Frequently Asked Questions - Internship Programs

Internship PhotoWho is eligible to take Communication 480?

Junior and senior UWSP communication majors in good academic standing are eligible to take Communication 480.   

When can I take an internship?

Internship credit is available during the fall, spring, or summer terms.  Because of the short time period, you are not able to take an internship during the Winterim session. 

How do I find an internship?

You may find one on your own.  Contacting businesses and organizations in your hometown for a summer placement or other groups that interest you might lead to excellent opportunities.  Many internships are posted on Career Point  – a website maintained by the UWSP Career Services Office.    Other opportunities are posted on the Division of Communication’s Bulletin Board on the second floor of the Communication Arts Center and are emailed to eligible students by the Division’s internship director.  If you need help locating an internship, please ask your academic advisor, your communication professors, or the Division’s internship director.

How do I apply for an internship?

You need to complete the internship application form available on the Division’s website.  Submit your completed application and a copy of your resume to the internship director.  You also need to have two communication professors who know your work email recommendations in support of your application to the internship director.  After the internship director has received and reviewed your application, resume and two faculty recommendations, he will give you electronic authorization to register for Communication 480.

When should I apply for an internship?

Applications are accepted whenever your assignment is finalized.  Most students apply before the start of a term or near the beginning of the semester.

How many credits should I take?

Most students enroll for two or three academic credits during a semester.  One academic credit requires you to complete at least 40 hours of successful work at the job site.  Therefore, a three credit internship requires you to complete at least 120 hours of work during the semester.
How many internship credits are permitted?
 
You are able to take up to eight academic credits of internship (Communication 480) during your academic career.  Only three of those credits count for the communication major.  The other credits count as upper level electives for your UWSP degree. 

In addition to working hard, what are the other requirements?

You must submit two reports on your internship experience.  An interim report (about three pages long) must be submitted when you have completed half of your assignment.  A final report (3-5 pages long) must be turned in at the end of your internship.

What are the requirements for my interim report?

Interim reports are due when you have completed half of the required hours for your assignment.  It is your responsibility to make this determination and forward your paper to the internship director.  Your report should represent your best writing.  It should be no more than three typed, double-spaced pages and should include the following:
  1. How many hours per week are you working (on average)?

  2. What have you done so far?  (Please describe activities such as projects undertaken, publics served, professional behaviors witnessed and problems solved.)

  3. What are you scheduled to do for the remainder of the internship?

  4. How would you evaluate the learning opportunities you have experienced thus far?

  5. How would you assess the time and direction you have received from your supervisor?

What are the requirements for my final report?

Final reports are due as soon as possible upon completion of your internship.  Again, this report must be well written.  In three to five typed, double-spaced pages you should: 
  1. Describe your experiences as an intern.  (Detail what projects you worked on and the skills you utilized during your assignment.)

  2. Identify what you have done since you filed your interim report.

  3. Describe the methods your supervisor used to train and/or direct your efforts.

  4. Identify the best and worst aspects of your internship.

  5. Compare what you have learned in the classroom to your internship experience.

  6. Describe how this internship might help you prepare for your professional career.

How will I be evaluated?

Your work supervisor will complete two evaluations of your performance (a midterm assessment at the halfway point and a final evaluation at the end of your placement).  You will be assessed on your professional skills, your dependability/work ethic, your communication skills and your creativity.  The internship director will review the two evaluations and your interim and final reports when grading your internship experience.  

Who do I contact if I have additional questions about the internship program?

Please contact the internship director – Dr. James M. Haney via email at jhaney@uwsp.edu, by phone at 715/346-3409, or by mail at the Division of Communication, 225 Communication Arts Center, UW-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI, 54481.