School of Communication, Journalism, and Media Internships
Internships help you learn how to move from an academic world to the world of work. You can explore careers, develop professional networks, gain work experience, and find mentors. Internships help you understand the role and function of communication within organizations. Often, internships bring career goals into focus.
Communication Internships
Communication majors and minors can enroll in COM 464 to receive academic credit for internships. As an intern, you'll see how your communication skills are used to build relationships with co-workers, work in small groups, conduct interviews, and give presentations.
Our students have completed internships at:
- Dow Chemical
- Target
- Disney World
- Enterprise
- Michigan Special Olympics
- Listening Ear Crisis Center
- West Michigan Environmental Action Council
These internship experiences will help you develop the professionalism needed to succeed in today's business world.
When you graduate, you'll find employers value internship experience for how they develop students' skills. Students who have completed internships have refined skills in communicating with others, developing a professional attitude, taking on responsibility, analyzing and synthesizing information, following directions, and more.
Integrative Public Relations Internships
The integrative public relations major requires you to participate in a public relations internship experience (IPR 555) to gain real-world experiences and a competitive professional portfolio. You must successfully complete six hours of internship credit (300 work hours) in the major.
Before the internship
To be eligible to enroll in IPR 555, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- Signed IPR major
- Junior/senior standing and completion of 56 credit hours
- Completed all required courses except for 500 level
- C or higher in all classes in the program, including electives taken thus far
- Minimum GPA of 2.5 in the major
- Signed and approved CMU Affiliation Agreement (Processing can take up to four weeks)
- Approval of the Internship Coordinator
NOTE: Each credit hour equals 50 work hours.
The internship coordinator will assist you in identifying organizations that may have internship opportunities. Financial compensation depends solely on the supervising organization. If you meet the course prerequisites, you can pursue these leads or develop leads on your own. With the approval of the internship coordinator, you can fill out the necessary forms and begin the process. It is imperative that you meet with the internship coordinator for the final approval and the site supervisor agrees to the terms and conditions of sponsoring you as an intern.
To complete the internship
You must work a minimum of 300 documented hours when enrolled in IPR 555. Additional hours must be negotiated between the intern and the field supervisor prior to the start of the internship.
As outlined in the syllabus and IPR 555 Blackboard materials, there are assignments and evaluations you must complete and submit before a grade can be assigned. All assignments must be received within two weeks upon completion of the last day of the internship.
The following evaluation form must be completed by the Field Supervisor and sent to IPRinternships@cmich.edu:
- IPR Field Supervisor Evaluation Form
The following assignments must be uploaded to Blackboard within two weeks upon completion of the internship:
- Journal
- Reflection paper
- Internship portfolio
- Assessment (case study and assessment instrument)
NOTE: All assignments are on Blackboard.
A FINAL GRADE FOR THE INTERNSHIP CANNOT BE POSTED UNTIL THE STUDENT HAS COMPLETED ALL OF THE ASSIGNMENTS AND THE FIELD SUPERVISOR EVALUATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
Once ALL materials have been submitted, they will be graded within two working weeks. The university is closed during holidays and semester breaks, thus not considered working days. A “Z” will be submitted as the final grade and changed to a letter grade once all materials are graded.
International internships must be approved by the IPR internship coordinator and the study abroad office. This takes additional time and is your responsibility to work with both offices.
Journalism Internships
The journalism department helps arrange internships to match your career interests and goals. Our students have completed internships in the media and related industries locally, nationally and internationally.
Benefits of an internship
- Students meet employers' expectations of at least one internship by graduation.
- Internships offer students opportunities to use their skills in a real-world context, gain experience and build their portfolios.
- A successful internship indicates the student has the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary to be successful in the workplace.
The following is a list of companies and organizations where students in the journalism department have interned:
- The Big Rapids Pioneer
- Heritage Media
- Michigan Hockey Magazine
- CBS Interactive
- Gamestop Magazine
- The Associated Press
- Detroit News
- Detroit Free Press
- The Washington Post
- St. Petersburg Times
- BlackBook
- The George Moses Company
- CMU Athletics
- Warner Music Group
- Parsons & Maxon, Inc.
- The Detroit Pistons
- Michigan Humane Society
- Detroit Zoo
- Michigan House of Representatives
- American Red Cross
- Link Community Development in London, England
- Pear Creative
- Midland Daily News
- Traverse Magazine
- Saginaw News
- Grand Rapids Press
- Muskegon Chronicle
- Detroit Lions
- Sydney Daily News in Sydney, Australia
Media Arts Internships
Internships are the best way to gain real-world experience, boost your resume, and acquire in-demand job skills. If you are interested in earning course credit for your job or internship experience, read the FAQ. More details and required forms are posted below.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as possible internship experience in media arts?
Any paid or unpaid position in mass media, journalism, public relations, or media-related discipline can potentially be applied toward college credit.
Are internships required for all media arts students in order to graduate?
No. They are optional but can be used to fulfill an upper-level elective. Talk to your academic advisor about how you can most effectively apply for internship credits.
Do I have to pay for the credits?
Yes. Internship experiences replace traditional coursework, and you must pay the current per-credit-hour rate via the registration system.
How many credits can I earn?
Undergraduate students are eligible for 1-6 credit internships. Graduate students are limited to 2-3 credits. Most people take 3-credits.
How many hours do I need to work?
It depends on how many credits you want to earn. The target rate is 50 hours per credit. For example, to earn 3 credits, you should work a minimum of 10 hours per week for 15 consecutive weeks. (About 150 hours work experience). Complete requirements are listed in the MEDIA ARTS INTERNSHIP GUIDELINES document above.
Who is eligible for the program?
You must be a declared media arts major with junior status or above and currently hold at least a 2.5 GPA.
How do I find an internship?
This part is up to you, it is the your responsibility to find a position. Check job listings online, reach out to people/organizations you are interested in, check LinkedIn etc. Media arts professors might also have contacts in the field. Just ask.
OK. I found a job/internship. Now what?
Before you are allowed to register, your internship must be approved by 1) The media arts program and 2) Central Michigan University’s office of Licensure, Regulatory Services & Human Capital.
1) For media arts guidelines, see the MEDIA ARTS INTERNSHIP GUIDELINES document linked above. To get started, submit a MEDIA ARTS INTERNSHIP APPLICATION, also linked above.
2) For CMU, the agency you are interning with MUST sign an Affiliation Agreement with CMU. Check if your agency already has an agreement on file in the link above. If your agency/company is not listed, the AFFILIATION AGREEMENT linked above must be in place before you can register for credit.
3) Once CMU approves the Affiliation Agreement, register and pay for BCA 529.
When do I need all this in by?
All application documents need to be on file with the internship coordinator no later than two weeks prior to starting the internship. Ideally, internships should be planned well-advanced. Materials should be in place by November 1 for the Spring semester, April 1 for the Summer session, and August 1 for the Fall semester.
I'm registered. What do I need to do to receive credit?
Keep track of your hours and complete an end-of-semester project. You can choose between a reflection essay or a professional portfolio. See the BlackBoard site for BCA 529.
