The University of Texas at Austin
Department of Advertising

Internship Supervisor                                               Internship Coordinator

Dr. Isabella Cunningham                                   Candace Majedi

i.cunningham@mail.utexas.edu                           internship@austin.utexas.edu

ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERNSHIPS FOR CREDIT

COURSE PREREQUISITES

Students are encouraged to obtain an internship at anytime but in order to take an internship for credit, students must have completed the courses listed below with a C or better. Prerequisites WILL NOT be waived under any circumstances. On top of these prerequisites, students must have a GPA of at least 2.25 to take an internship for credit.

FOR ADV 350 (ADVERTISING INTERNSHIP)

• ADV 344K (Advertising Research
• ADV 345J (Advertising Media Planning)

FOR PR 350 (PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERNSHIP)

• PR 319 (Principles of Public Relations)
• PR 348 (Public Relations Techniques)
• ADV 344K (Advertising Research)

FOR ADV 151 (ADVERTISING PRACTICUM)

• ADV 350

FOR PR 151L (PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERNSHIP)

• PR 350

INTERNSHIP COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students are responsible for meeting requirements without reminders. It is the student's responsibility to be informed. Failure to meet requirements will result in a failing grade for the course.

Approved internship and Letter from Employer

All internships must be approved by the supervising professor. The student is responsible for securing an approved internship by the end of the first full week of classes (4th day for summer semester). It is in the student's best interest to obtain an approved internship prior to the first day of class.

To approve the internship the professor will need a signed letter from the student's employer on company letterhead with the following:

1. Confirmation of employment
2. Job description
3. Confirmation of a minimum of 180 hours to be worked during the semester (for summer hours can be worked throughout the two sessions)
4. Whether the internship is paid or unpaid (has no bearing on eligibility for credit)

The letter can be faxed to the internship coordinator at (512) 471-7018 or it can be mailed directly to the advertising office.

Online Application Form

Students must complete the on-line Internship Application form before the end of the first full week of classes. Students can complete it prior to getting internship approval if they intend on taking an internship for credit in approaching semester.

Meetings

Students must attend two mandatory meetings with the Internship Coordinator during the semester (students are notified of the meeting dates and times after the first week of semester). There are no meetings in Summer semesters.

Midterm and Final Evaluations

For Students

Students must complete an Online Midterm Evaluation of Employer form. This form is meant to provide an accurate evaluation of the internship experience and the performance of the intern's supervisor. Consult your course syllabus or the Internship Coordinator for a specific due date).

For Employers

Employers must evaluate students twice during the semester. Interns are responsible for providing evaluation forms to the employer. The Intern can find these forms on Blackboard. These evaluation forms are meant to provide an accurate evaluation of the intern's performance and the intern's progression throughout the semester. (Consult your course syllabus or the Internship Coordinator for a specific due date).

It is the student's responsibility to ask/remind employers to fill in evaluation forms. Late forms will result in a grade of 'X.' Being fired from an internship position or receiving a poor evaluation could result in a failing grade.

Advertising Workshops

Students must attend three career workshops coordinated through the Advertising department. The workshops cover such topics as resume writing, interviewing, job offer evaluation, etc. and are offered for during one-week intervals twice in the semester. The schedule of the workshops will be announced during the first week of class.

Report

The internship report serves as the intern's synopsis and final evaluation of the internship experience. It is important to be honest when it comes to evaluating the internship. If this was an inappropriate internship we want to know (confidentiality is assured, and your grade will not be affected). The report is due on the last day of classes each semester. Late reports will not be accepted for any reason.

The report must be a minimum of six type written pages (double spaced) and must include the following parts:

Cover Sheet: student's name, name of company, dates of employment. (Cover sheet does not count as one of the six pages.)

Description of Firm: background, history, staff, facilities, and organizational structure.

Description of Work: describe your work experiences and give examples of a typical day/week.

Evaluation of the Internship: practical value of knowledge and experience, academic value in relation to course work, appropriateness of this internship for future students.

Suggestions for Improving the Internship: ideas you have for making your internship position - or the internship course - a more valuable experience.

Appendix: examples of work you did while serving as an intern, i.e., ads, press releases, media schedules, etc. (Three or more pages of appendix items may substitute for one written page of text in the paper.)

Special Considerations for Summer Internships for Credit

Due to a large number of students taking internships outside of the Austin area, all students taking the course in the summer are not required to attend meetings or workshops. All other requirements are to be completed.

TIPS FOR BEING A SUCCESSFUL INTERN

Be a good employee - whether or not you are getting paid. Do what is expected of you such as arriving on time, following through with instructions, paying attention to details, dressing neatly, etc. Remember that a successful performance may result in an excellent recommendation after graduation.

Attend regularly - do not call in sick unless you are really sick. Do not ask for time off to complete other school assignments. In other words, organize your time wisely.

Volunteer - for assignments or for extra work to increase your experience. Ask to sit in on meetings whenever possible. Be proactive in getting various assignments that enhance your learning experience.

Ask Questions- and learn as much as you can. Listen, be observant, and pay attention to the suggestions of your supervisor - even when you disagree.

Set Goals- at the beginning of the semester for your work experience with your internship supervisor. Make sure that your supervisor helps you achieve your goals throughout the internship.

Remember - that your employer will evaluate your work and, therefore participate in assigning your final grade. Do what is expected of you and be a good intern. You are representing both the current and future students of The University of Texas at Austin Department of Advertising. And, remember that you will need a good work reference in the advertising field when you are applying for a job after graduation.

 

HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR FINDING INTERNSHIPS

DATABASE OF COMPANIES

The Department of Advertising has a file of almost 200 companies that have hosted our interns in the past. The files have information on the type of work completed, an evaluation of the experience, and possible contact information. Please contact the Internship Coordinator in the Department of Advertising if you want to look at the database.

Students can also find a quick reference to those companies that have hosted our interns in the past at our List of Companies website.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

The Department of Advertising has companies with open internship positions. They are by no means the only internships available, but they are quality internships available for those students looking for a position. Current postings can be found on the large board outside CMA 7.142 or at the Internship Postings website.

COMMUNICATION CAREER SERVICES

On top of those internships listed with the Department of Advertising, CCS has several internship opportunities in advertising and public relations. Students can also visit CCS for consultation on job opportunities and other career-oriented assistance. Visit their office in CMA 3.102 or their website.

Center for Interactive Advertising 
Updated April 2008