CS/STAT 403 Internship Course in Computer Sciences & Data Science

STAT 403 enrollment for Fall 2026 is closed as of August 24, 2026.

New Curricular Practical Training Rule

The standing Curricular Practical Training (CPT) practice no longer exists as of August 24, 2026. Please see the ISS CPT page for more information.

Course details:

  • Weekly academic work outside of internship hours including readings, discussions, journals, and a final project
    • Fall/spring terms: 3 hours of learning per week
    • Summer term: 4.5 hours of learning per week
  • 1 credit; repeatable up to three times for credit
  • Graded on the standard A-F scale
  • View a sample syllabus (Summer 2026 Syllabus) for:
    • Class policies
    • Grading scale
    • Sample weekly schedule

Who is CS/STAT 403 for?

Students who are:

  • Declared in either:
    • an undergraduate Computer Sciences or Data Science major
    • a masters program in: MS Data Science or MS Statistics: Statistics and Data Science 
  • Required to enroll in academic credit for their internship
  • Have an internship position directly related to their major: 
    • CS students will request enrollment for CS 403
    • DS students will request enrollment for STAT 403

For example:

  • Visa-holding (International) students who need CPT authorization for work opportunities with U.S.-based employers
  • Domestic students who are required by their employer to enroll

Eligibility Criteria

  • Internship must be directly related to your major.
    • Undergraduate CS majors:
      • Roles like IT Specialist and Business Analyst will not be approved by the CS department. 
    • Undergraduate DS majors:
      • Position duties must align with DS major learning outcomes. 
      • IT and Software Engineering roles will not be approved by the Statistics department.  
  • Your internship start & end date should fall within the majority of the semester. See the Academic Calendar for exact term dates.
  • Work hour requirements:
    • Fall & Spring semester: minimum of 96 internship hours over a majority of the semester
    • Summer semester: minimum of 64 internship hours over a majority of the 10-week term
  • If you have completed CS/STAT 403 previously, your new internship must be a different position within the same company, or with a new company.

ISS CPT FAQs

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  • A short-term, real-world work experience that integrates knowledge from the classroom with practical application and skill development
  • A mutually-beneficial relationship between both you and your employer
  • Involves an ongoing relationship with at least one supervisor or professional at the organization
  • Directly related to your major (not a certificate/minor program).

  • As part of your CPT verification, you must submit an employment letter with all required information.
    •   If your letter is missing any required information, you must obtain an updated letter from your employer. 
  • You cannot start your internship until your CPT authorization is approved by ISS.  
  • Required letter components:
    • On company letterhead
    • Student’s legal name
    • Student’s legal address
    • Company/organization name
    • Start date 
    • End date
    • # hours per week
    • Position title
    • Position description/job duties (must relate directly to student’s major)
    • Physical address of employer location (must be employer address, even if work is 100% remote)
    • Supervisor name
    • Supervisor contact information
    • Employer’s signature (must be digitally signed or handwritten)
    • Name & title of person signing

Review information and a provided template on this site: CPT Information for Employers.

Review the time limits and date restrictions on this ISS website: CPT Time Limits & Dates.  

ISS has provided a CPT Calculator that can be located on this site.

Track how much CPT you have used during your time on campus as an undergraduate student.

The accumulated number of days a student works in multiple internships can impact their eligibility for post-completion OPT. 

How to Enroll

Enrollment requests for Summer 2026 are now being accepted!

The last day to add CS/STAT 403 for the Summer 2026 term is Friday June 12th.

Receive your offer by May 29th and follow the enrollment request instructions below or you may not have time to receive approval and enrollment authorization.

  • Submit your request by following the instructions below for your major. 
  • Requests are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Only complete requests are reviewed.
  • Review may take up to ten business days after submission of all required materials.

International Students: ISS can take up to 15 business days to process CPT approvals. 

Instructions for Undergraduate Data Science Majors:

  • International students with F-1 visas:
    • Review the ISS CPT website for policies and information about CPT eligibility, time limits, etc.
    • Obtain an internship offer.
    • Complete the STAT 403 course enrollment request form.
      • Answer all questions fully.
      • Select your major: Undergraduate Data Science major: Dana Maltby.
      • Upload a copy of your employment letter.
    • Begin your Terra Dotta CPT Application.
      • List ONLY Dana Maltby (dmaltby@wisc.edu) in the Verifier section.
      • Dana will review your request within 10 business days. If approved, you will be emailed instructions to enroll.
      • Enroll in STAT 403 and complete your Terra Dotta CPT application to ISS.
  • Domestic students:
    • Obtain an internship offer.
    • Complete the STAT 403 course enrollment request form.
      • Answer all questions fully.
      • Select your major: Undergraduate Data Science major: Dana Maltby.
      • Upload a copy of your employment letter.
    • Dana Maltby will review your request form within 10 business days.
    • Approved requests: you will be emailed with enrollment permission. Follow the email instructions to enroll in STAT 403.

Instructions for Graduate students in Data Science (MS Data Science and MS Statistics: Statistics & Data Science (MSDS)):

  • International students with F-1 visas:
    • Review the ISS CPT website for policies and information about CPT eligibility, time limits, etc.
    • Obtain an internship offer.
    • Complete the STAT 403 course enrollment request form.
      • Answer all questions fully.
      • Select your major: MS Statistics: Statistics and Data Science (MSDS) or MS Data Science: Jinda Moore
      • Upload a copy of your employment letter.
    • Begin your Terra Dotta CPT Application.
      • List ONLY Jinda Moore (jinda.moore@wisc.edu) in the Verifier section.
      • Jinda will review your request within 10 business days. If approved, you will be emailed instructions to enroll.
      • Enroll in STAT 403 and complete your Terra Dotta CPT application to ISS.
  • Domestic students:
    • Obtain an internship offer.
    • Complete the STAT 403 course enrollment request form.
      • Answer all questions fully.
      • Select your major: MS Statistics: Statistics and Data Science (MSDS) or MS Data Science: Jinda Moore
      • Upload a copy of your employment letter.
    • Jinda will review your request form within 10 business days.
    • Approved requests: you will be emailed with enrollment permission. Follow the email instructions to enroll in STAT 403.

    The CS Department does not offer CS 403 during the fall/spring semesters.

    Instructions to for Undergraduate Computer Sciences Majors:

    1. Complete this request form (you will upload your employment letter here for our review if you are applying as an international student)
    2. If you are an international student on an F-1 visa, you begin the CPT application through Terra Dotta and add Shelby Arkin (samille8@wisc.edu) in the verification section.
    • You must complete the course request form and the verification section in the CPT application at the same time.
    • Once Shelby has reviewed and approved your materials you will be given access to enroll in COMP SCI/STAT 403 so that you may complete your CPT application.
    • Please see the ISS website regarding CPT if you have questions regarding the requirements to qualify for CPT.

    In order to apply for CPT with the Computer Sciences department, a student’s internship must meet the following criteria:

      • The internship must be related to the Computer Sciences major.  Internships such as IT Specialist and Business Analyst will not be eligible for CPT through the CS Department.
      • The time frame of the internship must be within the majority of the 10 week summer session dates of the CS 403 course.  
      • If a student has completed CS 403 in a previous semester, the new internship must be a new position within the same company or with a new company.  

    Frequently Asked Questions

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    • Students who 
    • Meet the eligibility requirements listed above AND
    • Receive enrollment permission

    Dates are set by campus, based on semester. View fall/spring dates and deadlines here. 

    • Fall semester: 
    • Spring semester: 
    • Summer 2026 semester: 06/29/2026

    Yes. In addition to your weekly internship hours, you are expected to complete weekly readings, discussions, journals, and a final project. 

    Students do not receive academic credit simply because they have an internship position. 

    If you do not complete your classwork, you risk failing the class. 

    Yes. CS/STAT 403 is graded on the standard A-F (4.00) scale and factors into your UW–Madison GPA. 

    Yes, this 1-credit course charges tuition. Tuition costs can be found HERE. 

    CS/STAT 403 can be repeated for credit up to 3 times. You cannot enroll in CS/STAT 403 more than three semesters. If you need a different internship class, please talk to your advisor. 

    It may take up to 10 business days to process your application. For fast review of your application, follow the process to enroll found on this page. Completing all steps accurately will result in the quickest approval. 

    No. You must follow the enrollment request process to receive enrollment permission. 

    Then this class is not appropriate for you. Assignments are focused around career development and exploration within the CS and DS fields. If your position is not related to these areas, then you will have trouble completing course reflections. 

    UW offers other internship classes (for example: INTER-LS 260). 

    International students: if the position is not related to your major, then you may not receive CPT approval from ISS. 

    Consult with class coordinators if you’re unsure if your position is suitable for CS/STAT 403: