Course: COMM 1997
Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
Department: Communications
Title: Communication Internship I
Semester Approved: Fall 2023
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2028
End Semester: Summer 2029
Catalog Description: This course is designed to provide hands on experience in the field of Communication to link concepts learned in courses with professional practice. Communication internships are temporary, on-the-job experiences intended to help students identify how their studies in the classroom apply to the workplace. Internships are individually arranged by the student in collaboration with a faculty member in the chosen discipline and a supervisor in the workplace. This course is repeatable for up to 6 credits, with no more than 3 credits per semester. Additional fees required. Internships are typically pass/fail credits. Students desiring a grade will need to negotiate a contract with significant academic work beyond the actual work experience.
Semesters Offered: TBA
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1-3; Lecture: 1-3; Lab: 0
Repeatable: Yes. Repeatable for up to six credits
Justification: "An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate them." (NACE Definition, NACEweb.org)As such, internships provide students opportunities to explore career options through an engaged setting, they help students apply academic materials and skill into practical work situations, they provide valuable professional experience, and they develop interpersonal skills. Students who participate in internship opportunities secure work more quickly and are promoted more rapidly than students who do not. Often internships work well as capstone courses. All USHE institutions offer internship opportunities to their students.Students at Snow can enroll in up to 3 academic credits in an academic semester. No more than 6 credits can count toward an associate's degree. Duplicate experience for additional credit is not allowed.
Student Learning Outcomes: Understand and apply communication classroom material to a professional work situation. Students will demonstrate that connection that connection through a reflection paper, their journal entries, and in conversation with a faculty mentor and work supervisor.
Develop interpersonal skills by negotiating with faculty and supervisors in the design of an internship contract. Students will be assessed through the development of the internship contract.
Develop professionalism by developing self-initiative, time management skills, effective communication skills, punctuality, and professional conduct. Students will be assessed through periodic work reviews.
Connect communication experience from the work environment back to the discipline of communication. Students will be demonstrate this connection through journal entries, reflections, and in conversation with their faculty mentors.
Content: Course content will be determined collaboratively by student, faculty mentor and job supervisor. The internship contract uses a student's academic and professional interests to serve as the intellectual starting point for developing a semester-long project. Together the student, faculty advisor, and worksite supervisor will design a project that meets the following criteria:1. Aligns with student academic program,2. Offers the student an opportunity to significantly expand their current knowledge and skill set; and3. Aligns with the student's professional pursuits. To qualify for an internship, a student must be in good academic standing (2.0 G.P.A.); have completed 30 semester hours or have instructor permission; and ideally have completed coursework that relates to the work experience.
Key Performance Indicators: Students desiring more than 1 credit must also submit at least one artifact for each additional credit. Artifacts should reflect academic practices of the discipline and might include a portfolio, interview transcript, primary and/or secondary research paper, completed work project, multi-media report, etc. The faculty mentor's role is to mentor the student, evaluate these key performance indicators, and assign a course grade.
Portfolio or Research Project 10 to 50%
Learning logs or Journals 10 to 25%
Reflection Essay - 3 pages per credit 10 to 30%
Work Documentation 5 to 10%
Work Supervisor Evaluation 10 to 25%
Pedagogy Statement: Due to the individual nature of this internship course, individualized teaching practices will be employed through experiential learning and reflection.
Instructional Mediums: Internship
Maximum Class Size: 1
Optimum Class Size: 1
