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Internship Registration and Syllabi

COMMS 496R/399R

GETTING ACADEMIC CREDIT FOR YOUR INTERNSHIP

We want to make the internship process as easy as possible for you. Look below for information: on prerequisites for internship courses, the requirements for academic credit, tips for starting your internship, common questions about the internship class, and more!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • In short: your internship must be related to your emphasis (not sales), supervised by someone with a communications background, provide you with the hours necessary to receive credit, and not be directly with relatives. The graphic below outlines the exact requirements. If you’ve looked through this and still aren’t sure, feel free to email comms_internship@byu.edu to ask or schedule a time to meet with Nicole.

    - Due to COVID-19, remote work will also qualify for credit. Additionally, the minimum required hours to pass COMMS 496R for Journalism, Advertising, and PR is 126* and 42 hours to pass for Comms Studies and COMMS 399R.

    *AD, PR, and JRN students may enroll in COMMS 496R for 3-6 credits, with the minimum being 3 credits (assuming the first prerequisite class was taken in the Fall 2022 or later. If the first pre-req class was taken prior to Fall 2022, the student will need to register for at least 4 credits). For each academic credit enrolled, students will need to complete 42 hours at their internship. i.e. for a 3 credit enrollment, students will need to complete 126 hours at their internship. For a 4-credit enrollment, students will need to complete 168 hours at their internship, etc.
    Comms studies students may enroll in Coms 496R for 1-3 credits.

  • You can start an internship at any time during the year. If you will not be able to complete the required number of hours (126* for COMMS 496R, 42 for COMMS 399R) during the semester you begin your internship, you may be eligible to receive a T-Grade (scroll up to “T-Grade Information” see the guidelines!). Be sure to reach out to our office through comms_internship@byu.edu to make the necessary arrangements.

    *AD, PR, and JRN students may enroll in COMMS 496R for 3-6 credits, with the minimum being 3 credits (assuming the first prerequisite class was taken in the Fall 2022 or later. If the first pre-req class was taken prior to Fall 2022, the student will need to register for at least 4 credits). For each academic credit enrolled, students will need to complete 42 hours at their internship. i.e. for a 3 credit enrollment, students will need to complete 126 hours at their internship. For a 4-credit enrollment, students will need to complete 168 hours at their internship, etc.
    Comms studies students may enroll in Coms 496R for 1-3 credits.

  • Each emphasis has different prerequisites for COMMS 496R.

    Journalism:
    - Comms 306 or 308
    - Comms 365
    - Comms 321 (may be taken concurrently)
    Advertising:
    - Strategy: Comms 309, 317, 337
    - Creative: 309, 330, 331
    Public Relations:
    - Comms 318, 320, 333, 350
    Comms Studies:
    - No prerequisites

  • The system is set up so that you can only apply for spring OR summer. If your internship will extend over both semesters, register for spring term and talk to Nicole about getting a T-Grade so that you can continue the class through the summer.

  • In short, COMMS 496R is required for graduation for Comms Studies, JRN, AD, and PR students. It’s a 3-6 credit class that requires minimum 126 hours of work over the semester/term. COMMS 399R is available for students in any emphasis who may not yet be eligible for COMMS 496R. It is only 1-credit, and it requires 42 hours of work over the semester/term.

COMMS 496R

Quick Facts:

  • This 3-6-credit class is designed for students who are nearing graduation in the Journalism, Advertising, or Public Relations emphases.
  • Students must have completed the pre-requisites specific to their major.
  • Students must be able to complete 126 hours at their internship.
    • 20 hrs/wk during a semester
    • 40 hrs/wk during a term

Typical Assignments:

  • Learner’s Permit quiz about syllabus
  • Seven internship reports detailing the things you are doing and learning.
  • Final reflection paper
  • Employer Evaluation
  • Self Evaluation
  • Portfolio/Resume

COMMS 399R

Quick Facts:

  • This 1-credit class is designed for:
    • Students of any emphasis who are looking for internship experience early on.
  • There are no prerequisites.
  • Students must be able to complete at least 42 hours at their internship.
    • 5+ hrs/wk during a semester
    • 10+ hrs/wk during a term

Typical Assignments:

  • Learner’s Permit quiz about syllabus
  • Five internship reports detailing the things you are doing and learning.
  • Final reflection paper
  • Employer Evaluation
  • Self Evaluation
Things to Know During My Internship
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T-Grade Policy

Notice: T-grades are given at the discretion of the department.

T-Grades are for students who are unable to finish their internship during the semester in which they started, typically because they started their internship late and aren’t able to complete their hours in the time. They are not a handout, and students needing them must take initiative to work with the internship coordinator and their faculty advisor to arrange it.
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Internship Guidelines

The internship guidelines provide great advice for how to get the most out of your internship! Turn to it before and during your internship to understand how to adapt to your new office, gain trust in the company, create opportunities, and solve problems.
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For assistance with any of these procedures or forms, please contact us:

Internship & Career Services Office, 280 BRMB

Front Desk: (801) 422-5836 | comms_internship@byu.edu

Nicole Norris, Coordinator: (801) 422-6846 | nicole_norris@byu.edu