Answers to Common Internship Questions:
- Why should I work in an internship before I graduate?
- Where can I work for my internship?
- Where have other internship students worked in the past?
- How do I find an internship sponsor?
- Can I be placed into an internship?
- Can I get paid for my internship?
- How do I receive course or academic credit for participating in an internship?
- What requirements do I need to meet to register for COMMUN 698?
- If I have additional questions, whom should I contact?
Q: Why should I work in an internship before I graduate?
A: Internships are a great way to gain experience in a low risk, short term position to help you decide what direction you want your future career to take. Additionally, internships can help you launch your career. Internships are among the most influential experience employers look for on resumes. These work experiences also provide you with professional experiences to discuss in interviews and can lead to recommendations, networking contacts, and job prospects.
Q: Where can I work for my internship?
A: For an internship to qualify for course credit, it must be a position that will help you gain experience in a career field you are interested in pursuing upon graduation. This means different internships are better suited for different students depending on the end goal. You need to consider the knowledge and skills that you have to offer, as well as those you would like to build. For some students, the type of organization or the mission of an organization may be important in selecting an internship opportunity. These decisions are yours, but the baseline expectations are that students will:
- Intern in a field of interest for their professional goals
- Work a minimum of 10 hours per week (paid or unpaid)
- Complete less than 25% administrative work as part of the internship
Q: Where have other internship students worked in the past?
A: Students worked in a variety of organizations in the last year including:
- Adaptive Engineering Lab
- Children’s Hospital of WI Foundation
- The Compass
- Husch Blackwell
- iCombat
- Johnson Controls Inc.
- Metro Business Publications, Inc.
- Milwaukee County Executive Office
- Northwestern Mutual
- Sodexo Campus Services
- Spiderz Sports Inc.
- True Friends – Camp Eden Wood
- University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Orientation Office
- WUWM Lake Effect
Q: How do I find an internship?
A: The best place to start looking for internships is the UWM Center for Student Experience and Talent. You can also contact Dr. Luke Youngvorst, the Undergraduate Internship Director, for ideas.
Additional, recommended resources include:
- National Communication Association
- Handshake – Handshake links students to employers who specifically are interested in hiring UWM students for internships and jobs. Students can set up an account and alerts to be notified of positions they are interested in pursuing.
- Internship Wisconsin – WisConnect is sponsored by the State of Wisconsin dedicated to identifying internship opportunities in Wisconsin.
- Milwaukee Area Jobs that Help – paid and unpaid nonprofit positions in the Milwaukee area.
- Indeed
- Monster
- Cool Works
Q: Can I be placed into an internship?
A: The short answer is no; finding, applying for and interviewing for internship positions is an important part of the learning process. Additionally, working through the job search process allows students to find positions that best fit with their goals and interests.
Q: Can I get paid for my internship?
A: Yes! Paid or unpaid internships both provide great learning experiences and count for class credit.
Q: How do I receive course or academic credit for participating in an internship?
A: Academic or course credit is NOT given for participating in an internship. Academic or course credit may only be earned upon the successful completion of academic exercises (e.g. papers, readings, etc.) completed during the semester you are working at the organization or company that is sponsoring your internship experience. Coursework is designed to foster professional development and bridge content from previous coursework to the internship experience. Students complete weekly assignments, a theory application paper, and produce a portfolio to be shared with future students.
Q: What requirements do I need to meet to register for COMMUN 698?
A: Student requirements to enroll in the internship include:
- Junior status
- Successful completion of GER English composition and mathematics requirement
- Successful completion of COMMUN 101, 103 and 105
- Declared communication major, minor or approved program of study
- Completion of a minimum of nine credits in 300-level or higher communication courses
- A cumulative overall GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Completion of the Undergraduate Internship Application Form
- NOTE, the internship must satisfy the following requirements:
- Internship work provides professional experience suited to career goals
- At least 10 hours per week of work is completed during the internship course
- Less than 25% of the internship tasks are administrative work
- Receive consent from the Undergraduate Internship Director to enroll by emailing youngvor@uwm.edu.
Q: If I have additional questions, whom do I contact?
A: Please contact Dr. Luke Youngvorst at youngvor@uwm.edu.