Internship Academic Credit and Support

If you have secured, or are considering applying for an internship, you may have some questions about academic credit. Some internship sites may talk to you about earning college credit for your internship experience. This may be a required or optional component of the internship. Please make sure to get clarification on this policy from your internship site. Here’s what you need to know about registering for your JCOM404 internship credit. These go toward the total J/JCOM credit hours required for the major but do not replace major course requirements.

SOJC internship credit is subject to university tuition and fees. The exact amount will depend on how many credits you register for. If you decide to pursue academic credit for your internship, it is encouraged to speak with an advisor to plan the most beneficial option to satisfy your remaining degree requirements. SOJC students have two options to consider for internship credit: JCOM 404 credit and UGST 404 credit.

SOJC Internship Credit Specifics:

  • You may enroll in up to nine total JCOM 404 credits in your time at UO. If you’ve already taken nine JCOM 404 credits JCOM 404, check out the Career Center for another option for earning credit.
    • Internship credits earned through a GEO program such as Global Works do not count toward this nine credit limit.
  • There are pre-requisites to JCOM 404. In order to earn credit you must have:
    • a declared SOJC major (advertising, journalism, media studies, public relations).
    • completion of the SOJC platform courses (JCOM 101, 102, 103, 201, 202, 203).
    • a SOJC faculty member who has agreed to serve as your faculty adviser and instructor of record for these credits.
    • completed any major-specific courses or other requirements as outlined by your faculty adviser (e.g. JCOM 370 for public relations students).
  • You and your faculty advisor decide on how many credits you enroll in, depending on the number of hours you work. Usually 30 hours of work equals one credit hour. You may enroll in JCOM 404 credit more than once, so you can earn two credits now and additional credits next summer, for example.
  • You are required to enroll in JCOM 404 for the term(s) you are doing the internship. You need to plan ahead to complete the paperwork to get enrolled in the course before registration closes. Retroactive internship credit is not an option.

 

 

UO Central Career Center Internship Credit Specifics:

If you need non-JCOM credit totals to meet your graduation requirements, consider applying for UGST 404 credit through the UO Career Center. Please note that they have a separate application process for their credit. The academic supervisor for UGST 404 credit is a Career Coach who works for the UO Career Center. A variety of assignments are required for the class including resume submission, reflection essays, and meetings with your academic supervisor. To learn more, visit the Career Center’s webpage on internship credit.

We encourage you to speak to an academic advisor to discuss internship credit more in-depth. Here are some topics you may want to discuss.

  • Does your internship site require college credit or is it optional?
  • What other commitments do you have in the term you wish to complete internship credit? Consider your academic courseload, extracurricular activities, and other personal/work obligations.
  • Will completing internship credit help you complete remaining graduation requirements? If so, which type of credit is most beneficial, JCOM or non-JCOM?
  • Do you have an SOJC faculty member that you would like to ask to supervise the credit?
  • What type of support are you looking for from the supervisor of your academic internship credit?

More questions about how JCOM 404 internship credit works? See our downloadable FAQ page. As always, we encourage you to talk to your SOJC advisor about how internship credit will impact your degree requirements.

School of Journalism & Communication Disclaimer Statement – Job & Internship Postings
The School of Journalism & Communication Career Services Office in its provision of services to students, alumni, and off-campus employers makes no representations or guarantees regarding the opportunities listed on its website, bulletin boards, print materials, and other resources, and is not responsible for the wages, safety, working conditions, or other aspects of off-campus employment. It is the responsibility of the students and alumni to take the necessary precautions when interviewing for and accepting part-time/summer/full-time employment and participating in volunteer activities.

Please notify Career Services if there are problems associated with noncompliance of this policy.

 

Navigating Paid Internships

Several realities of the workforce are learned in the process of securing and completing an internship. Here are some helpful reminders as you are navigating the decision of whether to accept a paid internship offer:

Questions to Ask

How often will I have meetings with my supervisor? What type of feedback should I expect to receive?

  • The design of an internship, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, is for the internship to offer an experience of educational value. This means supervision is a key part of the experience. If your employer is not looking to offer supervision, they may be seeking freelance work instead. Supervision is not a common component of freelancing, since it is mostly contracted/independent work.

What will my primary responsibilities be?

  • It is important to understand what tasks will be asked of you during your internship process. You want to feel capable of completing the tasks and interested in most of them. Remember that your feelings about your responsibilities may change during your internship. That is okay as well. Learning the type of work that you are not interested in now can help you find career opportunities that are a better fit for you after graduation.

What is the work culture like in the organization?

  • Learning from employees about the office culture can help you see if the organization aligns with your values. Consider your non-negotiables. For example, someone might prefer an internship experience where they are given spontaneous opportunities to express opinions in meetings with a client. Others would prefer for to be given advance notice if they are expected to speak in a meeting room as an intern. See this article from the Harvard Business Review to learn more about career values.

How will I get paid? How many hours will I be expected to work?

  • If the information is not available on the organization’s website, ask during the interview/hiring process how employees are paid. Paychecks are sometimes mailed to your address. Nowadays, most employers offer a direct deposit option. Completing this form as part of your onboarding paperwork will allow your paychecks to be directly deposited into a checking account. Exercise caution if a private payment option, such as Venmo, is discussed. Be sure to clarify how many hours you will be expected to work each week and what the hourly pay rate is. If a stipend is offered instead, it is important the amount equates to an hourly minimum wage rate.
  • Many organizations have a designated HR staff member or team that you can reach out to for questions about required forms and company payroll.
  • The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) requires completion of a W-4 form. This form allows the employer to know how much of your income tax will be withheld. You will also be asked to complete an I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification). For more information about these forms, click here

Remember, Advisors in the SOJC Undergraduate Student Success Center are here to support you during the internship search and selection process. You can connect with an advisor during drop-in hours or career advising appointments to discuss internship topics more in-depth.

 

Internship vs Freelance

The search for professional opportunities can feel overwhelming at times. Search engines and databases are a great way to find experiential learning opportunities. However, you may notice that there are more postings listed than just internship opportunities. Understanding the difference between an internship and freelance role can better assist you in selecting the right option for your career development.

Internship: An internship is a supervised, pre-professional learning experience. The intern provides services to an employer in exchange for experience, academic credit, money or some combination thereof.

Employers may advertise an opportunity as an internship, when it more closely resembles freelance work. See our internship tips handout to learn more about questions to ask during the interview process to help you further understand the intent employers have for positions that you are considering.

If you are doing work in place of a current employee you should be compensated. For example, organizations will often ask students to cultivate a social media presence for their organization.  As an intern, you should have a direct supervisor with experience in this area who is regularly reviewing your work and providing feedback. If this is not the case, you are doing freelance work, and you should be compensated fairly for the work you are doing.