MC 4983/4993 – MEDIA INTERNSHIP
COURSE OUTLINE
This course is supervised practical experience in a media facility; such as a newspaper, radio or television station, public relations operation or advertising agency. The course earns students enrolled three (3) hours of credits toward their degree.
PREREQUISITES
This course can be taken during a student’s junior or senior year.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course should provide the student with educational experiences that are unavailable on traditional university campuses. These experiences reinforce classroom education, offer a lab where a students can apply classroom education, and these experiences offer an expanded education owing to the cost prohibitive nature of the working tools used by contemporary media.
REQUIREMENTS AND PRECEDURES
Minimum requirements for a student’s participation in an internship program are (1) approval of internship by university adviser; (2) a 3.0 GPA in all departmental courses; (3) submission of all necessary forms, including a resume; (4) weekly reports; (5) portfolio; (6) mid-term/final report from coordinator.
(Note that an internship can be entered into only after the participation media supervisor and the department adviser have had a full dialogue regarding the individual student request. Please not that a student’s request for an internship can be denied if it is determined that a specific internship may not be beneficial to all parties. If a students does not get the internship approved and goes ahead with the internship. It is an automatic “C.”)
Each student is required to work a minimum of 10 hours per week during a 16 – week semester or 20 hours per week during an eight – week summer semester. A total of 160 hours must be completed.
ASSIGNMENTS
Student evaluations will occur on an ongoing basis. A student’s final grade will be jointly determined by the media supervisor and intern adviser. Essential elements in the evaluation process include (1) the student intern’s timely submission of comprehensive weekly written reports, including detailed outline of the internship work schedule and analyses of work assignments and learning experiences; (2) the media supervisor’s and intern adviser’s evaluation of such matters as the intern’s work ethic, eagerness to learn, and cooperation. Part of the evaluation includes the media supervisor’s timely completion of the midterm and final grade report; (3) attendance at the general internship meeting at the beginning of the semester; (4) at the end of the semester each student should have a portfolio to present for evaluation to his intern adviser.
(Note that if a student fails to complete weekly intern reports in a timely fashion and falls three weeks behind, this could result in failing the course.)
Mass Communications Internship Program
Cooperating Media Body Agreement Form
Intern Adviser’s Copy
1. Every effort will be made to assign the student to an area of responsibility commensurate with his or her abilities and interests. However, assignments will be at the discretion of the cooperating media body based on its need and staff abilities.
2. The employer will attempt to provide a range and variety of challenging work experiences for the student intern.
3. The student intern will commit to a minimum of ten (10) clock hours per week during the Spring or Fall semester and twenty (20) hours per week during a Summer session. The supervisor will be asked to aid in evaluating the quality and quantity of the intern’s work during the final week of the internship period. The university will present to the media body supervisor an evaluation instrument in the checklist form, with provisions in the report for subjective comments directed to both the student and the university and its mass communication program.
This form will be returned to Dr. Dana Eversole
Student Information:
(Intern’s name)
(Intern’s telephone number)
(Intern’s telephone number)
(Intern’s e-mail address)
Media Body Information:
(Media’s name)
Media’s address)
(Media’s telephone number)
(Media’s Fax number)
(Media’s e-mail address)
(Intern Supervisor’s Signature) (Date)
Media Internship
Northeastern State University
Mass Communication Internship Program
Cooperating Media Body Agreement Form
Media Supervisor’s Copy
1. Every effort will be made to assign the student to an area of responsibility commensurate with his or her abilities and interests. However, assignments will be at the discretion of the cooperating media body based on its need and staff abilities.
2. The employer will attempt to provide a range and variety of challenging work experiences for the student intern.
3. A university internship adviser will conduct at least one site visit with the intern and his or her off-campus supervisor during the internship period.
4. The student intern will commit to a minimum of ten (10) clock hours per week during the Spring or Fall semester and twenty (20) hours per week during a Summer session. The supervisor will be asked to aid in evaluating the quality and quantity of the intern’s work during the final week of the internship period. The university will present to the media body supervisor an evaluation instrument in the checklist form, with provisions in the report for subjective comments directed to both the student and the university and its mass communication program.
Student Information: This form stays with the media body
(Intern’s name)
(Intern’s address)
(Intern’s telephone number)
(Intern’s e-mail address)
(Intern Supervisor’s Signature) (Date)
Dana Eversole – Intern Adviser
Leoser Center
Northeastern State University
Tahlequah, OK 7444
Fax: (918) 458-2359 or (918) 458-2348
Telephone: (918) 456-5511, ext. 2891 – work
(918) 456-4491 – home
E-mail: eversole@cherokee.nsuok.edu
Northeastern State University
Mass Communication Internship Program
Weekly Intern Reports
Weekly progress reports are required of each intern. The reports allow each student to compile a list of learning experiences, which become part of the intern’s permanent record. This compilation is kept on file; therefore, the reports should accurately reflect work completed by the intern toward university credit for the internship experience.
Reports should be neat, concise and clearly written. Remember that the reports serve as a major and continuing contact between the intern and mass communication faculty and are considered as part of the final evaluation on which the intern’s grade is based.
Do note that you should carefully consider the content of your reports so that you do not betray any confidential information concerning the cooperating media body.
The following is an example of how the intern report should be set up.
Weekly Intern Report:
Intern: ________________________________________________________________________
Media Body: ___________________________________________________________________
Reporting Period: _______________________________________________________________
Date of Submission: ___________________________________
Work/Assignment Completed:
Analysis of Learning Experience:
The intern’s supervisor must sign off on all documents!
Northeastern State University
Mass Communication Internship Program
Requirements
Mass Communication interns will be required to complete and submit the following documents in addition to the weekly intern reports and midterm and final evaluations:
1. Portfolio
2. Resume
The intern’s supervisor must sign off on all documents! The supervisor can email or mail the midterm and final evaluations to Dr. Eversole directly. Do not send with student
SUPERVISOR’S MID-TERM EVALUATION OF INTERN
Due: Halfway into the Semester
Intern’s Name: _________________________________________________________________
Media Body Name: _____________________________________________________________
Supervisor’s Name: _____________________________________________________________
Date:
Supervisor: Please mark an “X” under the most accurate description of the intern’s performance.
Factors Excellent Good Fair Poor
1) Quality of work _____ _____ _____ _____
2) Cooperative spirit _____ _____ _____ _____
3) Contribution to the _____ _____ _____ _____
organization
4) Care/proper use of _____ _____ _____ _____
equipment/materials
5) Reaction to constructive _____ _____ _____ _____
Criticism
6) Punctuality _____ _____ _____ _____
7) Industriousness/initiative _____ _____ _____ _____
8) Other _____ _____ _____ _____
Please add any comments you believe would benefit either the intern or the university.
For mid-term evaluation: I recommend the student intern receive a grade of:
(please circle one) A B C D
SUPERVISOR’S FINAL EVALUATION OF INTERN
Due: Week Before Finals
Intern’s Name: _________________________________________________________________
Media Body Name: _____________________________________________________________
Supervisor’s Name: _____________________________________________________________
Date:
Supervisor: Please mark an “X” under the most accurate description of the intern’s performance.
Factors Excellent Good Fair Poor
1) Quality of work _____ _____ _____ _____
2) Cooperative spirit _____ _____ _____ _____
3) Contribution to the _____ _____ _____ _____
organization
4) Care/proper use of _____ _____ _____ _____
equipment/materials
5) Reaction to constructive _____ _____ _____ _____
Criticism
6) Punctuality _____ _____ _____ _____
7) Industriousness/initiative _____ _____ _____ _____
8) Other _____ _____ _____ _____
Please add any comments you believe would benefit either the intern or the university.
For final evaluation: I recommend the student intern receive a grade of:
(please circle one) A B C D