application documents.
Eligible students are invited to apply for the Computer Science Professional Internship Program during the month of September each year. To apply, students must submit a completed application and pay an application fee by the deadline.
Program applications will be open online through CareerLink from September 1 to 30. The link to the application form can be found under the 'Computer Science Internship Program' tab during this time.
The application fee of $40.00 is payable in cash at the Computer Science Main Office (Thorv 176). Applications will not be processed if the application fee has been received.
At the time of application in September, students must meet the following minimum academic criteria to be considered for admittance into CSPIP:
- Registered as a full-time undergraduate student
- Pursuing a 4-year (or Honours) B.Sc. degree in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, or Applied Computing, or a 4-year B.A.& Sc. in Interactive Systems Design.
- Note: students whose majors are not declared in one of these majors must provide proof that they are pursuing one of these degrees.
- 70% CWA
- 70% average in CMPT classes numbered 200 and higher
- Successfully completed at least 48 cu towards their degree
- Successfully completed at least 15 credit units of CMPT classes numbered 141 and higher
- Registered in at least two 300-level CMPT courses in the Fall semester when they apply, successfully completed at least two 300-level CMPT courses at time of application, OR a combination thereof.
Additionally:
- Students must have completed the Computer Science Career Readiness Course on Canvas. *This course will be launched in September 2024.
- Students must have completed the four USask Academic Integrity Tutorial modules.
- Students must have at least 9cu remaining towards their degree after the following Winter term to be eligible for the program. Students with fewer remaining credits are considered too close to graduation and are deemed ineligible.
Notes:
- Being accepted into the program does not guarantee an internship placement.
- To meet the expectations of hiring employers, it is strongly recommended that students plan to complete several 300-level (or higher) CMPT classes prior to starting a placement. Many companies require software engineering skills learned in CMPT 370 and competencies obtained from project-based courses.
- Internship candidates must be Canadian citizens, landed immigrants, or visa students with appropriate work permission for off-campus employment prior to beginning an internship placement. International students accepted to the program will be provided with a letter of support in October to be used to apply for a co-op work permit.
- The Department of Computer Science reserves the right to remove admitted students from the internship program at any point should they no longer meet the above criteria.
In addition to the minimum academic criteria, applicants will be evaluated based on their application documents.
Applicants will need to submit the following information in the CareerLink application:
- The CareerLink application form, which includes basic identifying information and declarations
- Mock job application: Students may use the sample job posting provided on the CSPIP admission page on CareerLink or find a relevant job posting online to create a mock (practice) job application package. Students must create a cover letter and resume tailored to the selected job and attach them to the application form in CareerLink.
- Letter of interest: This component supplements the non-academic section of the application, offering students an opportunity to discuss their motivations for applying to the program and their future career aspirations. Students should draw upon insight gained from the career readiness course when crafting their letter.
- Confirmation of completion of the USask Academic Integrity Tutorial
- Confirmation of completion of the Computer Science Career Readiness Course
Admission to the program is not guaranteed by meeting the minimum academic criteria. While academic success will remain the primary factor in determining eligibility, other aspects will be assessed to determine program admittance.
Applicants will be evaluated on their academic record (including instances of academic misconduct), submitted application documents, and intangibles. In some cases, applicants may be invited to participate in a short interview with the program administrators as part of the admission process.
Applicants will be notified of an admission decision via email within 20 days after the application deadline.
2024-2025 Schedule
Below is a high-level schedule for the 2024-2025 admission year. Detailed information will be provided to students after admission.
| Activity | Timelines |
| Inquiries | Anytime |
| Students apply for admission into the program | September 1 - 30, 2024 |
| Students notified of admission decisions | October 20, 2024 |
| Professional development and networking opportunities for admitted students | November 2024 - February 2025 |
| Students actively pursue employment opportunities | November 2024 - August 2025 |
| Students start employment | May or September 2025 |
Professional Development
Prior to application to the program, all students will need to complete the Computer Science Career Readiness course on Canvas. This is a self-guided, asynchronous course that is estimated to take students ~5-10 hours to complete.
This course will be launched in September 2024. Further information on accessing the course will be provided when it launches.
Students admitted to the program will have an opportunity to participate in in-person activities, such as networking events and guest presentations, to further enhance professional development skills and connect with potential employers.
Additional Career Readiness Opportunities
USask Career Services offers services help students wil job preparations. We strongly encourage students to utilize the following services.
Build Your Resume
Career Services has developed guides to assist in preparing resume and cover letter documents. They also offer ResumeTalk sessions, which are interactive sessions designed to address specific questions regarding your resume and cover letter.
Interview Workshops
Career Services offers InterviewTalk sessions, Online Interview prep, Mock Interviews, and other events to help you prepare for your employment interviews.
Contact
Career ServicesUniversity of Saskatchewan
G50 Lower Marquis Hall
(306) 966-5003
career.services@usask.ca
Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm
Testimonials
- Christina Sitkowski, Past CSPIP Intern
- Mark Dick, CEO of ESTI
Companies
We would like to acknowledge the companies who have partnered with our program in the past. Following is a list of some of the companies and organizations that have hired student interns from the Computer Science Professional Internship Program.
