In order to get credit for your internship, you must take an online internship course — MSCH-X472 or MSCH-X474 — during the semester you complete your internship.
Enrollment in these courses is by application only.
How to earn credit for your internship
Step-by-step guide
Internship courses have application deadlines. Plan accordingly.
MSCH-X472 and MSCH-X474 both have eligibility requirements. See if you are eligible to enroll in internship credit, and if not, when you will be.
Find out how the course will affect your degree process and what the tuition implications will be. Keep in mind that summer internship credit is not included in spring and fall banded tuition rates.
Make an advising appointmentThere are many resources for your internship search. Learn where to look.
You should start your internship search at least six months in advance. And cast your net wide — apply for every internship you’re interested in, because spots are competitive.
Consider a virtual internship, especially in fall and spring semesters. Virtual internships can often be done at the same time as regular coursework without having to travel.
If you need help creating a resume or preparing for an interview, please schedule an appointment with a career coach at the Walter Center for Career Achievement.
Learn how to apply via the Walter Center on Handshake. You will receive an email letting you know whether your internship was approved.
You must register for X472 or X474 to earn the credit. You must enroll in the internship course by the deadlines associated with the semester in which you are seeking credit.
Which course should I apply for?
You should apply for MSCH-X472 if you are a cinematic arts, game design or media major, or if you are a journalism major completing an internship outside of the field of journalism.
You should apply for MSCH-X474 if you are a journalism major completing an internship in the field of journalism.
If you're interning with the Michael I. Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism, you do not need to complete a separate application for MSCH-X472 or MSCH-X474. You only need to complete the Arnolt Center application.
Am I eligible?
To qualify for X472 or X474, you must:
- be a certified Media School student.
- have earned at least 12 credits from The Media School prior to the start of the course. Direct admits are exempt from this requirement.
- have not exceeded the maximum allowed credits of X472 and X474 (six).
Is my internship eligible?
In order for your internship to be eligible for credit, the experience must reflect the broad goals of your major or area of concentration. It must involve the planning, production, execution and/or analysis of media. Internships that consist solely of non-media roles, such as facilities operation, accounting or retail sales, are not eligible for X472 or X474 credit.
It must also:
- enhance your career development or offer the opportunity to apply knowledge you’ve gained in the classroom to real-world scenarios. It should not exist to simply advance the operations of the employer or replace the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
- help you earn skills and knowledge that are transferable to other employment settings.
- occur during the same semester in which you are seeking credit. We can’t approve hours retroactively, so no work hours will be counted until your internship is approved.
If your proposed internship is with an organization where you have previously worked for internship credit, you must have a different supervisor, a different job title, a different job description and duties and a new set of learning objectives. You may not repeat the same internship with the same organization.
Your internship supervisor may not be an immediate or close family member (parent or sibling).
If you plan to intern while studying abroad, contact Kristin Martindale, administrative and program coordinator, before the beginning of your internship to receive specialized instructions.
Internship structure requirements
In general, your internship must have a defined beginning and end.
You also need a written job description that outlines your projects, duties and/or responsibilities. Please ensure that your employer pays close attention to this requirement so that you can get credit.
Your internship must also:
- have clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to your academic coursework or professional goals.
- include supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.
- provide routine feedback from an experienced supervisor.
- support your learning objectives/goals with resources, equipment and facilities provided by your host employer.
How many credit hours should I apply for?
You can apply for one, two or three credits. The more credits you choose, the more hours and coursework you will be required to complete in order to receive a Satisfactory (S) grade in the course.
- 1 credit: You will need to log at least 50 hours of work at your internship site during the semester in which you are receiving credit.
- 2 credits: You will need to log at least 100 hours of work at your internship site during the semester in which you are receiving credit.
- 3 credits: You will need to log at least 150 hours of work at your internship site during the semester in which you are receiving credit.
- 1 credit: You will need to log at least 120 hours of work at your internship site during the semester in which you are receiving credit.
- 2 credits: You will need to log at least 240 hours of work at your internship site during the semester in which you are receiving credit.
- 3 credits: You will need to log at least 360 hours of work at your internship site during the semester in which you are receiving credit.
While the course can be repeated with a different internship, you cannot exceed six total hours of X472 and/or X474.
What are the course requirements?
In addition to your internship work, the following must be completed satisfactorily to earn a passing grade.
You'll receive this survey by email. This allows the instructor to touch base and see how things are going.
Your supervisor will receive this by email at the end of the semester. A bad evaluation can result in a failing grade, so good performance at your internship is key to passing the class.
If your supervisor does not respond to the evaluation request, the instructor may reach out to you for assistance, but in most cases you won’t have to do anything for this.
At the end of the semester, you must submit a paper that reflects on the following questions:
- What were your work duties during this internship?
- What was your overall experience working in this position and with this
company?
The paper must be double-spaced with 12-point font and 1-inch margins on all sides.
The length of the paper depends on the number of credits you're earning. If you're earning one credit, your paper should be three pages long. If you're earning two credits, your paper should be four pages long. If you're earning three credits, your paper should be five pages long.
Questions?
Contact Kristin Martindale, administrative and program coordinator.