What are the requirements for earning COMM department credit for an internship?
To qualify for an internship with the Department of Communication, a student must meet all of the following requirements:
- The student must be formally accepted as a COMM major prior to applying for an internship.
- The student must be a junior or senior.
- The student must have a G.P.A. in Communication courses of 2.75 or above.
- The student's internship duties and responsibilities must provide them with the opportunity to work with practicing professionals, and allow them an oppportunity to gain experience working in the Communication field.
To qualify for an internship with the Department of Communication, a student must meet all of the following requirements:
- The student must be formally accepted as a COMM major prior to applying for an internship.
- The student must be a junior or senior.
- The student must have a G.P.A. in Communication courses of 2.75 or above.
- The student's internship duties and responsibilities must provide them with the opportunity to work with practicing professionals, and allow them an oppportunity to gain experience working in the Communication field.
Do I have to earn credit to complete an internship?
Most internship sites will require you to earn academic credit. Due to labor laws, if you are not being PAID for your work, you must be getting something else of value for your work. Since most internship sites do not offer pay, they require you to earn credit.
How do I earn credit for fall and spring semester internships? (a downloadable copy of the fall/spring internship contract is available in the answer to this question)
Qualified students must complete the COMM internship contract for fall and spring. Students can only be added to this course by Department of Communication staff after the contract is complete and signed by the COMM364 course instructor and the Department Chairperson.
How do I earn credit for a summer session internship? (a downloadable copy of the summer session internship contract is included in the answer to this question)
If a COMM364 internship course is being offered in the summer, students must complete the COMM internship contract for summer only and have it approved before they will be added to the course. If a Communication internship course is not being offered, students may register for the UNIV364 course, offered through the Career Services Center. Seats are limited and not guaranteed.
Does the Department of Communication offer an Internship course during winter session?
No, the Department of COMM does not offer an internship course in winter session. BUT, there are a few things students can do to try to earn credit.
- If the internship is out-of-state, you could contact a university or college near your internship location and see if you can take a course and have it transferred to UD. If a student decides to do this, they should research which school and which course they will take and then complete a transfer of credit form BEFORE taking the course.
- Another option would be taking an internship course through another department at UD. Student's interested in doing this will need to look through the winter registration booklet to see if any other departments are offering an internship course. If so, the student should contact that department to see if it is possible to register for the course.
Why can’t I enroll in COMM 364/664 on UDSIS?
Students can only be registered in an internship course if a completed internship contract is approved by the site supervisor, the internship course instructor, and the Department of Communication Chairperson. The contract will then be given to a Department of Communication staff person who will confirm that the minimum GPA requirements are met. If all requirements are met, the office staff will register the student for the approved number of credits in COMM364 or COMM664.
I’m not a communication major, but my internship is related to communication. Can I enroll in COMM 364?
You need to schedule an appointment with the Department of Communication Chairperson to discuss how your internship duties directly relate to the study of Communication. Meetings with the Department of Communication Chairperson are by appointment only, and appointments may be made by calling (302) 831-8041.
How Can I Find an Internship Location?
Students may locate an internship on their own and complete an internship contract for approval (see FAQ questions regarding "summer" or "fall/spring" internships above to obtain a copy of the contract.) Students may also view a list of communication internships and job postings available through a large, searchable database within Handshake. To view available internship locations, go to Handshake: log in with your UDel username and password.
