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2015 BYU Educ. & L.J. 323 (2015)
Unpaid Internships: Free Labor or Valuable Learning Experience?

handle is hein.journals/byuelj2015 and id is 337 raw text is: UNPAID INTERNSHIPS: FREE LABOR OR VALUABLE
LEARNING EXPERIENCE?
Robert J. Tepper* & Matthew P. Holtt
I.    INTRODUCTION
Over the last decade, internships have become an integral
part of the college curriculum. Many degree programs either
strongly recommend or require that students complete one or
more      internships.'Current         business      and      accounting
accreditation standards require evidence substantiating a
curriculum where students engage in experiential and active
learning designed to improve skills and the application of
knowledge in practice.2 Internships, particularly those offered
in private firms, have long been thought to advance those
objectives.
This    paper    discusses    the   perceived     advantages      and
disadvantages of internships. It then discusses current legal
* C.P.A., M.B.A., J.D.; Principal Lecturer, Accounting Department, Anderson School of
Management, University of New Mexico.
t J.D., Assistant Professor, College of Business, Finance Department, New Mexico
State University.
I See Karel A. Updyke & James Sander, A Survey of AACSB Accredited
Institutions and the Use of Work Experiences as Part of the Business Curricula, Fall
2005   J.   ACAD.   Bus.    EDUC.   at   118,   120,   125,  available  at
http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgiviewcontent.cgi?article=1 18&context=cob-papers
(reporting that despite the benefits of internships, only 26 of 133 responding AACSB
schools required an internship). Recent survey data suggests that 63.2% of graduating
seniors participated in an internship or co-op program. Nat'l Ass'n of Colls. & Emp'rs,
Class of 2013: Majority of Seniors Participated in Internships or Co-ops, NACEWEB.ORG
(June   26,   2013),  https://www.naceweb.org/s06262013/internship-co-op.during-
college.aspx. Of that number, 52.2% were paid; 47.8% were unpaid. NAT'L ASS'N OF
COLLS. & EMP'RS, THE COLLEGE CLASS OF 2013: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 (Nov. 2013),
available        at         http://www.naceweb.org/uploadedFiles/Content/static-
assets/downloads/executive-summary/2013-student-survey-executive-summary.pdf.
2 AACSB, 2013 Business Standards, Learning and Teaching Standards,
AACSB.EDU,     http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditationstandards/2013-business/learning-
and.teaching/ (last visited July 31, 2014); see also AACSB, 2013 Accounting Standards,
Learning        and          Teaching        Standards,        AACSB.EDU,
http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/accounting/standards/2013/learning-and-teaching/
(last visited July 31, 2014).

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