Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for internship credit?
After you have identified and talked with an intern employer, contact the faculty member in charge of the internship program in your sequence (ADVER, BDCST, COMST, JOUR, PR) to ask if the internship qualifies for credit. If so, then you need to fill out and submit an application to the faculty supervisor. If your application is approved you will be registered automatically for the credits
and will be billed accordingly.
Note: If you have an advising hold, please ask your advisor to release it before applying for an internship. It could delay your registration.
Is an internship required to graduate?
No. It is optional. You can take 6 credit hours of upper-division communication courses instead.
Do I have to pay for internship credit?
Yes. Internship credit is just like any other course, you will be billed per credit. This is also true for summer session credits. If you are going to be working off campus all summer and will not use the Rec Center or Health and Wellness AT ALL, submit a request with your application that those fees be waived.
How should I calculate the internship credit?
1 credit = 53.3 hours
(all internships must be 2 credits or more)
2 credits = 107 hours
3 credits = 160 hours = 1 month of 40 hours a week or 2 months of 20 hours a week or 4 months of 10 hours a week
6 credits = 320 hours = 2 months of 40 hours a week or 4 months of 20 hours a week
12 credits = 640 hours = 4 months of 40 hours a week
What am I required to have before I do an internship?
1. You must be certified in Communication with a 2.7 GPA in Communication courses.
2. By sequence, you must have also completed the following courses.
- Advertising: ADV 380 and ADV 381 or ADV 382
- Broadcasting: BDCST 350, BDCST 355 or 365, BDCST 455 or 465, and COM 415
- Communication: JOUR 305
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Communication Studies: for the Organizational Communication option, three of these four courses: Com 321, ComSt 335, ComSt 435, ComSt 485. For the Applied Intercultural option, three of these four courses: Com 321, ComSt 335, ComSt 421, ComSt 435. For the Communication Studies option, three of the following courses: Com 321 and/or upper division Com Studies.
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Journalism: JOUR 305, JOUR 330, and JOUR 425
- Public Relations: JOUR 305, PR 312, and PR 313
How do I find an internship?
Some intern employers contact the faculty internship supervisors and those opportunities are posted on the bulletin boards outside of those offices. Some employers also contact the Murrow College and those internships are posted online or on the bulletin board outside the Internship Office at Murrow 227.
Other places to look are the web sites of the companies you are interested in working for to see if they list information about interns. Look for the names of the managers you will need to contact and if they have a preferred method of contact. Read more tips about creating your own internship.
Help is available
WSU Career Advising and Development Center in Lighty 180 will read your resume while you wait if you drop in 2-4 p.m. Mon - Fri.
Career Advising also will set up a mock interview for you. Check their web site for tips on writing a resume and cover letter: www.careers.wsu.edu
Updated: March 2009