Decide which role you are applying for

Application decision: Important distinction · What to use: Some research roles require graduate training, while many interface roles emphasize portfolios. Check the function and level. A concept based on another company’s product is not commissioned client work, and a prototype is not proof of production accessibility or usability.

Application decision: Role routes · What to use: User experience, interaction design and product research; Industrial design and physical product development; Visual communication and graphic design; Software development, testing and technical implementation

Application decision: Relevant coursework · What to use: interaction design, user research, accessibility, prototyping and basic front-end implementation.

Application decision: Employer entry points · What to use: Microsoft student opportunities; Google student opportunities

Build this work sample

Redesign a narrow workflow such as booking a study room using a clearly labeled independent concept. Define task success, map failure states and produce an accessible prototype. Test with appropriate consent in a low-risk setting or document a structured expert review. Explain the limits of the sample and do not invent usability improvements.

A test that makes the sample credible

Test the failure path, not only successful booking. Include unavailable rooms, an invalid time and a user returning after an interruption. Explain which finding led to a changed interaction. A small, well-documented evaluation is preferable to a fabricated percentage improvement.

This is an editorial preparation exercise, not an employer assessment or a claim that a program assigns this work.

Read the work behind the title

User experience, interaction design and product research

User experience work can involve research, interaction design, information architecture, usability testing or interface implementation. Search UX design intern, product design intern, interaction design, UX research and accessibility, then examine the duties. The BLS web development and digital design profile provides adjacent occupational context; specialized UX research internships may have their own degree requirements.

Industrial design and physical product development

Industrial design concerns how a physical product functions, feels, communicates and can be made. It overlaps with engineering but is not identical to mechanical analysis. Search industrial design intern, product design, design research and physical product development, checking whether “product design” refers to hardware or digital interfaces. The BLS industrial designer profile describes the physical-product occupation.

Visual communication and graphic design

Graphic design internships may focus on identity systems, marketing assets, publication design, digital production or internal communication. Search graphic design intern, visual design, brand design and production design. The BLS graphic designer profile describes the occupation; the employer’s portfolio expectations and tool requirements are specific to the role.

Software development, testing and technical implementation

Software internships can involve product features, internal tools, test automation, integrations or infrastructure. Search beyond the largest consumer platforms: employers in manufacturing, finance, healthcare and retail also maintain software teams. The BLS software development and quality assurance profile describes these occupational functions, not a single standardized internship curriculum.

Application and offer checks

Read the actual duties and entry conditions before choosing which version of this project to submit. For the routes above, use the posting to confirm the degree level, return-to-study rule, work location and dates. The linked program pages are starting points, not verified 2027 vacancies.

Compare the stated pay unit, paid weeks, location, transport and housing support. No current internship pay range is established here; occupational median wages are not intern pay. Confirm supervision and any school-credit requirements before accepting.

Background

UX and UI Design students should show how an interface helps someone complete a task. Research, interaction design, visual design and implementation are related but distinct. A case study needs evidence for the decisions, not a polished screen followed by an invented process. Choose internships whose mix of research and production fits what you can demonstrate today.