Duke MIDS

Summer Internships

MIDS students complete a summer internship to gain practical learning and be able to put ideas into practice. Our program focuses not only on tech skills, but also the soft skills necessary to be an integral part of any professional workplace.

Our staff can help connect you with Duke alumni and partners to find the best summer internship for you. We work with you in all aspects of the process from resume development to interviewing (though students are responsible for securing an internship).

Benefits of Internships

  • Understand and practice programming languages
  • Collaborate in a team
  • Gain troubleshooting and analytical skills
  • Build your data science portfolio

“I loved interning at the Action Network and being able to continuously learn at an innovative, growing sports media company with talented and dedicated people. During my internship, I was able to work with several departments, applying the skills I have acquired in data manipulation, statistical modeling, data visualization, and text analysis to a variety of projects, from analyzing user behavior to facilitating content production decisions.”

– Kirsten Mead, MIDS 2020

Some of the  companies that have hired MIDS students for internships:

Summer Internship Profile

Jennie Sun explains the importance of companies using data science to better understand their customers. Her work with Nike enabled her to learn how to put her skills to work.

 

What’s Involved

A summer internship is required for all MIDS students. This is an amazing opportunity to learn skills and gain experience to prepare you for a “real” job.

Many of our students receive job offers after their internships so it’s important to plan your strategy early. Think about industries that interest you, companies you may want to work for, and locations you wouldn’t mind living for a few a months (currently, due to COVID, many opportunities are now remote).

MIDS staff are here to help guide you through the process and offer guidance, however since this is a requirement for graduation, it is necessary for each student to be accountable for securing their internship.

Key areas to work on when preparing for an internship in data science:

  • Improve your soft skills
  • Work on side projects
  • Market yourself
  • Network
  • Practice for your interview