DEP ARTM ENT OF M EDI A, CUL TURE , AND COM M UNIC ATION
239 Greene Street, 8th Floor | New York, New York 10003
Course Information
Internship
Spring 2014
MCC-UE 1100 - 001, - 002 Undergraduate-level course
MCC-GE 2235 - 001, - 002 Graduate-level course
Instructor
Jonathan Martinez
jm4599@nyu.edu
Overview
Internships are a strongly recommended, but not required, supplement to study as a Media, Culture, and Communication major.
On site, you gain networking opportunities, are mentored by industry professionals, and learn the foundational skills necessary to
succeed in your industry.
Doing an internship for course credit is an academic undertaking in which students integrate academic theory with practical
experience. The assignments are designed so you will engage in critical thinking about different media and communicationsrelated fields and think analytically about the work of your company.
Requirements
60%:
The Discussions are the most heavily weighted portion of your grade. This syllabus describes the discussions in detail.
30%:
The Supervisor Evaluation Form should be turned in with your internship portfolio and will not be accepted separately, so
please plan ahead and give your supervisor adequate time to complete the form and return it to you. This form can be
downloaded from the forms link on the department website.
10%:
The Internship Workshop: September 22, 2014 at 6:30pm. The workshop is a chance to discuss and ask questions about
the assignments. You will also discuss your experiences with fellow students. If you are unable to attend the workshop
because of a class or work conflict, you may receive credit by scheduling a meeting with Jonathan (call 212-998-5635). If
you do not complete either of these options, you will not earn credit for this 10% of your final grade. This workshop is
mandatory. Please be in touch with Jonathan for any exception.
Grading
Grading for the internship course is based mainly on the online discussions that you complete, not on your attendance or
performance while at your internship. This means that even if you are a stand-out intern, your internship grade will reflect the
writing and critical analysis you do in your online discussions, not solely your experience at work.
Discussion Grading Scale:
A 55-60/60 points
A- 53-54/60 points
B+ 51-52/60 points
B 49-50/60 points
B- 47-48/60 points
C+
C
CD+
D
F
45-46/60 points
43-44/60 points
41-42/60 points
37-40/60 points
12-36/60 points
0-11/60 points
Assignment
The importance of any internship experience is not simply what you are asked to do while at the internship, but what you are able
to learn about the industry and company or organization through techniques of observation and reflective analysis. Using this
concept as a starting point, the discussion assignments require you to think critically about the company or organization for which
you are working, largely by observing what is going on around you, thinking critically about it, and writing about it in directed
discussion boards.
Outline of the Assignments
INTERNSHIP
FALL 2014
The Discussions for students taking the internship will be the same, regardless of number of credits. Each student will be required
three (3) personal reflections (introduction, mid-point, and conclusion, each emailed to the instructor), two (2) critical analysis
discussion questions (in NYU Classes), an evaluation form filled out and signed by your internship supervisor, and your
evaluation of the internship site.
I. PERSONAL REFLECTION: AN INTRODUCTION (250-300 words)

Due Date: October 1, 2014, by 5pm emailed to Jonathan
Describe the company or organization for which you will be interning, including a description of their operations, and an
explanation of the role of the particular division for which you will be working. These reflections will not be shared with
classmates or employers!
Reflect on how you found the internship, what the interview process involved, and your understanding of what your
responsibilities will be. Some things to think about: What is the company focus and how do you think you will fit in? What type of
“culture” or atmosphere do you think the company has? What will a typical day be like at the internship? Finally, formulate specific
and concrete goals that you have for this internship experience and reflect on them. These goals can be technical,
interpersonal, or industry-related. What do you hope to learn and accomplish?
II. PERSONAL REFLECTION: MID-POINT APPRAISAL (250-300 words)

Due Date: November 7, 2014, by 5pm emailed to Jonathan
Refer to the expectations and goals discussed in your introduction and assess your progress in achieving these goals. Some
things to think about: How is the internship going? Is the internship meeting your expectations? Why or why not? What is the
progress on your goals? What sort of conflict, if any, are you having? These reflections will not be shared with classmates or
employers!
III. PERSONAL REFLECTION: CONCLUDING ASSESSMENT (250-300 words)

Due Date: December 12, 2014, by 5pm emailed to Jonathan
Your conclusion should summarize your experience. Describe to what extent this experience has met your goals and
expectations. Reflect on, and explain, the influence of this experience on any desire you may or may not have to work at this
company or in this segment of the industry in the future. These reflections will not be shared with classmates or employers!
IV. Critical Analysis Discussion Boards (2 separate questions - 250-300 words each)
Every few weeks, one question will be posted in the NYU Classes Discussion boards, throughout the semester. There will be 8
questions in total. Student will be assigned to only 2 of the 8 questions, and will be responsible for answering that week’s question
in 250-300 words. All other students will be expected to give a short thoughtful comment of 75-150 words to the answers their
fellow classmate give.
 Students answering questions should consider each question in the context of MCC Core and Field of Study Classes. All
parts of the question should be answered. Students answering questions should include summarization of tasks to provide
context for answers, but this should not constitute more than 25% of the response. Be descriptive and insightful! The
internship is a time for you to apply your theoretical knowledge in a practical setting. These questions are a place for you
to explore the connection between the two. It’s strongly recommended that you support your ideas with external sources
such as theories learned in class or texts used in class. If so, remember to cite your sources in a format with which you are
comfortable.
 Questions and student assignments will be made available in NYU Classes 1-2 weeks before responses are due. In order for
you to begin gathering information that can help you in the discussions, question topics include:
o Effects of physical space/environment on work (Family Names A-G; Due Oct. 10)
o Global Identity (Family Names I-Li; Due Oct. 17)
o Company Audience (Family Names Lo-P; Due Oct. 24)
o Stories of Power in the workplace (Family Names R-Z; Due Oct 31)
o Creative Process versus other forces (Family Names A-G; Due Nov 14)
o Knowledge of Particular World of Work (Family Names I-Li; Due Nov 21)
o Ethical Issues (Family Names Lo-P; Due Nov 26)
o Surprises (Family Names R-Z; Due Dec 5)
 Students commenting on their peers’ responses will be required to give a short 75-150 word response to one answer.
Responses should include short summarization to provide context. Some things to consider and include: How did you have
a similar or different experience? How does your company do things similarly or differently? Do you have any tips or
suggestions?
 Comments will be factored into the Discussion portion of your grade
 The 60 points of the of the Discussion portion of your grade are divided as follows:
2
INTERNSHIP
FALL 2014
o
o
o
3 Personal Reflections: 12 points each; remember, these are emailed to the instructor and will not be shared with
students or employers.
Discussion Question 1 and Comments:
 9 points for the answer to the question you’re assigned
 1 point for each of 3 Comments on questions to which you are not assigned
 12 points total
Discussion Question 2 and Comments:
 9 points for the answer to the question you’re assigned
 1 point for each of 3 Comments on questions to which you are not assigned
 12 points total
V. SUPERVISOR EVALUATION (Due December 12, by 5pm)— Print out a copy of the “Supervisor Evaluation of Student Intern” form from
the website
(http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/mcc/internships/forms). Include the completed and signed form in your portfolio. You’ll need to
plan ahead so that your supervisor has adequate time to complete the form and return it to you before the due date. Even if
you have more than one direct supervisor, only one completed evaluation is required. However, you certainly may request
evaluations from other supervisors as well—the more feedback you get, the better.
VI. Student EVALUATION OF INTERNSHIP (Due December 12, by 5pm)— Print out a copy of the “Student Evaluation of Internship” form
from the website
(http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/mcc/internships/forms). Include the completed form in your portfolio.
VII. OPTIONAL APPENDIX— Feel free to send instructor (via NYU Classes Discussion Board) any additional materials such as press
releases, contributions to the newsletter, magazine layouts, photography, etc.
Academic Integrity
Your internship portfolio is an academic endeavor and as such, is upheld to the same standards of academic integrity as all other
coursework. Plagiarism is unacceptable and students are expected, in all aspects of the portfolio, to provide citations for work that
is not their own. You may format your citations according to MLA or APA style.
From the Statement on Academic Integrity:
Academic integrity is the guiding principle for all that you do; from taking exams, making oral presentations to writing term papers. It
requires that you recognize and acknowledge information derived from others, and take credit only for ideas and work that are yours.
Plagiarism, one of the gravest forms of academic dishonesty in university life, whether intended or not, is academic fraud. In a
community of scholars, whose members are teaching, learning and discovering knowledge, plagiarism cannot be tolerated.
Plagiarism is failure to properly assign authorship to a paper, a document, an oral presentation, a musical score and/or other materials,
which are not your original work. You plagiarize when, without proper attribution, you do any of the following: Copy verbatim from a
book, an article or other media; download documents from the Internet; purchase documents; report from other's oral work; paraphrase
or restate someone else's facts, analysis and/or conclusions; copy directly from a classmate or allow a classmate to copy from you.
Instructor Feedback
If you are unclear about how to approach the portfolio assignment or are unsure if you’re proceeding correctly, don’t hesitate to ask
for feedback. Jonathan is more than happy to discuss the assignment and offer comments on written drafts. You can schedule an
appointment by calling 212-998-5635.
3