Internships

 

Students majoring in Communication Studies have the option to earn credit for an internship through the course 36:028 Communication Studies Internship. To receive college credit for an internship, the student must register for 36:028 on ISIS and pay tuition and fees based upon the number of credit hours earned. 

 

A no-credit internship option is also available through Pomerantz Career Center for students who choose not to earn credit, or for those who do not want to pay tuition and fees to earn credit for an internship . This option allows the student to have a transcript notation of the internship at no cost. 

 

36:028 Communication Studies Internship (1 - 3 semester hours of credit)

Prerequisites/ Qualifications: 

  • Officially declared as a Communication Studies MAJOR
  • Attained a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • Completed Foundations Coursework before the semester of the internship
  • Pre-approval received from the Educational Advisor

 

409:036 Internship (no credit)
Attend an Employment Expo activation session – C310 Pomerantz Career Center
Register internship via Employment Expo web site
Notation will be placed on transcript

 

Washington Center Internship Program or Des Moines Center Internship Program
Application required -- see David Fitzgerald, C310 Pomerantz Career Center

  • Up to 12 semester hour of elective credit through Career Center toward a degree*
  • Only 1 Des Moines course will receive Transfer Credit- see advisor for more information

*Dependent upon the number of previously earned S-graded credits.

 

*Internship credit may not be earned for work in a student-run organization or for work in an organization owned by the intern or member of his/her family.  There must be professional supervision and evaluation by a manager or administrator in the organization who is not a student or a relative of the intern. Additionally, students may not receive credit during the current term for internship experiences gained during a previous term.

 

Finding an Approved Internship Site

 

Students must conduct their own research to find an internship.  Finding an internship is much like conducting a professional job search.  Thus, during the search for an internship, students should consider a variety of means including networking, attending job and internship fairs, and using reliable internet sites.  Additionally, students should be prepared to make decisions such as:

    • What are your career goals for after graduation?
    • What companies or organizations offer the experiences you are looking to gain?
    • Where would you like to go for the internship? Are you willing to stay local, nationwide, or global?
    • Do you want to earn credit for an internship?

     

    Ideas of where to look and websites

     

    Step One: Pre-Approval Request

     

    To receive credit in the Communication Studies major, students must obtain pre-approval for their proposed internship experience. 

     

    Complete your Pre-Approval Request Online here.

    After approval has been recieved students can move onto step Two.

     

    Step Two: Registration Procedures

     

    After approval has been granted you must register for 036:028 Communication Studies Internship on ISIS to earn credit.  It is the responsibility of the student to properly register for the internship by the appropriate University and/or College of Liberal Arts & Sciences deadline(s). 

     

    In order to determine the number of credit hours please review the chart below:

      • Calculate the number of credit hours desired.  80 clock hours equates to 1 credit hour.  To earn 3 semester hours of credit, the student must work 240 clock hours. 

      Credits Hours

      Clock Hours per Semester/Term

       Work Hrs per  Week

                 (14 weeks for Semester)

      Work Hrs per Week

            (8-wk Summer Session)

      1

      80

      6-11

      10-19

      2

      160

      12-17

      20-29

      3

      240

      18-23

      30-39

    1. Enter 36:028 as the department and course number
    2. Enter the number of credit hours to be earned.

     

    Important:
    Students need to register for 036:028 prior to the established registration deadlines as determined by the Office of the Registrar.  Students that register after the deadline for adding courses each semester or term will be assessed any applicable late fees and/or charges.

     

    Withdrawal from 036:028:

    1. If it is necessary to withdraw from the internship you may submit a ‘Change of Registration’ form and withdraw from 036:028 provided the deadline for withdrawing from a course has not passed.  If such a request is made after the deadline for withdrawing from a course, the student will receive an unsatisfactory (U) grade for the internship.

     

    Step Three: Internship Application & Materials

     

    Each student wishing to receive credit for an internship is responsible for submitting all materials requested for the internship to the Communication Studies Department within 5 working days of starting the internship.  Submit the required materials to the Educational Advisor room 111 Becker. 

     

    Internship Application Form with the following information

        • Inclusive dates of the internship
        • Minimum number of hours per week for which the student will be responsible for working
        • Internship Supervisor’s name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address
        • Signature of student
        • Signature of Internship Supervisor
        • Site Supervisor Instructions (signed)
        • Official Job Description
        • Signed copy of Site Supervisor Instructions

     

    Internship Assignments (once the semester and internship start)

     

    Students will submit coursework through ICON.

     

    1. Daily Log

    • Daily logs must be submitted EVERY Sunday by midnightvia ICON during the term. Failure to post may lead to failure of the internship program.
    • Entries should be made in the log  should be dated, and be no more than a page in length offering a brief description and interpretation of a specific task or challenge encountered during that day relevant professional experiences you have had and what you have learned.
    • Samply Daily Log

     

    2. Analytical Paper

    • The ideal paper demonstrates that you are capable of applying relevant theoretical ideas from the field of communication studies to an analysis of the work of the organization/department.
    • The paper must be well written using at least 3 references.
    • The paper should be approximately 8-10 pages in length in APA format and should demonstrate intelligent and professional understanding of communication skills. Inadequate papers, either in analysis or writing, will not be accepted.
    • Students should include their current address, telephone number and e-mail address on the title page.  Although we will make every effort to contact students if revisions are required, it is ultimately the responsibility of students to check with the internship coordinator to see whether revisions to their papers are required.
    • Papers should be posted to the ICON site no later than 5:00pm the last day of the semester!
    • Any additional material unable to be posted to ICON can be dropped off at the main office 105 BCSB or sent USPS to the main office 105 BCSB.

     

      Grading Policies

       

      Communication Studies Internship, 36:028, is graded on an S-U basis only

      sign for Becker Communication Studies Building