Internships

Internships in Communications

Students majoring in Advertising and Public relations and Journalism are required to complete COM 496: Internships in Communications during their senior year. The class is an elective option for Film, Television, and Media majors. The internship must be in the student’s field of study, in order to provide an opportunity to practice the skills and concepts learned through academic coursework in a professional setting. The internship should help bridge the campus experience to a career in the student’s chosen field. Students must have an approved internship in order to enroll in the course.

Finding an Internship

Workshops

During the Fall and Spring semesters, a series of Internship Workshops will be offered for students who are planning to take the internship class the following semester. Topics covered include an overview of the resources available for finding an internship, how to apply for internships, interview preparation, professional etiquette and making the most of the internship experience. Attending a workshop is not required but is strongly recommended.

Career Center and Handshake Database

The Career Center is a very important resource for finding an internship. They offer help with resumes, cover letters, interview preparation, internship fairs, career toolkits and more. They also host Handshake, which has a database of internship placement sites. Students can access the Handshake link through their MyCSUDH portal under Career Center.

Advising

Students are encouraged to meet with the Internship Coordinator, Lisa Mastramico, Career Center advisors, as well as their faculty mentors for guidance on their internship search.

Requesting Internship Approval and COM 496 Enrollment

Your internship must be approved by Lisa Mastramico, Internship Coordinator and Instructor for COM 496. Once your internship is approved, you will receive an enrollment code for the internship course.

To request internship review and approval, students must complete an Internship Learning Agreement (ILA) and send it to lmastramico@csudh.edu. There may be other documents required for approval and they will be emailed to you once your ILA is received.