You are here: American University School of Communication Advising Internships for Credit

Back to top

How to Get Internship Credit

Students in good academic standing may earn credit for an internship that counts towards their major at the School of Communication.

For many students, an internship proves to be a highlight of their undergraduate studies. Not only is it an opportunity for you to apply what you've learned in the classroom to the real world, an internship can also open the door to a full-time job after you graduate.

Students are responsible for finding their own internships through AU Career Center. To receive academic credit, your internship must be related to a communication field and appropriate to your academic program. The work must be more substantive than administrative, with non-administrative work comprising at least 85-percent of the work performed.

There are three options for internship credit: the Communication Field Experience; the Communication Careers Internship; and the Senior Professional Internship.

Deadlines for Internship Credit
Spring 2023: Tuesday, January 31
Summer 2023: Friday, May 26

  1. Complete the Internship Registration form. All sections of the form, including course information, learning outcomes, internship information, start and end dates, and hours per week, must be complete before you can be approved and registered for the course.
  2. Obtain the internship site supervisor's signature.
     
  3. Submit the completed form to your School of Communication academic advisor by the appropriate deadline listed above.
     
  4. Your advisor will obtain the faculty approval and signature and then register you for the course.

Our internships for credit are designed with the following outcomes in mind. These outcomes can be used when completing the Internship Registration form. Please note that each course and instructor may have more detailed learning outcomes, which will be listed in the syllabus for that particular course.

Once you complete an internship for credit, you should be able to:

  • Compare and contrast professional practices and what you have learned in the classroom.
  • Clearly communicate, both orally and in writing, your work and academic experience with confidence.
  • Reflect and choose superior ways to handle challenging situations in the workplace.
  • More clearly articulate your goals for a future career and understand the importance of utilizing your communication interests and skills to network and build relationships with professionals in your field.
  • Understand ways in which your internship experience will augment your classroom learning and how that experience can guide your career interests in the future.

If you earn credit for an internship, you are considered to be registered for an academic course. Like any credit-bearing course, there is a cost. During the fall and spring semesters, if a student's total credit hours are between 12 and 17, the internship will fall under the block tuition charge. However, if the internship causes your total credit hour count to go above 17, there will be a charge for every credit hour over 17.

During the summer, students pay courses by credit hour. Therefore, your total cost would depend on the number of credit hours in your internship.

More information about tuition and fees.

Deadlines for Internship Credit

Fall 2022: Friday, September 12
Spring 2023: Tuesday, January 31
Summer 2023: Friday, May 26

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Internship Credit Options

Undergraduate

This internship will introduce you to professional practices in your chosen communication discipline and give you an early on-site opportunity to learn about some of the realities of working in the career path that you plan to pursue. The Communication Field Experience occurs before the Communication Careers Internship (COMM-391) and the Senior Professional Internship (COMM-491).

Prerequisites

  • School of Communication student with 30 credits or more completed
  • 2.5 GPA or better

Requirements

  • Students are required to work 70 total hours (5 hours per week) over the 14-week semester.
  • Grades will be based upon the required coursework indicated in the syllabus and evaluations collected form your internship site supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a syllabus for the class.
  • The Communication Field Experience is worth 1 credit. This internship may be credited towards all School of Communication majors, but only those majoring in Public Relations and Strategic Communication or Journalism may count up to 6 internship credits towards your major.

Course Information

 

Spring 2023

This course is taught by Sarah Menke-Fish. 

This course meets in McKinley Bldg 100 Lecture.
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-9:35 p.m.
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-9:35 p.m. 
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-9:35 p.m.

This internship complements your formal education, equipping you with further experience and professional skills in your chosen communication field. The Communication Careers Internship occurs after the Communication Field Experience (COMM-291) and before the Senior Professional Internship (COMM-491).

Prerequisites

  • School of Communication student with 30 credits or more completed
  • 2.5 GPA or better

Requirements

  • Students are required to work 140 total hours (10 hours per week) over the 14-week semester.
  • Grades will be based upon the required coursework indicated in the syllabus and evaluations collected from your internship site supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a syllabus for the class.
  • The Communication Career Internship is worth 2 credits. The internship may be credited toward all School of Communication majors, but only those students majoring in Public Relations and Strategic Communication or Journalism may count up to 6 internship credits toward your major.

Course Information

 

Spring 2023

This course is taught by Sarah Menke-Fish. 

This course meets in McKinley Bldg 100 Lecture. 
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-9:50 p.m.
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-9:50 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-9:50 p.m.

This opportunity is generally seen as a capstone experience and an incredible opportunity to apply everything you have learned in the communication field by working with a nonprofit organization, a corporation, or a small business. The Senior Professional Internship is a highly unconventional course that demands a different mindset and commitment than other courses. It occurs after the Communication Field Experience (COMM-291) and the Communication Careers Internship (COMM-391).

Prerequisites

  • SOC Senior in their final 2 semesters with 90 credits or more completed
  • 2.5 GPA or better
  • Journalism majors must have completed the Reporting course (COMM-320).
  • Film and Media Arts majors must have completed Film and Video Production I (COMM-331) or Writing for Visual Media (COMM-382).
  • Public Relations and Strategic Communication majors must have completed Public Relations Writing (COMM-337), Public Relations Case Studies (COMM-346), or Public Communication Research (COMM-380).
  • Communication Studies majors must have completed all "core" courses.

Requirements

  • Students are required to work 210 total hours (15 hours per week) over the 14-week semester.
  • Grades will be based upon the required coursework indicated in the syllabus and evaluations collected from your internship site supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a syllabus for the class.
  • The Senior Professional Internship is worth 3 credits. This internship may be credited toward all School of Communication majors except Foreign Language and Communication Media.

Course Information
 

Spring 2023

This course is taught by Scott Talan. 

This course meets in McKinley Bldg 100. 
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-10:20 p.m.
Wednesday, March 22, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-10:20 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 - 8:20 p.m.-10:20 p.m.

Graduate

Permission of division director required.
Professional communication work in an off-campus organization appropriate to the student's academic program.

Requirements

  • Students will work 70 hours over the 14-week semester (5 hours per week) per credit, for a maximum of 3 credits (210 total hours).
  • Grades will be based upon the required coursework indicated in the syllabus and evaluations collected from your internship site supervisor. It is your responsibility to secure a syllabus for the class.