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How to Get Internship Credit

Students in good academic standing may earn credit for an internship that counts towards their major at the School of Communication.

For many students, an internship proves to be a highlight of their undergraduate studies. Not only is it an opportunity for you to apply what you've learned in the classroom to the real world, an internship can also open the door to a full-time job after you graduate.

Students are responsible for finding their own internships through AU Career Center. To receive academic credit, your internship must be related to a communication field and appropriate to your academic program. The work must be more substantive than administrative, with non-administrative work comprising at least 85-percent of the work performed.

There are three options for internship credit: the Communication Field Experience; the Communication Careers Internship; and the Senior Professional Internship.

Deadlines for Internship Credit
Fall 2023: Monday, September 11
Spring 2024: Monday, January 29

Selected
How to Register
Learning Outcomes
Cost

  1. Complete the Internship Registration form. This form will be routed to your faculty advisor, internship supervisor and academic advisor.

  2. Submit the completed form by the appropriate deadline listed above.

Our internships for credit are designed with the following outcomes in mind. These outcomes can be used when completing the Internship Registration form. Please note that each course and instructor may have more detailed learning outcomes, which will be listed in the syllabus for that particular course.

Once you complete an internship for credit, you should be able to:

  • Compare and contrast professional practices and what you have learned in the classroom.
  • Clearly communicate, both orally and in writing, your work and academic experience with confidence.
  • Reflect and choose superior ways to handle challenging situations in the workplace.
  • More clearly articulate your goals for a future career and understand the importance of utilizing your communication interests and skills to network and build relationships with professionals in your field.
  • Understand ways in which your internship experience will augment your classroom learning and how that experience can guide your career interests in the future.

If you earn credit for an internship, you are considered to be registered for an academic course. Like any credit-bearing course, there is a cost. During the fall and spring semesters, if a student's total credit hours are between 12 and 17, the internship will fall under the block tuition charge. However, if the internship causes your total credit hour count to go above 17, there will be a charge for every credit hour over 17.

During the summer, students pay courses by credit hour. Therefore, your total cost would depend on the number of credit hours in your internship.

More information about tuition and fees.

Deadlines for Internship Credit

Fall 2023: Friday, September 11
 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Internship Credit Options

Undergraduate

This internship will introduce you to professional practices in your chosen communication discipline and give you an early on-site opportunity to learn about some of the realities of working in the career path that you plan to pursue. The Communication Field Experience occurs before the Communication Careers Internship (COMM-391) and the Senior Professional Internship (COMM-491).

Prerequisites

  • School of Communication student with 30 credits or more completed

Requirements

  • Students are required to work 70 total hours (5 hours per week) over the 14-week semester.
  • Grades will be based upon the required coursework indicated in the syllabus and evaluations collected form your internship site supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a syllabus for the class.
  • The Communication Field Experience is worth 1 credit. This internship may be credited towards all School of Communication majors, but only those majoring in Public Relations and Strategic Communication or Journalism may count up to 6 internship credits towards your major.

Course Information

 

Fall 2023

This course is taught by Scott Talan. 

The location for this class will be announced soon. 

Wednesday, September 27, 7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
Wednesday, October 18, 7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
Wednesday, November 8, 7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

Spring 2024

This course is taught by Sarah Menke-Fish.

This course meets in McKinley Bldg 100 Lecture.

Wednesday, January 31, 8:20 p.m. to 9:35 p.m.
Wednesday, February 28, 8:20 p.m. - 9:35 p.m.
Wednesday, March 27 8, 8:20 p.m. - 9:35 p.m.

This internship complements your formal education, equipping you with further experience and professional skills in your chosen communication field. The Communication Careers Internship occurs after the Communication Field Experience (COMM-291) and before the Senior Professional Internship (COMM-491).

Prerequisites

  • School of Communication student with 30 credits or more completed

Requirements

  • Students are required to work 140 total hours (10 hours per week) over the 14-week semester.
  • Grades will be based upon the required coursework indicated in the syllabus and evaluations collected from your internship site supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a syllabus for the class.
  • The Communication Career Internship is worth 2 credits. The internship may be credited toward all School of Communication majors, but only those students majoring in Public Relations and Strategic Communication or Journalism may count up to 6 internship credits toward your major.

Course Information

 

Fall 2024

This course is taught by Scott Talan. 

This course meets in McKinley Bldg 100 Lecture. 

Wednesday, September 27, 8:20 p.m. - 10:20 p.m.
Wednesday, October 18, 8:20 p.m. - 10:20 p.m.
Wednesday, November 8, 8:20 p.m. - 10:20 p.m.

Spring 2023

This course is taught by Sarah Menke-Fish

This course meets in McKinley Bldg 100 Lecture. 

Wednesday, February 7, 8:20 p.m. - 9:50 p.m.
Wednesday, March 6, 8:20 p.m. - 9:50 p.m.
Wednesday, April 3, 8:20 p.m. - 9:50 p.m.

This opportunity is generally seen as a capstone experience and an incredible opportunity to apply everything you have learned in the communication field by working with a nonprofit organization, a corporation, or a small business. The Senior Professional Internship is a highly unconventional course that demands a different mindset and commitment than other courses. It occurs after the Communication Field Experience (COMM-291) and the Communication Careers Internship (COMM-391).

Prerequisites

  • SOC Senior in their final 2 semesters with 90 credits or more completed
  • Journalism majors must have completed the Reporting course (COMM-320).
  • Film and Media Arts majors must have completed Film and Video Production I (COMM-331) or Writing for Visual Media (COMM-382).
  • Public Relations and Strategic Communication majors must have completed Public Relations Writing (COMM-337), Public Relations Case Studies (COMM-346), or Public Communication Research (COMM-380).
  • Communication Studies majors must have completed all "core" courses.

Requirements

  • Students are required to work 210 total hours (15 hours per week) over the 14-week semester.
  • Grades will be based upon the required coursework indicated in the syllabus and evaluations collected from your internship site supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a syllabus for the class.
  • The Senior Professional Internship is worth 3 credits. This internship may be credited toward all School of Communication majors except Communication, Language, and Culture.

Course Information
 

Fall 2023

This course is taught by Sarah Menke-Fish. 

This course meets in McKinley Bldg 100. 
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-10:50 p.m.
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-10:50 p.m.
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-10:50 p.m.

Spring 2024

This course is taught by Scott Talan. 

This course meets in McKinley Bldg 100. 

Wednesday, February 21, 8:10 p.m.-10:40 p.m.
Wednesday, March 20, 8:10 p.m.-10:40 p.m.
Wednesday, April 17, 8:10 p.m.-10:40 p.m.

Graduate

Permission of division director required.
Professional communication work in an off-campus organization appropriate to the student's academic program.

Requirements

  • Students will work 70 hours over the 14-week semester (5 hours per week) per credit, for a maximum of 3 credits (210 total hours).
  • Grades will be based upon the required coursework indicated in the syllabus and evaluations collected from your internship site supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a syllabus for the class.