Internship Qualifications

An academic internship connects your classroom learning to real-world professional experience in a structured, credit-bearing format.

Internships through the Mass Communications Department provide supervised work in a field related to your major, combined with academic components that help you reflect on and integrate that experience into your education. They are among the most valuable opportunities available to you as an undergraduate student.

Because internships carry academic credit, they are held to the same eligibility and oversight standards as any other course. Students must meet qualification requirements before registering, prerequisite requirements. Students must attend a mandatory orientation with the Internship Coordinator and the internship site must be approved by Dr. Bridgett Robertson, the Mass Communications Internship Coordinator. Identifying an internship is the responsibility of the student. The Mass Communications Internship Coordinator may be able to offer assistance when available to help the student secure an internship in the media concentration.

Eligibility Requirements

Not all students are eligible to enroll in an internship course. You should confirm with your Academic Advisor before registering for the course specific criteria needed for the Mass Communications Internship Coordinator.

To be eligible for an academic internship in the Mass Communications Department students typically must meet the following requirements:

• You must have achieved junior or senior standing and/or status in good standing within the Department of Mass Communications.
• You must have completed the prerequisite courses for your major as specified by the Mass Communications Department's internship
• You must be in good academic standing, meaning you are not on academic probation or suspension.
• Your internship must be in your media concentration within the Department of Mass Communications
• Begin your quest to find an internship the semester before you expect to do one for media concentration

Students who do not currently qualify should speak with their advisor about a timeline for eligibility and academic strategies to meet the requirements.

How to Register for an Internship

**\ PREREQUISITES:**

Students must be juniors or seniors in good standing who have completed courses in their mass communications major with a grade of "C" or higher before beginning the internship

Please refer to your VSU Catalog, the Mass Communications curriculum guide for your major. The prerequisites courses are listed in the VSU Catalog and the Internship Course Packet and should be discussed with your advisor to determine your qualifications.

Registering for an internship is a multi-step process that requires coordination between the Mass Communications Internship Coordinator, Academic Advisor, and the Supervisor at the internship site. Begin planning at least one semester before you intend to complete your internship, as the approval process takes time.

The general registration process works as follows. First, identify a potential internship site in a field aligned with your major and career interests. Career Services can assist with site identification and employer connections. Second, confirm that the site meets VSU's requirements for academic internships, including a qualified on-site supervisor and work that relates directly to your field of study. Third, meet with your Academic Advisor your desire to enroll in the Internship course who will help you decide if you are ready to enroll into the internship course.

Internship Description, 3 semester hours

Work experience for one semester in a newspaper organization, radio station, television station or public relations firm with emphasis on the practical application of classroom concepts. Minimum of 120 hours of assigned work under the direction of the on-site Internship Supervisor.

Regular meetings with faculty Internship Coordinator and weekly reports. Dates and times of meetings with the faculty Internship Coordinator must be arranged by students.

Note: "Prerequisites" means that the listed courses have been completed with a grade of C or higher before beginning the internship. The courses listed below may also have prerequisites. Consult the VSU Catalog, the Mass Communications curriculum guide for your major and discuss with your academic advisor.

COMM-496: Internship in Newspaper Journalism

Prerequisites: COMM-205 Journalism I\

COMM-351 Print and Online Media Journalism or\ COMM 310 Media Writing Lab\

COMM-351 Copy Editing\ Permission of Internship Coordinator

COMM-496: Internship in Radio

Prerequisites: COMM-331 Audio Production\ COMM-431 Advanced Audio Production\ COMM-311 Writing for Broadcasting\ Permission of Internship Coordinator

COMM-496: Internship in Public Relations

Prerequisites: COMM-321 Public Relations I COMM-322 Public Relations II\

COMM-324 Public Relations Practicum Permission of Internship Coordinator

COMM-496: Internship in Television

Prerequisites: COMM-311 Writing for Broadcasting COMM-341 Television Production COMM-342 Advanced Television Permission of Internship Coordinator

Credit Hours and Hour Requirements

Internship hours must be completed at the approved site under the supervision of your designated site supervisor. The Mass Communications Internship Program provides Mass Communications majors real work experience for one semester in the mass media (newspaper, radio, public relations and television).

The course requires a minimum of 120 hours of assigned work under the direction of the on-site Internship Supervisor, regular meetings with the Faculty Internship Coordinator and weekly reports. Dates and times of meetings with the Faculty Internship Coordinator must be arranged by students. Hours cannot be retroactively counted toward credit for work completed before official enrollment.

Academic Components

The Mass Communications Internship Program is a three credit course and the Mass Communications Internship Coordinator is Dr. Bridgett Robertson. In order to participate in this program you must be a junior or senior in good standing with the university and have completed all the listed prerequisite courses in your mass communications major. You are expected to write all papers and meet with the Mass Communications Internship Coordinator overseeing the internship periodically as outlined in the course syllabus. Students are advised to seek prior approval for the internship from the Internship Coordinator before to the desired internship semester.

The internship coordinator MUST approve all internships before the student starts the experience. Students must complete 120 clock semester hours in their desired area of specialization to receive three (3) semester hours of academic credit. The required hours may be scheduled in any way that the Internship Site Supervisor and the Intern find convenient but must span over a four-week period. Internship options are expected to be researched by students or students may contact the faculty person for guidance

Because internships are credit-bearing courses, they include academic requirements and syllabus pertaining to the course beyond the on-site work itself. The specific requirements include a combination of the following elements:

• Mandatory Orientation required for all enrolled students
• Regular meetings with your faculty supervisor to discuss your experience and progress
• Reflective written reports (bi-weekly) documenting your work and learning
• A mid paper, final paper, presentation, or portfolio demonstrating what you learned and how it connects to your academic coursework
• Evaluations from both your site supervisor and the Internship Coordinator
• Mid and Final Mandatory Meetings with the Internship Coordinator

LOGISTICS:

The following forms must be turned into the Faculty Internship Coordinator prior

to or no later than one week after the start of the internship:

• Confirmation of Internship Form
• Internship Agreement Form
• Cover page and Placement Information Form
• Insurance Waiver
• Letter on Letterhead from Site Supervisor

These academic components are what distinguish a credit-bearing internship from a job or volunteer position. The Internship Coordinator assigns your final grade based on both the site supervisor's evaluation and your completion of the Mass Communications Department Internship academic requirements.

Paid and Unpaid Internships

Academic internships may be paid or unpaid. Compensation is determined by the internship site, not by VSU. Whether an internship is paid does not affect its academic validity or credit eligibility, provided it meets all other approval criteria. Students are encouraged to pursue paid opportunities when available.

For more information: Dr. Bridgett Robertson, Mass Communications Internship Coordinator (brobertson@vsu.edu)