Student Information

Find your internship at http://hire.unlv.edu

Internship Requirements

1. Fully admitted major in the School of Journalism.
2. Junior standing
3. 3.0 or higher grade point average at UNLV
4. Appropriate course work to prepare you for employment. (See the internship coordinator if you aren’t sure)
5. Applications filled out and signed by student and employer.

• Internship Application (PDF)

Internship Credit Requirements

1. Register with CareerLink, http://hire.unlv.edu
2. Work 150 hours during the semester
3. Complete five on-line learning modules
4. Provide weekly e-mail reports
5. Satisfactory evaluation from employer
6. Final portfolio and oral report

Tips for Students

Step 1 Fill out Application
Internship applications are available on this Web site. Fill it out and leave it for the Internship Coordinator in the JMS Office on the second floor of Greenspun Hall. Once the internship coordinator has checked your prerequisites, you will receive a letter stating you are eligible for academic credit for an internship. You can make copies to give to potential employers.

Step 2 Find a job
This step is easier and harder than it sounds. Check the Career Services Web site at http://hire.unlv.edu for positions listed there.  You can also post your resume so employers can find you but don’t count on it.  Perform an active job search.  Cold-call some companies you would like to work for and ask if internships are available.  Ask your friends, family, professors; anyone who might have an idea or a lead.  You will need:  A resume, a cover letter, work samples and one professional “interview” outfit.

Click here to see a list of employers

HINT: If your employer has never hired UNLV interns before, check with the internship coordinator before accepting the job.

Step 3 Get Approval
Fill out the Internship Verification Form and have it signed by your employer. Once the internship coordinator has received that form, the Advising Center will be instructed to allow you to register for the internship class. Approval Form (PDF)

Step 4 Register
Register for JOUR 499 and pay the tuition. Once you have registered, you will have access to the WebCampus site for the class. There you will find a syllabus and more instructions for your internship. You and your employer also need to register with UNLV Career Services if you haven’t already done so.  That site again is http://hire.unlv.edu.

QUESTIONS? See Kathy Espin, GUA 1304, or e-mail Kathy.espin@unlv.edu or call 895-5126.

Employer Information

Register your internship at http://hire.unlv.edu

Tips for Employers

Internships give university students a valuable opportunity to expand on knowledge acquired in the classroom and employers a chance to identify and groom future employees. A little planning and a good bit of supervision can result in a profitable experience for both the employer and the student.

Internships must be performed in professional settings under the direction of industry professionals. Because one of the purposes of an internship is to give students experience in a professional work environment, very rarely will telecommuting positions be accepted.

How to Set up an Internship

1. Determine what job you want an intern to fill.
   Internships should provide valuable work experience for students. The work should go beyond minor clerical work or errand-running. The idea is to prepare students for their first jobs after college.
2. Establish a pay rate.
   There are far more requests for interns than qualified students to fill them.  Offering an hourly wage will make your position more competitive.
3. Appoint an internship coordinator within your organization.
   The students need a mentor to teach them how to perform the required work and supervise their performance. This person also will oversee record-keeping of hours worked and evaluate the student’s performance.
4. Contact the internship coordinator at Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies.
   You and the journalism school representative will discuss criteria for the internship, what the requirements will be and how the students will be evaluated.
5. Post the available position on the UNLV CareerLink Web site, http://hire.unlv.edu. FOR ASSISTANCE OR MORE INFORMATION ON CareerLink, call Paul Carpino at (702) 895-0612.
   Register and list your position as an “academic internship” indicating that the job will award academic credit. Include as many details as possible about the expectations and job duties. The resumes of students interested in an internship are also available on the site.
6. Accept applications and interview potential employees.
   The interview is an important part of the learning process. Make sure the student you hire has the personal and professional qualifications needed for the position.  Please do not assume that any UNLV student who applies is qualified. We do not recruit or prescreen students for your position.
7. Evaluate the student
   At the end of the semester, you will have access to an evaluation form from CareerLink.  Please provide an honest and complete evaluation. It is THE most important part of the process.  A verbal evaluation with the student would also be valuable.
   
   The student will be required to make a presentation before faculty and fellow students on the internship. We would be honored to have someone from your organization attend that presentation.

Things you need to know

• Interns are required to work 150 hours during a semester or over the summer

• Semesters run from the end of August to the first week of December and from the end of January to the first week of May.  Summer sessions run from mid-May to mid-August.

• Interns receive three credit hours for internships.

• Internship credits are pass/fail.  No letter grade is awarded.

• Interns have regular contact with the journalism school internship coordinator.  Feel free to notify the coordinator of any special instruction or tutoring your intern might need.

• Contact the internship coordinator immediately in the case of any unprofessional or disruptive behavior. Many of our students are young but they are still expected to conduct themselves as adults. Require the students to maintain the same standards you do any employee including regular attendance, promptness, professional appearance, respectful and courteous behavior. You will do the student no favor by accepting anything less.

• Pay for internships is not required.  However, many of our students work to support themselves and compensation makes it easier for them to participate in the internship program.

 
Contact:           Kathy Espin                  Kathy.espin@unlv.edu      (702) 895-5126