Media Studies Internships

Course Syllabus

MS 4983/4993 – MEDIA INTERNSHIP

COURSE OUTLINE: This course is supervised practical experience in a media facility; such as a newspaper, radio or television station, public relations operation or advertising agency. The course earns students enrolled three hours of credits toward their degree.

PREREQUISITES: This course can be taken during a student’s junior or senior year.              

COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course should provide the student with educational experiences that are unavailable on traditional university campuses. These experiences reinforce classroom education with a supervisor credentialed in one of the mass communication emphasis, offer a lab where a students can apply classroom education, and these experiences offer an expanded education owing to the cost prohibitive nature of the working tools used by contemporary media.

REQUIREMENTS AND PRECEDURES: Minimum requirements for a student’s participation in an internship program are (1) approval of internship by university adviser; (2) a 3.0 GPA in all departmental courses; (3) submission of all necessary forms, including a resume; (4) weekly reports; (5) portfolio; (6) mid-term/final report from intern supervisor.

****(Note that an internship can be entered into only after the participation media supervisor and the department adviser have had a full dialogue regarding the individual student request. Please note that a student’s request for an internship can be denied if it is determined that a specific internship may not be beneficial to all parties. If a student does not get the internship approved and goes ahead with the internship, it is an automatic “C.”)

Each student is required to work a minimum of 10 hours per week during a 16 – week semester or 20 hours per week during an eight – week summer semester. A total of 160 hours must be completed.

ASSIGNMENTS: Student evaluations will occur on an ongoing basis. A student’s final grade will be jointly determined by the media supervisor and intern adviser. Essential elements in the evaluation process include (1) the student intern’s timely submission of comprehensive weekly written reports, including detailed outline of the internship work schedule and analyses of work assignments and learning experiences; (2) the media supervisor’s and intern adviser’s evaluation of such matters as the intern’s work ethic, eagerness to learn, and cooperation.  Part of the evaluation includes the media supervisor’s timely completion of the midterm and final grade report; (3) attendance at the general internship meeting at the beginning of the semester; (4) at the end of the semester each student should have a portfolio to present for evaluation to his intern adviser.

(Note that if a student fails to complete weekly intern reports in a timely fashion and falls THREE weeks behind, this could result in failing the course.)