Internships

Ready to Dive into Your Career?
Internships Are the Bridge Between the Classroom and the Real-world.

Internships for Communication, Journalism and Philosophy provide many benefits including the opportunity to develop skills employers want, work samples, real-life experience, networking connections, a competitive advantage when entering the workforce, and offer a trial run to help you decide if a career path is a good fit for you.

Patty O'Leary

"This internship course has been the perfect guide for my internship as a whole. It allowed me to understand what I need to hone in on to achieve progress in my career competencies. Being able to have a free space to reflect on the internship and allow me to take a step back and reassess when needed has been one of the most beneficial aspects of this course. Comparing my skills pre- and post-assessment, there is a clear increase in my skills and experience. This internship has been invaluable, and I am glad that this course has provided a way to track and reflect on this experience."
Patty O’Leary, Communication B.A.

Shantae Clarke

"My internship experience has been nothing short of extraordinary! This has been one of the best experiences that I've been granted since starting FGCU. I can hone in on my creative side in a professional setting, all while having fun at the same time! My interpersonal growth and professionalism have exceeded my own expectations during this time, and I can't wait to apply the knowledge and skills gained here in future endeavors."
Shantae Clarke, Communication B.A.

Katie Fogarty

"My internship at WGCU has given me the opportunity to be a news reporter on a professional level and has taught me that this is what I want to do for a career. My experience with WGCU has already led to prestigious opportunities in my field. I am thankful for those who have invested their time to help further my abilities as a journalist and as a professional throughout my internship.”

Katie Fogarty, Journalism B.A.

Thomas Iacovino

"Overall, this experience has been one of the most rewarding over my four years at FGCU. My post-graduation dreams and plans have been affirmed, I’ve grown as a professional and graduate school candidate, and I’ve been able to connect my coursework with hands-on experience.”

Thomas Iacovino, Philosophy B.A.

Internships Lead to Jobs

Build upon the skills, knowledge and abilities you’ve gained in the classroom through a meaningful internship experience that aligns with your career path. The real-world experience offers a competitive advantage – leading to more job offers and higher starting salaries.

Start your search internship search today

Students: Student Resources
Employers: Employer Resources

Department of Communication & Philosophy Internships

Follow the steps below to pursue an academic internship opportunity.

#1 - PREPARE

Review the Student Intern Checklist to prepare for a successful internship search

#2 - COMPLETE

Complete the Internship Agreement with the employer

#3 - APPROVAL

Send the completed Internship Agreement to the Internship Coordinator for approval

Communication B.A.

All students enrolled in the Communication program at FGCU are required to complete a minimum of 3 credit hours of internship prior to graduation. Once eligible, students may complete their internship at any point, including during summer sessions. Internships can be found in all areas and industries, including media, entertainment, sports, the arts, higher education and business. Opportunities can be found in nonprofits, corporations, public relations/marketing agencies, the government sector, and more. Typical career paths for Communication majors include communications, public relations, marketing, writing, journalism, sales, management and human resources.

For academic credit, internships must be a learning experience, supervised by an experienced professional in the field, while participating in a virtual internship course. The course is designed to prepare students to be employer-ready, serve as a bridge between concepts learned in the classroom and the real-world, and help the student decide if the career path is a good fit.

Internship Requirements
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Required 3 credit hours in SPC 4941 Internship
- For academic credit, internship hours and the internship course must be completed simultaneously
- Junior standing (60 completed hours)
- Prerequisites: SPC 3210 Theories of Human Communication, SPC 3230 History of Rhetorical Theory, SPC 3721 Interracial/Intercultural Communication (PUR 3000 Principles of Public Relations if a PR concentration)
- 135 hours per semester (approx. 10 – 12 hours per week)
- Can earn up to 9 credit hours total from SPC 4941 (1 credit = 45 hours of work)
Course Requirements
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- Orientation the first week of enrolled semester
- Registration of internship on Eagle Career Network
- Updated Resume and LinkedIn profile assignments that include new internship position
- Written reflections connecting coursework to the real-world experience
- Mid-term and end-of-term evaluations completed by internship supervisor
- Site Safety Survey and Post-Internship Site Survey
- Self-Assessments on career readiness competencies
- Semester long project – create a highlight video of the internship experience
- Total hours worked verified by supervisor

Journalism B.A.

All students enrolled in the Journalism program at FGCU are eligible to complete an academic internship prior to graduation. Once eligible, students may complete their internship at any point, including during summer sessions. One consistent way students get jobs is to take part in an internship. Typical career paths for Journalism majors include journalism, writing, communications, marketing and public relations. Our students contribute professional work to local and national television news stations, radio, newspaper and online news sites. Students work on a variety of projects that include news writing, radio, social media, photojournalism, videography, field production and in-studio production.

Internship Requirements
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Required 3 credit hours in JOU 4940 Internship
- For academic credit, internship hours and the internship course must be completed simultaneously
- Junior standing (60 completed hours)
- Prerequisites: MMC 3125 News Reporting & Writing
- 135 hours per semester (approx. 10 – 12 hours per week)
Course Requirements
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- Orientation the first week of enrolled semester
- Registration of internship on Eagle Career Network
- Updated Resume and LinkedIn profile assignments that include new internship position
- Written reflections connecting coursework to the real-world experience
- Mid-term and end-of-term evaluations completed by internship supervisor
- Site Safety Survey and Post-Internship Site Survey
- Self-Assessments on career readiness competencies
- Semester long project – create a highlight video of the internship experience
- Total hours worked verified by supervisor

Philosophy B.A.

All students enrolled in the Philosophy program at FGCU are eligible to complete an academic internship prior to graduation. Once eligible, students may complete their internship at any point, including during summer sessions. One consistent way students get jobs is to take part in an internship. Internships can be found in all fields and industries. Typical career paths for Philosophy majors include legal services, sales, management and entrepreneurship.

Internship Requirements
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Elective of 1-3 credit hours in PHI 3941 Internship
- For academic credit, internship hours and the internship course must be completed simultaneously
- Junior standing (60 completed hours)
- Required Internship hours depend on number of registered credits
  - 1 credit = 45 hours of work
  - 2 credits = 90 hours of work
  - 3 credits = 135 hours of work
Course Requirements
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- Orientation the first week of enrolled semester
- Registration of internship on Eagle Career Network
- Updated Resume and LinkedIn profile assignments that include new internship position
- Written reflections connecting coursework to the real-world experience
- Mid-term and end-of-term evaluations completed by internship supervisor
- Site Safety Survey and Post-Internship Site Survey
- Self-Assessments on career readiness competencies
- Semester long project – create a highlight video of the internship experience
- Total hours worked verified by supervisor

Student Resources

Forms & Documents
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- Student Internship Checklist: Start here to guide you through the steps to land an internship
- Academic Internship Agreement: Internship Agreement and Registration form to be completed by you and your internship supervisor and sent to the Internship Coordinator for academic internship approval
- Student Internship FAQs: Review the Student Internship FAQs for answers to frequently asked questions
FGCU Internship Resources
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- FGCU Career Development Services: Resource for career counseling, resumes, cover letter writing, elevator pitches and more. Visit their online resources including sample resumes and YouTube videos
- Eagle Career Network: Search for internships and register for career events
- PAGES Program: Career program specific to liberal arts majors offering workshops and events
- FGCU Office of Internships & Cooperative Programs: Matching students with employer partners who have a real impact on careers
Other Internship Resources
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- Indeed: Expand your career search with this industry leading job board
- LinkedIn: Social media for business professionals offering networking and career opportunities

Internship Roles & Responsibilities

Internship Coordinator
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Assists the student through the entire internship process. Qualifies the student for the internship experience, approves the internship for academic credit based on the criteria noted in the internship agreement, serves as the internship course instructor, provides structure and feedback, and assigns the final grade in the course.
Student Role & Responsibilities
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The student intern is responsible for:
- adhering to the policies of the organization/company.
- adhering to the proper dress code required by the organization/company.
- personal transportation.
- reporting to the organization/company punctually and following all established regulations.
- holding all privileged information concerning the operation of the organization/company and/or its customers in strict confidence.
- meeting the minimum required internship hours per credit hour registered.
- submitting all internship course assignments by the deadlines.
- discussing any internship issues with the internship coordinator.
At all times, the student must remember that he/she represents Florida Gulf Coast University and its current and future relationships with the organization/company.
Organization's Role & Responsibilities
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The Organization's Internship Supervisor is responsible for supervising the student intern, tracking their performance, completing a mid-term and final Student Intern Evaluation, and verifying total hours met at the end of the internship.

The company/organization:
- will discuss goals and activities/tasks with the intern and complete the internship agreement before the internship is approved for academic credit.
- shall provide the student intern a planned, supervised program of career-related experiences.
- shall acclimate the intern to the culture of the workplace and set them up for a successful experience.
- shall share knowledge of the industry and the field.
- shall maintain complete records on the intern’s performance and provide a Student Intern Evaluation Form required by the university twice during the internship. This evaluation will be based on career-readiness competencies and will require total hours worked to date.
- shall provide feedback to the intern after completing each evaluation so the intern is aware of their strengths and opportunities for development.
- will verify the total internship hours completed at the end of the experience.
- shall permit the inspection of its facilities and student intern records.
- agrees to comply with all Federal and State non-discrimination laws and work cooperatively with the university staff to accommodate student interns who request accommodations due to a disability documented through Florida Gulf Coast University.

Employer Resources

Contact

Get your questions answered!

Singh, Lindsay

Internship Coordinator

REED 0116

239-590-7992

lsingh@fgcu.edu

Book your appointment today!

Ready to Dive into Your Career? Internships Are the Bridge Between the Classroom and the Real-world.