Internships

Our students have completed internships all over the United States and the world.  There are many opportunities to intern in the Finger Lakes region where Cornell is located.  Other states where students have interned include California, Washington, Ohio, Florida, Illinois and Rhode Island.  Abroad, students have interned in Spain, Italy and France, among other places.  Students also work with faculty right here at Cornell in research or extension programs.  Check out the Viticulture and Enology Interns blog for first-hand accounts of students in action!

All students in the Viticulture and Enology major are required to complete at least one internship as part of their degree requirements.  Many students complete more than one internship.  Internships provide students with practical experience and provide a venue to apply the concepts learned in classes.

Internship requirement details

The internship requirement is flexible, but it must be a supervised practical experience.  This can involve research or professional work within the field of viticulture and enology and can be paid or unpaid. 

Most students complete their internship over the summer, but it can be completed during the academic year or during breaks.  Students are strongly encouraged to complete a full-time harvest internship during the fall, and with proper planning most students can do this and still graduate on time.

Learning contract

Prior to beginning your internship, you must complete a learning contract pdf.  This is an agreement between the student, internship supervisor, and the student’s advisor that outlines the work responsibilities and expectations for the internship.  The learning contract should also be completed if a student wishes to receive academic credit for an internship. 

Earning credit

Academic credit is not a requirement, but students can choose to enroll in VIEN 4960 for up to 3 credits (1 credit= 45 hours of work).