Department of Communication Internship

Information for COMM 8900, COMM 6970, JOUR 4980, SPCH 4980

Purpose

The Department of Communication offers internship opportunities to eligible students in the areas of Journalism and Speech Communication. Student interns receive academic credit toward their degree while performing duties and completing projects at an approved internship placement site under the direction of the Faculty Internship Coordinator.

An internship provides students with a variety of learning experiences outside of the classroom. It is designed to give students the opportunity to observe in a professional working environment and to participate in projects which will apply their academic background and increase their ability to perform at a professional level after graduation. Students learn by observing professionals in daily activities related to the student’s field of study, apply theoretical and academic knowledge to professional settings appropriate to their major and engage in work experiences that teach them skills required to succeed in their profession.

Student Eligibility

Students who have successfully completed some of their course work in their major may be considered for an internship. Graduate students must have completed four courses in their area of study and have a 3.0 GPA (It is recommended that graduate students talk to their faculty advisor about how the internship fits in their program of study.). Undergraduate honors students are eligible if they have taken enough classes in their major area of study in the Dept. of  Communication. Undergraduate students must have completed at least four 3000/4000 level courses in the major with a 3.0 GPA or at least six courses with a 2.75 GPA in the major and a 2.50 GPA overall. Students who transfer to Georgia State University with credit in their major must have at least six additional credit hours of 3000/4000 level courses in the same major from the Department of Communication in order to be eligible for an internship These standards are set to confirm that interns have demonstrated proficiency in the academic elements of their discipline. Only students who meet the criteria will be able to receive academic credit for performing duties at a work site.

Application

Students must apply prior to the semester they want to intern based on the following deadlines: for Fall semester internships—Honors and graduate students apply by June 27; all others by July 1; for Spring semester internships--Honors and  graduate students apply by Sept. 29; all others by October 1; and for Summer semester internships--Honors and graduate students apply by Feb. 26; all others by March 1.  Applications will be considered after the deadlines. The deadlines are set early enough to allow students to apply to several internship sites; many sites have their own application procedures students must follow, and the student is responsible for any materials submitted directly to internship sites. The application form should be completely filled out and submitted.

An interview will be scheduled for eligible students to discuss with the Faculty Internship Coordinator (FIC) appropriate placement sites (FIC does not assign sites but does facilitate the site selection process) and the Work Program Plan form to be filled out by the student and the supervisor at the internship site. Once the Work Program Plan is completed, the FIC reviews it to ensure that it meets the standards of academic credit. If the FIC approves the plan, the student will be authorized to register for the internship course for the following semester. It is necessary for the student to have the plan approved by the internship site supervisor and the FIC before registration will be authorized. If the plan is not approved, the FIC will work with the student and/or the site supervisor to ensure that the internship is worthy of earning academic credit.

Internships

Students will be required to attend group sessions with the FIC during the semester in which the internship will be taking place. The first session is scheduled during the first week of the semester, and it will be a general orientation about the internship course and the schedule for the other sessions. Student interns will also be given a syllabus and assignments to be completed during the internship semester. Student interns can schedule appointments with the FIC during the internship, but individual meetings are not mandatory.

Time sheets must be maintained during the internship to document the number of hours student interns are at the placement site. The time sheets are signed by the site supervisor to verify that the student has completed the requisite number of hours at the placement site during a semester. The time spent at the site determines how many credits the student can earn for the internship course. Graduate students seeking a doctoral degree must spend at least 80 hours at the site for each credit; those seeking a MA degree must spend at least 70 hours at the site for each credit; undergraduates must spend a minimum of 60 hours at the site for each credit; honors students must spend a minimum of 65 hours at the site for each credit.

There are limits to the number of credits students can earn in the internship courses in their academic career. Graduate students can earn a maximum of three credits in either COMM 6790 or 8900; undergraduates can earn a maximum of six credits, but not all count in the major (Area G of the academic evaluation).

Student interns will be evaluated by their site placement supervisor and the FIC, and the final grade will be based on these evaluations, the quality of the timely completed student assignments, and attendance at the mandatory group sessions.

For Further Information

Douglas A. Barthlow, Ph.D.
Faculty Internship Coordinator
404-413-5651
[email protected]