As a communication major at Truman, you鈥檙e encouraged to pursue internships as an extension of your in-class learning experiences. This gives you the opportunity to explore a potential career and gain professional experience.
Here are some resources to help you learn more about the internship process. To receive notification of when the Communication Department updates our internship database, fan on Facebook.
What is an Internship? An internship is a serious commitment of a semester or summer. It takes place under the supervision of a professional qualified in the area of expertise of the internship experience, usually off-campus.听 The duties of the intern when placed in a specific job should be similar to those of a person who would be permanently employed in that position. As the student will be receiving college credit for the experience, the duties should be of a nature that would provide this level of experience. So, as an intern you are essentially an apprentice to a professional in your field.听 You must possess the skills and understand the theories necessary to function at the entry level.听 You must be willing to accept responsibility and to face challenges, failures and criticism.听 Truman faculty members encourage internships in such fields as public relations, advertising, journalism and political communication.听
Finding an Internship It is the student鈥檚 responsibility to find an appropriate internship opportunity.听 Internships must meet the characteristics indicated in 鈥淚nternship Requirements鈥� and must have a professional mentor as the Workplace Supervisor with substantial experience in the field of the internship. The Communication Department website has information about several opportunities from organizations that have contacted us, as well as internships our students have completed in the past.
Internship Opportunities The department has a Facebook page for internships entitled 鈥淭ruman Communication Internships鈥� where upcoming internship opportunities are posted. On Twitter, see @comminternships for another example. Other possible ideas for locating internships include:
Start looking early and use vacations and breaks as opportunities to talk to organizations and companies. Understand that most organizations have deadlines for submitting applications for internship employment.
Internships for Credit An Internship experience involves听applying curricular knowledge听in a way designed to enhance, deepen, and/or complement learning in the discipline in which the internship is being awarded academic credit.听 The Internship is听guided by objectives听which specify anticipated听learning outcomes听that are developed by the student in communication with the Academic Internship Supervisor, the Internship Board, and the On-site Workplace Supervisor(s) prior to the experience.听 The Internship involves听co-mentoring and supervision听of the student by a Truman faculty member as the听Academic Internship Director听and an on-site听Workplace Supervisor.听 The Internship experience and the evaluation course with the Academic Internship Director produce听tangible products听which a) evidence achievement of learning outcomes and career development b) exhibit self-reflection by the student on the learning process and the relationship of internship activities to the curriculum.听 These products include a journal, portfolio, paper, and presentation.
Internships for credit require prior approval of the Communication Department.听 Students who wish to be awarded university credit for their internship experience must apply to the Communication Department Internship Board in advance of the internship. Academic credit for an internship will not be awarded retroactively.
Internships for credit are not 鈥渇ree.鈥�听 Students who desire听Truman credit hours for internships will be charged the per credit hour rate on their Truman student account for that internship.听 An internship for credit requires a minimum of 3 credit hours and no more than 9 credit hours in COMM 487 and 1 credit hour for each internship in COMM 488.听听 One semester hour of credit in COMM 487 is based on a 40-hour work on-site at the internship.
-Example: If the internship is 160 hours of work on-site, it is worth 4 credit hours of COMM 487 Internship and 1 credit hour of COMM 488 Internship Evaluation, so听students will be charged the rate for 5 credit hours.
Internships for credit have specific requirements and objectives that are monitored by faculty.听 The duties of the intern when placed in a specific job should be similar to those of a person who would be permanently employed in that position. As the student will be receiving college credit for the experience, the duties should be of a nature that would provide this level of experience.听 The intern is expected to remain in regular contact with the Academic Internship Supervisor.
Where Takes place under the supervision of a professional qualified in the area of expertise of the internship experience, usually off-campus.
When Should be pursued when you have completed a majority of applicable courses in the major. For example, you should not attempt a reporting internship without having taken the media writing courses or an event planning internship without having taken the public relations courses unless you have substantial preparation in those areas in other ways.
Qualifications Have successfully completed a face-to-face tutorial on Internship Preparation. Contact Dr. Michelle Kleine (mkleine@truman.edu) for more information.
Each student must have a cumulative and major GPA of at least 2.75. (If you do not have the required GPA, consult with the academic Internship Supervisor about preparing an appeal to the Communication Department Internship Board that includes a written letter of recommendation from the academic adviser and/or a faculty member in the area of the desired internship justifying a waiver of the GPA requirement.)
Application Process
Application packets must include: 鈥揤erification of completing the听required online tutorial听on Internship Preparation. 鈥�A cover letter听addressed to the Internship Board, stating how this internship opportunity fits with your academic program, career plans, and how your experiences听and coursework听have prepared you for this opportunity. 鈥�A resume of work experience and education. Applicants must demonstrate the competence needed for entry-level work through course work and/or experience. The names and telephone numbers of at least two references听should be included on the resume. 鈥揂 completed听Communication Internship Application听form (found below at end of internship overview). 鈥揂 completed听Workplace Supervisor Agreement Form听(found below at end of internship overview).
The application packet should be submitted to the Academic Internship Supervisor, Dr. Michelle Kleine, BT 1103.
Review Process The Communication Department Internship Board will review your application. (The Communication Department Internship Board consists of three or four Communication faculty members who are chosen annually and the Academic Internship Supervisor.)
Obtaining Academic Credit
Payment for internship credit hours will be at regular tuition rates, due at the time of registration. If you do not need elective credit hours toward your major and you do not wish to pay for the credit, you may consider doing the internship but not for academic credit. Be aware that some companies and organizations require students to take internships for academic credit.