Internships
Applied Communication Studies majors may complete internships to earn both academic credit and valuable professional experience. Internships can provide a great opportunity to apply communication theories and skills, as well as gain practical experience under the guidance of an organizational practitioner. Interns may work in virtually any area of Applied Communication under the supervision of individuals from a variety of local, regional, and national organizations.
Undergraduate students can take internships for variable credit (1 to 6 credit hours). Students must perform 40 to 60 hours of work to earn each credit hour. Therefore, for a 3 credit internship, students will generally work 120 to 150 hours over the course of a semester, or about 10 hours per week in a 15 week semester. Up to 3 credits of internship will fulfill elective requirements for the Applied Communication Studies major. However, ACS students may register for up to 6 internship credits during their time at SIUE. The current ACS 491 syllabus can be viewed here.
Graduate students can take internships for 1 to 3 hours of credit (follow the guidelines above) and should involve graduate level work. Graduate students are advised to seek guidance from the Director of Graduate Studies for securing appropriate internship opportunities for their program of study. The current ACS 591 syllabus can be viewed here.
To be able to apply for internships, undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements:
- have at least junior standing (60 earned credit hours)
- have a minimum GPA of 2.5
- be Applied Communication Studies majors
- have the internship approved by the Director of Internships in the Department of Applied Communication Studies before students can receive internship credit.
For students, the Internship Application Process consists of four consecutive steps:
- locating and securing an appropriate internship
- completing the ACS Internship application
- receiving approval from the Internship Director for internship credit
- registering for ACS (491.001 for Undergraduates or 591.001 for Graduates) by picking up a signed add/drop form from the Director of Internships and adding the course before semester deadlines.
Upon securing an internship, students must complete an agreement with the Department of Applied Communication Studies, providing details about the activities to be pursued and the on-site supervisor. At the end of the internship experience, students must complete and turn in to the Director of Internships a Summary Evaluation of Internship Experience and they must also ensure that their internship supervisor completes and turns in to the Director of Internships a Final Intern Evaluation.
For additional information, please consult the Internship Application Packet as well as the forms to be submitted upon securing the internship and at the end of the internship experience. If further help is needed for identifying and applying for an internship, please contact Dr. Sorin Nastasia, the Director of Internships of the Department of Applied Communication Studies at (618) 650-5826 or snastas@siue.edu.
