Internship
Policies and Procedures
FloridaInternationalUniversity / Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151st Street, AC2-320, N. Miami, FL33181
(305) 919-5625
Reviewed October 2014
FloridaInternationalUniversity
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Department of Journalism and Broadcasting
INTERNSHIP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Purpose – for Journalism, Broadcasting & Digital Media Students
Internships are a valuable learning experience, therefore, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication facilitates internships to provide the student with a vehicle for further academic and professional growth. As part of the learning process, the student must negotiate the internship with the internship host organization.
Eligibility:
Full admission to SJMC. The student must have successfully completed the required/elective SJMC courses in the sequence as follows:
MMC 3104 - Writing Strategies
MMC 3303 - Global Media and Society
MMC 4200 - Mass Communication Law and Ethics
VIC 3400 – Visual Design for Globalized Media
JOU 3003 – Intro to Journalism
Successful completion of RTV 3260 Multimedia Production, JOU 3117 News Reporting and Writing is recommended before embarking on a journalism internship.
General Guidelines:
- The journalism internship can be a 1-credit courseor 0-credit course , the student must register for JOU 4946 or MMC4945and registration must occur prior to the end of the drop/add period.
- An internship is a major commitment requiring the student to work 100 hours per semester.
- The journalism internship is not a requirement for graduation; it is optional although highly recommended.
- For journalism students, the internship must be in the host organization’s news department.
- An internship may be done more than once but each time the student must register for JOU4946 and must obtain permission of the faculty internship advisor.
- Students will receive a Pass/Fail grade. The grade will be determined by the faculty internship advisor who shall consider documentation provided by the student and the host supervisor. This shall include, but not be limited to, the host’s evaluation form and either samples of the student’s work during the internship, a student journal or activity essay.
- The student will do an internship in a host organization where he/she is not presently, and has not previously been employed. Exceptions to this must be a bona fide new experience and with the consent of the chairperson.
- Although welcomed, compensation for work done during the internship is not a requirement.
ALL INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS MUST SEEK PRIOR APPROVAL
FROM THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIOAL STUDENT AND SCHOLAR
SERVICES IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INTERNSHIP.
Steps to Planning an Internship
The student who wishes to seek an internship must:
- Discuss the type of internship desired with the faculty internship advisor to determine if he or she will have met the eligibility requirements both in terms of courses taken and in terms of GPA, and get prior approval.
- Contact media outlets to inquire about their internship process and availability.
- Apply for an internship.
Beginning the Internship
The student who wishes to begin an internship must:
- Obtain permission from the faculty internship advisor to register for JOU 4946 and obtain access to register for the course on Panthersoft.
- Have the school’s Internship Contract completed by the internship host supervisor and the faculty internship advisor. The faculty internship advisor shall keep the contract as part of the internship documentation.
Duties before the start of the internship
The internship is an agreement among three parties: the student, the SJMC (faculty internship advisor) and the internship host coordinator/supervisor.
The student shall:
- Make sure all prerequisites have been met.
- Find a relevant internship for a journalism student.
- Consult with and gain the faculty internship supervisor’s permission to do the internship.
- Register for JOU4946/Journalism Internship.
The faculty internship advisor shall:
- Ensure that the student has all of the required pre-requisites and that the student is embarking on a pre-approved and valid experience.
The internship host supervisor shall:
- Interview internship candidates and advise the SJMC of his/her selection.
- Provide a statement of the job description.
- Complete and sign the Internship Contract and return it to the student who will give it to the faculty internship advisor.
Duties during the Internship
The student shall:
- Keep a record of accomplishments and document them in an essay or journal. Actual samples of work completed are encouraged.
The faculty internship advisor shall:
- Monitor each intern’s activity during the semester by meeting with the student as needed.
- Confer with the host supervisor as needed.
The internship host supervisor shall:
- Provide coordination and supervision for the student to ensure a valuable learning experience.
Duties finalizing the internship
The student shall:
Complete the journal or essay (2-3 pages) and submit these and/or work samples to the faculty advisor no later than five workdays after the official completion of the internship or by the first day of the Final Week of the Semester, whichever comes first.
- Make sure the host supervisor forwards to the faculty internship advisor a completed and signed student evaluation.
The faculty internship advisor shall:
- Review documentation submitted by student and host internship supervisor (evaluation).
- Assign a Pass/Fail grade to the student.
- Place the internship host supervisor Evaluation Form and the original Internship Contract in the student’s permanent file.
The host supervisor shall:
Complete the host Supervisor internship Evaluation Form and submit it to the faculty advisor no later than five workdays after the official completion of the internship activity or by the first day of the Final Week of the Semester, whichever comes first.
This will be used to help determine the student’s grade.
Cancellation of Internship
The student may request that an internship be cancelled if the host organization does not or is not able to adhere to the terms of the agreement or if the student develops a health problem which precludes the completion of the predetermined program. University rules regarding fee payment and refunds shall be in effect.
To initiate a request for cancellation, the student must write to the faculty advisor and state the reason for the request. The faculty internship advisor (a) may consult with the parties; (b) will determine if there are valid grounds for cancellation; and (c) will notify the student and host organization of the decision. In the event that a student is denied cancellation and ceases to perform the internship, a failing grade may be entered for the activity.
Documenting the Internship
Internship Contract
The student shall deliver the Internship Contract to the faculty internship advisor by the end of the third week from the start of the term in which student registered for JOU4946.
Essay or Journal
The student must present a journal or a well-written essay (2-3 pages) detailing his or her accomplishments and experiences and/or copies of the work done during the internship by the first day of the Final Week of the Semester.
Host Supervisor Evaluation
The student has the responsibility of making sure that the evaluation sheet in the internship packet is completed by the host supervisor and forwarded to the faculty internship advisor by the first day of the Final Week of the Semester.
The above materials should be delivered to the faculty internship advisor by the first day of the Final Week of the Semester. Late submissions run the risk of earning a grade of Incomplete. The Internship Contract and the final Host Supervisor Evaluation Form will be retained in the student’s SJMC file. All other materials will be returned to the student.
FloridaInternationalUniversity
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Journalism & Broadcasting Department
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151st Street, AC2 320
(305-919-5625)
Host Supervisor Internship Evaluation
Name of Student: ______
Host Supervisor & Company: ______
Internship Date :______
Please give careful thought to your evaluation of this student and his or her work. Your comments will be used,
in part, towards the student’sgrade for the internship. During the course of the internship the student demonstrated:
StronglyAgree /
Agree
/Neutral
/Disagree
/ StronglyDisagree / Does Not
Apply
Professionalism – including attendance &
punctuality
Appropriateness of Attire
A command of the English language
An understanding/competency with technology
The ability to think critically, creatively, and
independently
Understanding of the diversity of groups and its impact on communications
Demonstrates the ethical aspects of the
communications business
The ability to critique his/her own work and
that of others
Successful Completion of Tasks
A high quantity of Completed Work
A high quality of Completed Work
Initiative & desire to learn
Reliability
(OVER)
- Evaluate how well the student progressed through the internship experience and indicate what potential the student has for his/her future in the field.
2.Indicate any areas where the student’s special strengths are as well as any areas in which he/she needs improvement.
3.Indicate areas in which the student needs improvement.
FloridaInternationalUniversity
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION
INTERNSHIP CONTRACT
Student’s Name ______Panther I.D. # ______Address ______
Major ______Telephone (_____)______
Email Address ______
Host Organization ______
Host Supervisor______Telephone (_____)______
Address ______
Faculty Internship Advisor______Telephone (_____)______
Payment (State specific amount.) ______($ )
Minimum number of on-the-job hours to earn credit: ______hrs. per week for ______weeks.
Internship begins ______and ends ______
JOB DESCRIPTION Brief statement of the nature of the intern’s expected duties and approximate number of hours on each.
(To be completed by host supervisor and approved by faculty internship advisor)
Signed By:
Student ______Date ______
Host Supervisor ______Date______Internship Coordinator or Department Chair______Date ______