Department of Mass Communications
Internships
Internships (COMM 444) are not required for students, but they are highly recommended as part of the 6-8 elective credits required for all majors. Internships help students build a portfolio of professional work and a set of professional contacts that are important to getting a job in their chosen field.
Consider an Internship or Practicum experience as part of your degree pathway in Mass Communications
Planning for your future career begins now. Employers seek prospective employees with degree skills and training and also proven work-related experiences.
A Mass Communications student in Creative Media Productions, Strategic Communications, or Journalism sequence majors or Masters of Science in Strategic Media Communications graduates may take between 1-3 credits to fulfill elective requirements. Esports Broadcasting Minors are required to participate in an Esports internship as part of their curriculum. Students working on-campus with UTVS, Esports, Athletics, KVSC, etc. can gain 488 credits.
MCOM 444 - Internship = Off-campus experiences
MCOM 488 - Practicum = On-campus experiences
MCOM 444 - Internship in Esports = On/Off-campus requirement
MCOM 644 - Internship = On/Off-campus experiences for graduate students
Find internship postings in Handshake or participate in an internship fair with the Career Center.
1. Finding an Internship
Students can find internships on their own or visit Career Center. The internship should be directly relevant to the students chosen field of mass media study and can be paid or unpaid experiences.
Tips of Finding an Internship
Ask yourself: What are you passionate about? What mass communications career area do you want to know more about? What skills and training do you have that you hope to gain more experience in?
- Attend an SCSU Job Fair
- Visit Handshake: A Career Center platform that opens the door to internship opportunities
- Visit Websites: If there is a specific business you are interested in, search their job opportunities for internship applications
- Visit LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a useful platform for gaining and growing your professional network and where individuals may post links to internships within their area of work
- Contact: You may wish to contact local or state radio stations, news stations, newspapers, advertising or PR firms, etc. Be prepared to speak to someone who may be the internship supervisor and ask about their internship application process.
2. Getting an Internship
Tips on Getting an Internship
An internship is an exciting opportunity that allows students to actively engage with a company and work creatively in an industry they are interested in.
- Resume: get feedback prior to submission
- Network: attend job fairs, talk to faculty, search Handshake
- Mock Interviews: participate in training interviews prior to applying
- Interview Questions: be professional and have questions ready to ask
- Paid v. Unpaid: you may get credits for paid or unpaid internships. Don't let a non-paying position pass by if it presents a great professional, networking, and portfolio-building experience.
3. How to Register for MCOM 444/488/644
- Contact the Mass Communications internship coordinator.
- Register your internship on Handshake.
- How to report your Internship
- Log-in and click "Report an internship"
- Select your term (Fall, Spring, Summer)
- Enter the company information, confirmation and description of experience
- Identify the number of hours you will work per week and the number of credits
- CLA and the Mass Communications Internship Coordinator will review and process your Internship application.
- Once approved, you will receive a notification from Mass Communications with permission to enroll in MCOM 444/488/644.
- Upon registration, you will be added to the MCOM 444/488/644 combined Class on D2L. You are required to participate in the D2L course platform during the semester.
NOTE: You should not start an internship for credit without following these steps.
4. Successful Completion of MCOM 444/488/644
Intern requirements:
- Maintain contact with the Internship Coordinator using the D2L platform
- Be professional and complete work expectations
- Complete course requirements in D2L.
Supervisor requirements:
- Complete the Survey that will be sent via email, toward the end of the experience, that will advise successful completion of the internship
Internship Credits:
- Can be earned over the Fall, Spring or Summer terms
- 1-3 MCOM 444/488/688 credits in total
- 1 Credit = 50 hrs/work
- 2 Credits = 100 hrs/work
- 3 Credits = 150 hrs/work
What happens if there is a change during an internship?
- Contact the Mass Communications internship coordinator immediately
Career Center Internships
Assistance with your Resume
Prepare for Interviews