USF School of Mass Communications
Internship and Practicum Program
Student Information Packet
Spring/Summer/Fall
MASS COMMUNICATIONS INTERNSHIPS AND
PRACTICA
Spring/Summer/Fall
Professor: Dr. Frederick Pearce
Phone: (813) 974- 4462
E-Mail: fwpearce@usf.edu
SYLLABUS
Course Objective: To offer qualified students an opportunity to gain academic credit for
professional off-campus or on-campus supervised media work that enhances the skills
they have learned in their courses. Students are supervised by a on-site professional
media advisor and practicing professional in their related field. Internships and or
practica may be in advertising, journalism and production, and public relations.
Students seeking internship or practicum for academic credit may have a total of three
(3) credits applied to their Mass Communications requirements in the area of selective
hours. Each credit hour requires at least 100 hours of supervised media work. Typically
internships are for (3) three credit hours and a practicum is for (1) one credit hour. The
number of on-site work hours will be mutually agreed upon with consideration for the
sponsor's work requirements and the student's University course schedule. They may be
paid or unpaid.
Eligibility Requirements:
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Be a Mass Communications major with junior standing;
Completion of pre-requisites courses and have permission from the USF School
of Mass Communications Director of Internships and Practica;
Pre-requisites include first introduction course of your sequence (ADV 3008, JOU
2100, PUR 3000 or RTV 3001 & RTV 3301);
2.75 GPA;
Select an internship/practicum site from the approved list or have the
internship/practicum approved by the Director of Internships and Practica;
Enroll in internship/practicum course after you have been granted an internship
or practicum or by the organization to which you applied and have completed the
Mass Communications Internship/Practicum application Form.
Application Procedures:
1. Look for an opportunity. A list of previous sites, as well as current opportunities, can
be obtained on the department website. You can also search for an opportunity on
your own.
2. Apply for an internship/practicum and successfully land the job.
3. After you have an opportunity secured, complete the Student Application Form on
the department Web site. All materials must be completed and submitted online by
Wednesday of the first week of classes.
4. After you have been approved and then permitted to take the internship or practicum,
register for the course.
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Internships and practica will not be approved if you are not being supervised by
a media professional. Internships and practica that require you to work in a
private home or from your own home will not necessarily be approved.
5. After starting your internship or practicum, update the Director of Internships weekly
by email regarding your work experience. This should include: daily activities, jobrelated success or failures and initiative taken at the site and the number hours of
hours worked. Compile an internship/practicum portfolio to be turned in at the end of
the semester. The portfolio should include samples of ALL the work you have done
at the site and self-evaluation. You portfolio MUST be submitted to the Director of
Internships and Practica before the last day of class. Failure to submit your portfolio
in proper form (described below) will result in a grade of “I” until the
internship/practice requirements are fulfilled. During your internship please contact
your Director of Internships and Practica if you are performing any job tasks that
would not be classified as media work or with any other concerns.
Course Description: The student will work in the offices of a media site. The student is
required to develop a work portfolio listing all work and accomplishments. Successful
completion of the course is dependent upon submission of the portfolio, and a satisfactory
evaluation of the student's performance by the sponsor. Satisfactory performance will earn
one credit hour graded S/U. This course fulfills selective credits required for the completion
of the sequence program.
Student Responsibilities:
(1) For an internship and practicum, you must perform a minimum of 100 hours of
supervised media work per academic credit. The work hours will be mutually agreed
upon with consideration for the sponsor's work requirements and the student's University
course schedule. Absences will be reported to the sponsor.
2) Your portfolio must be presented in a (pristine) white, 2-inch, three ring binder. These
binders must contain all evidence of your internship efforts including any letters of
recommendation. Construct a title page, and a table of contents (page 2). Include on
the title page your name, your title, and the name of the organization. Construct a "page
3" that provides a summary of your internship: a job description, your assigned duties,
the date of your internship (start to finish), and the total number of hours at your
internship site. Pages four through (let's say 10) should be your PowerPoint
presentation. The rest of the binder should be separated by tabs and include all
evidence of your internship activities (scripts written, meeting notes, photos, CDs,
DVDs, which should include any audio, video, screen shots of graphics and the like).
Please do not include any of your correspondence with me unless germane to your
assigned duties.
3) Before the end of the semester, download the Internship/Practicum evaluation form
for the department Web site and present to the sponsor. Have your sponsor mail the
completed paper form to Frederick W. Pearce, Ph.D., Director, School of Mass
Communications, CIS 1040, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Blvd., Tampa,
33620, or fax it to (813) 974-2592 or email the completed Internship/Practicum
evaluation electronic form to fwpearce@usf.edu. Your sponsor’s evaluation of your
performance MUST be included with your portfolio. The sponsor evaluation, yoru
weekly email updates, and your portfolio are used to determine your final grade (S/U).
Failure to submit your portfolio and sponsor evaluation will result in an Incomplete (“I”)
grade until it is received.
The School of Mass Communications will keep these binders on file as evidence of our
internship program and they may be referenced by students who are interested in how
internships work. You should keep your portfolio electronically and continuously update as
your career evolves.
Sponsor Responsibilities: Assign the student meaningful work projects typical of tasks
assigned entry level media professionals, offering appropriate guidance and on-the-job
training, and complete the evaluation form and transmit it to the USF School of Mass
Communications Director of Internships prior to the end of the course.
DEADLINE FOR TURNING IN PORTFOLIO AND SPONSOR EVALUATION:
LAST DAY OF CLASSES
MEDIA INTERNSHIP — MMC 4945
Spring/Summer/Fall —
Student Responsibilities:
(1) Perform a minimum of 100 hours of supervised media work for one credit or 300 hours of
supervised media during the semester. Anticipated absences will be reported to the sponsor in
advance.
(2) Save all your media work for your internship portfolio that must be turned in to the Director of
Internships at the end of the semester. Failure to turn in a portfolio will result in a “I” grade.
Sponsor Responsibilities: Assign the student meaningful work projects typical of tasks assigned entry
level media professionals, offering appropriate guidance and on-the-job training, and complete the
internship evaluation form and transmit it to the professor prior to the end of the course.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING PORTFOLIO: LAST DAY OF CLASSES
GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. You cannot get credit for both an internship and a practicum.
2. You will receive either a grade of S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory).
3. Practicum is only a required course for students pursuing the Advertising sequence.
Class Standing
Credit Hrs. Earned
Total Work Hours
GPA Requirement
Classes Completed
Internship
Junior or Senior
Three
300
2.75 Overall GPA
First introduction course from your
sequence (ADV 3008, JOU 2100,
PUR 3000 or RTV 3001 & RTV
3301)
Practicum
Junior or Senior
One
100
2.75 Overall GPA
First introduction course from your
sequence (ADV 3008, JOU 2100,
PUR 3000 or RTV 3001 & RTV
3301)