Information for Interns | Information for Sponsors | Current Opportunities | FAQs

This page contains all the information that a prospective intern needs to get started.

Program Details

The internship program is two-fold:

• Students must complete an internship with an approved organization (number of hours will depend on the credit hours taken).
• Students must complete a series of assignments through an online class. Assignments are geared toward increasing students' career knowledge and skills. There is no face-to-face class time, but students will spend time completing the requirements for the online course.

Internships consist of supervised field experiences and are available to qualified upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. An internship is an opportunity for you, the student, to pragmatically apply your communication expertise to a professional setting. Working in a professional environment will enable you to see how your communication education fits into the "big picture" of professional life. You will also learn about communication dynamics gleaned from practical experience.

• Up to six credit hours of internship are available. The first three units (COM 484) receive a letter grade. The second three credits are "Y" credit only.
• To earn three credits, the internship must include at least 160 hours of work. To earn six credits, a minimum of 320 hours is required.
• COM 484 is an online course. There are no required face-to-face meetings.
• To be eligible for the internship program you must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. You must be a declared Communication major.
2. You must have at least a 2.50 GPA.
3. You must have at least 56 credit hours.
4. You must have completed COM 207, COM 225, and COM 308 with a "C" (2.00) or better.
5. You must complete and submit an application before the deadline for the semester in which you wish to do your internship. The internship coordinator and director are the only people who can approve your internship application and permit you to enroll in the course; it is not enough to talk to your advisor about doing an internship.

You can find pre-approved internship opportunities by clicking on the Current Opportunities link on the left side of this page.  We do not place people in positions, and we cannot guarantee that you will find an internship.

Application Information

Download and print the Student Application Packet. Complete the application and deliver it to the main communication office (Stauffer Hall, A412).  We will contact you via e-mail and let you know if you’ve been accepted into the program.

It is necessary that you plan ahead so that you meet the deadlines.  Late applications will not be accepted. You must apply for every semester you wish to complete an internship.  This means that if you have applied in the past, you must re-apply.

• Applications for spring semester internships are due no later than 5 p.m., October 15th
• Applications for summer session internships are due no later than 5 p.m., April 15th
• Applications for fall semester internships are due no later than 5 p.m., June 15th

Note: if the 15th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the deadline will be 5 p.m. on the next business day.

Locating an Internship

In order to participate in our program, it must be clear that the proposed job duties are directly related to the knowledge and skill set of a communication major. The intern and his/her mentor should work together to ensure that the internship meets all requirements discussed in the Information for Sponsors section of this website.

The following resources are offered to you as avenues for locating an internship and a mentor:

• Pre-approved internships: See the Current Opportunities link on the main internship page.
• Finding an internship on your own: If you have found an organization to sponsor you but they are not listed on this web site, have the company representative access the Information for Sponsors, where a sponsor may submit a sponsoraApplication and Sponsorship Affiliation Agreement. NOTE: Make sure your sponsor sends his or her application at least 5 weeks before the semester begins. All internships require an approval process.  Also, certain internships are not applicable and will be rejected.
• Occasionally, internships are posted on all bulletin boards in Stauffer Hall. Such announcements are usually posted when an internship site needs to quickly fill a vacancy If you are not accepted into more competitive internships, consider applying for one that is posted on the bulletin board.