Journalism Internship Courses

J 331K/131P: Journalism Internship Courses

Fall 2009

Fall 2009 Internship Course Mandatory Meeting Schedule
Download J 331K/131P Syllabus
Professional Conduct, Proper Attire & Sexual Harassment Read Only Documents

Online Internship Application

Internship Search Help

The School of Journalism offers two internship courses: J 331K, a 3-hour class open to all Journalism students who have fulfilled the prerequisites detailed below, and J 131P, a 1-hour class designed to offer students a second credit-based internship course, contingent upon completion of J 331K. In addition, the College of Communication offers course credit for students wishing to intern in an area outside of Journalism by enrolling in COM 350 or 178 - available for elective credit or major credit by petition. Prerequisites for these courses are as follows:

J 331K: Upper Division Standing, GPA >2.25, J 310, J 315, J 320D Broadcast: J 322D; Photo: J 325
J 131P: J 331K
COM 350: Upper Division Standing, GPA >2.25, J 310, J 315, J 320D
Broadcast: J 322D; Photo: J 325
COM 178: J 331K or COM 350

WHAT ARE THE INTERNSHIP COURSE REQUIREMENTS?

You are responsible for finding and securing a viable internship position and registering with Communication Career Services before the 6th class day (2nd in summer) of the semester you register for an internship course. Deliverables are required during and at the conclusion of your internship. Please see the Journalism Internship Syllabus, available at http://communication.utexas.edu/ccs/journalism_classes.html or in Communication Career Services, CMA 3.102, for details.

MAXIMUM INTERNSHIP CREDIT HOURS

The College of Communication allows a maximum of 4 internship credit hours. For example: J 331K and J 131P, or J 331K and COM 178. Visit an academic advisor for more information.

Why Intern?

Internships are intended to supplement your academic foundation with practical experience in a professional environment. You have the opportunity to learn or reinforce valuable skills while:

gaining professional experience to strengthen your repertoire,
building a network of valuable industry contacts, and
developing the business skills necessary to succeed in a competitive environment.

What Do the Professionals Say?

According to a recent survey of the nation's 1,000 largest companies, 47% rated "experience in the profession" as the most important aspect in hiring recent college graduates. In contrast, only 18% and 17% rated "type of degree" and "GPA", respectively, as most important.

How Do I Begin My Search?

The first step to finding an internship is knowing what type of experience you wish to gain. Once you have defined your goals, decide where you want to be. Hollywood or New York? Austin or Houston? Once you have established your focus, you are ready to begin your search. The following resources are available to UT College of Communication students.

Communication Career Services - CCS posts over 1,600 internship opportunities; offers an internship search engine via CareerSource; houses a library complete with internship books, directories, industry publications & career resources; and offers students one-on-one advising to assist in the search and preparation for internships.
AccessUT - university wide job and internship posting site, available at http://accessut.utexas.edu/.
Contacting Employers Directly - contact information may be found in the variety of directories available in CCS so that you may inquire directly to the company of interest about internship positions/programs.
College of Communication Departmental Websites - links to many communication industry related sites around the nation as well as relevant sites in the Austin and UT community.

HOW CAN I TWEAK MY APPLICATION FOR AN INTERNSHIP?

Communication Career Services advisors are available to assist students with:

designing & organizing resumes in order to create a more competitive & creative application;
structuring application documents to reflect the target organization/position; and
setting goals for experiential development during and after your academic career.

WHAT ARE THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THROUGH CCS?

UT Semester in LA Program

Semester-long program in Los Angeles that combines academic study and internships in the entertainment capital. Applications are available for fall, spring & summer semesters. Detailed information available at http://www.utla.utexas.edu

UT in DC Program at the Archer Center

Semester-long program in Washington DC that combines academic study and internships in our nation's capital. Applications are available for Fall & Spring semesters. Sponsored by the UT Office of Undergraduate Studies, http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/utindc

Wofford Denius Music Industry Internship Grants

The Denius grants provide up to $6,000 of financial assistance to Communication students pursuing summer internships in the music industry in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville or New York. Detailed information available at http://communication.utexas.edu/ccs/deniusinternship.html