Information for Students

Internships are a great way for you to gain real-life work experience, explore different career paths, add skills to your resume, build your network of professional contacts, and connect your Communication major to work situations. Many employers use internships to identify potential candidates for full-time jobs. With the help of the Department of Communication's Internship Program, you may also be able to earn academic credit for your internship.

The Department of Communication encourages and supports our undergraduates in making you aware of communication-related internship opportunities and assisting you throughout the process. Communication majors are in demand in both the private and public sectors. There are many fields in which communication majors can gain valuable experience. Examples include public relations, government, corporate communication, marketing, education, human resources, event planning, health care, social services, media, and more.

 

EARNING ACADEMIC CREDIT

 

You may earn academic credit (up to 3 hours per semester, and up to 6 hours total) for your internship work by completing CMN 304:  Communication Internship.  CMN 304 is an online course that you take concurrently with your internship. It challenges you to document your learning, create a portfolio of your internship work, and relate your workplace experience to your communication studies. 

Interested?  Follow these 3 steps to earn valuable work experience AND credit toward your Communication degree:

Step 1:  Look for internships that fit your interests and skills and provide you with a rich educational experience.  Here are some resources to help you find opportunities:

Step 2:  See if you are eligible to apply for CMN 304.   To apply for enrollment in CMN 304, you must:

  • Be a Communication major
  • Be enrolled as a full-time student
  • Have earned at least 45 credit hours in total
  • Have earned at least 15 credit hours in CMN courses

 

For detailed eligibility requirements and Internship Program policies, please download and read our “Eligibility and Policies for Students” document

 

Step 3:  Complete your internship proposal.  After you have secured your internship and determined that you meet the application requirements, please prepare a proposal.

CMN 304 is offered for Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. Deadlines for proposal forms will be communicated in weekly “Internships and Career Opportunities” email blasts, which are sent to all Communication majors.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

How is an internship different from a job, volunteer work, or community service?

  • An internship is a structured, supervised learning experience with an established company or organization.  You set goals for what you want to learn from your internship work.  Your onsite supervisor acts as your learning guide throughout the internship and provides evaluations of your work.  An internship must meet criteria established by the U.S. Department of Labor.

How many hours per week do interns usually work?

  • Interns typically work anywhere from 5 to 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters, and up to 40 hours per week during the summer.

Can I earn credit for a summer internship?

  • Absolutely!  Submit your proposal in advance, and you can complete CMN 304 online over the summer and receive credit for it in the Fall semester.  In other words, the course appears on your Fall schedule, but you have already completed the work!  Win-win!

I am a communication minor.  Can I earn credit for my internship?

  • No, the Communication Career Internship program is reserved for communication majors only.  You may wish to explore other for-credit internship opportunities offered by the Communication department, which are open to non-majors:

I had an internship a few months ago.  Can I earn credit for that experience?

  • No, your internship must be pre-approved in order for you to receive credit.  This means that you must complete a proposal and it must be approved by the Internship Program Director.  You must also complete the CMN 304 coursework at the same time that you work at your internship.

How many credit hours can I earn?

  • You may earn up to 3 hours of credit per semester, and you may repeat CMN 304 to earn up to 6 hours total.

I have a great internship that runs for the entire school year.  Can I earn credit both semesters for it?

  • No, you must have a different internship each time you take CMN 304.  Our department wants you to get as much experience in as many different settings as you can.

If my internship is paid, can I still earn academic credit?

  • Yes!

I’m interested in a great internship with a nonprofit, but it’s unpaid and I need to earn money.  Are there any resources to help me?

  • The University YMCA’s Fred S. Bailey Unpaid Internship Scholarship program provides funding to University of Illinois undergraduates who accept unpaid internships with public service agencies and not-for-profit organizations.  You can find details and application instructions on their website:  https://universityymca.org/bailey/intern/

 

CONTACT THE DIRECTOR

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Internship Program Director at comm-internships@illinois.edu.