The Communication Internship
The communication internship provides students with an apprenticeship experience,
through which they explore communication practices within the media workplace.
Students spend an average of 10-15 hours per week during the regular academic year
(at least 20 hours per week over the summer) at their internship placement, performing
a variety of tasks from undertaking research, to writing copy, to preparing publications,
presentations, and videos. Students may undertake internships in a variety of communication
related organizations for academic credit, but doing so requires formal School approval
and completion of the internship seminar (Comm 299), through which students analyze
the communication processes they observe firsthand in their internships. In the
seminar, assigned readings and weekly field notes lead to a final research paper
on a communication issue. The objective of the course is to apply research methods
based in ethnographic theory to explore the working world of media organizations.
General Policies and Deadlines
Enrollment in Comm 299 is limited to majors in Communication. Credit is not granted
for on-campus internships. Students may complete Comm 299 only once. Credit is granted
only for internships with a demonstrable link to the academic offerings of the Annenberg
School. Some activities, even though sponsored by a media organization or billed
by sponsors as a "communication internship," may be primarily business or public
service activities, and thus more appropriately considered for credit by another
school or department at the University of Pennsylvania. Comm 299 is offered throughout
the academic year and during the summer. Because many students undertake internships
outside the Philadelphia area during the summer months, the summer-semester seminar
is structured around written assignments and does not hold meetings. Students enrolled
in the summer seminar are billed for summer tuition. Over the summer, spaces in
Comm 299 fill up very quickly, and since there is a limited number of spaces in
this course, it is recommended that students secure an internship as early as possible.
How to Apply
Students interested in applying must secure their own internships. Students must
identify a field supervisor in the organization sponsoring the internship, and work
out a contract, signed by both the student and the field supervisor, detailing their
explicit professional responsibilities. This contract must be filed with the Undergraduate
Office, along with a letter, signed by the employer, describing the duties of the
position, before a student can be enrolled in the seminar. Because seminar enrollment
is limited, students should arrange internships and receive approval as early as
possible to have the best chance of securing a place in the seminar.
Also See: