MSIA Students

The Information Assurance (IA) programs offers internship courses for students interested in gaining graduate-level industry experience for credit.

Based on HBS’s academic policy, students can only participate in three semesters of internship courses OR 3 credits, whichever comes first (see the information below regarding the maximum internship policy and choosing the number of credits).

IA 644 vs IA 699:

When applying for an IA internship (and CPT for international students), IA students must choose between the IA 644 and IA 699 course, depending on their academic plans:

• IA 644: This is the IA elective course. Students who merely want the credits to count towards their elective requirements should choose this option when applying for the IA internship/CPT. 

• IA 699: This is the IA Culminating Experience course. Students who want the credits to count as the Culminating Experience for Plan C should choose this course in their final semester or year of their MSIA studies. Only 3 credits can be counted toward the IA degree; therefore, students who are completing the Culminating Experience in only one semester should enroll in 3 credits for that semester, while students completing the Culminating Experience over multiple semesters may choose to enroll in only 1 credit per semester (for a maximum of 3 credits over three semesters)

If students have questions about which plan they are enrolled in or which course they should choose, they should contact their IA advisor.

IMPORTANT: IA students CANNOT enroll in both courses. Instead, IA students must choose either the 644 or the 699 route. For example, a student CANNOT enroll in IA 644 and later enroll in 699. 

Choosing the Number of Credits:

Only 3 internship credits can be counted toward the IA degree. Therefore, IA students should use the following advice when selecting how many credits to enroll in:

• One Semester Only: Students who are completing an internship in only one semester should enroll in 3 credits for that semester. By choosing this option, students will use all of their credits in one semester and will not be eligible for additional internship credits/semester (in either 644 or 699). 

• Multiple Semesters: Students participating in an internship that extends over multiple semesters may choose to enroll in only 1 credit per semester (for a maximum of 3 credits over three semesters). NOTE: See the Maximum Internship Policy below. 

Maximum Internship (and CPT) Policy:

IA students are only allowed to enroll in a maximum THREE internship semesters OR 3 credits (whichever comes first) according to HBS policy.

Once the maximum has been reached, students are no longer eligible for an internship course.

International Students Only: Since the internship course is the only HBS course that requires CPT, international students can only receive CPT for a maximum of THREE semesters. Please keep this in mind as you plan your credits and academic courses. 

Additional Details:

• Qualifications for an HBS Internship
• Internship Process
• Requirements to Receive Grade