Public Relations Major
PR Internship Requirements and Grade Breakdown
Internship Description
An internship is a partnership between an employer/supervisor and the student intern. Interns work under the supervision of a public relations professional. Internships provide you with first-hand, practical experience that can be used to make the intern more competitive upon graduation. At the end of an internship, an intern's completed assignments are submitted as a portfolio.
Interns can register for up to 12 hours of academic credit.
A three-credit internship constitutes at least 200 actual hours of work.
A six-credit internship constitutes at least 300 actual hours of work.*
A nine-credit internship constitutes at least 400 actual hours of work.*
A 12-credit internship constitutes at least 500 actual hours of work.*
*A maximum of six hours can be applied to the major (three hours can satisfy the internship requirement and three hours satisfy one of the required PR electives.)
*A maximum of six additional hours can be applied to your general electives .
Applicants must have completed all applicable Communication Arts courses. Interns are expected to keep track of their hours via designated time sheets. Supervisors will submit the signed time sheets every month. Some sites do offer travel/parking stipends, and a few sites offer compensation.
The Public Relations program offers more than 150 established and accredited internship sites for PR majors. Internship locations range from Statesboro and Savannah to Atlanta and cities that border Georgia. A supervisor with professional and/or academic training in public relations is required to supervise the intern throughout the tenure of the internship. Supervisors are required to provide interns with a designated space, desk, and supplies, etc. The internship does not serve as job placement. Exceptional, professional interns will benefit from their supervisors' letters of recommendation and advice.
New Site Proposal
Requests for new internship sites are to be submitted in proposal form six months prior to the internship. The proposal needs to delineate the desired site, supervisor, rationale, and responsibilities that would be included in the internship. The proposal needs to demonstrate that the new site will:
1. Provide opportunities not available at the approved sites;
2. Provide a public relations internship;
3. Provide supervision by public relations professional;
4. Provide subsequent internships;
5. Comply with non-nepotism policies, sites cannot be based on familial relationships or friendships; and
6. Be within a reasonable distance from GSU.
Candidacy/Application Process
Students serve internships at established, accredited, approved sites. Therefore, no student can create an internship for academic credit without the prior approval of the internship coordinator. Candidates need to have taken PRCA 2330 and 3330. Candidates must have a GPA of 2.5. Out of state internships require a higher GPA.
Procedures
Step 1: Conduct a self-assessment. Who are you? What do you want to become? Be realistic about your expertise, skills, and abilities. Where do you want to intern? What type of public relations interests you most? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Step 2: Complete and submit a Public Relations Internship application to the internship coordinator. Submit a draft or final version of your resume with a short writing sample. Please submit via email and hard copy. A final version is required at the point of entry into the organization, i.e., interview with supervisor.
Step 3: Beef up your skills. Attend workshops at the Career Development Services and in the Communication Arts department. Attend relevant workshops at the library, CIT, etc. Participate in mock interviews as well.
Step 4: Register for PRCA 4791. Outline your goals and objectives for your ideal internship. You will modify this at a later point. Work through these objectives with your internship coordinator.
Step 5: After the internship coordinator approves the objectives and goals, take the objectives worksheet to the prospective supervisor. Negotiate tasks and responsibilities that are consistent with these objectives. This is a joint process. You are providing a service to the supervisor, so make sure that this will be the best possible experience for you. Make sure that you have sufficient writing experience at the end of the internship. Respect and express enthusiasm in relation to your supervisors' needs and interests. In this interaction, make sure that you block out times to meet with your supervisor and modes of communication for completing tasks in a timely fashion.
Step 6: Inform supervisors about the contract, time sheets, mid-term and final evaluations, assignment checklist, and GSU policies. The internship coordinator will mail the materials to the internship supervisor.
Step 7: Throughout the tenure of your internship, be professional, dress well, be prompt, and complete all assigned tasks on deadline.
PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO SET UP AN INTERNSHIP ON YOUR OWN!
Assignments and Grade Breakdown
Internships consist of several assignments that are to be submitted to the internship coordinator in addition to the task that are to be completed for the supervisor. These GSU assignments are as follows:
Monthly objective reports
At end of every month, submit an outline of the complete tasks that meet your initial objectives. Mention the tasks that are in progress, and explain any changes in the assigned tasks or objectives. Also include a short statement of your experience up to date. Briefly, outline the areas that are going well and the areas that need improvement. Honestly assess yourself and your performance on the job. A final monthly report is due with the final paper. Monthly objective reports are five percent of your overall grade.
Letter
Send the department a letter sometime throughout the tenure of your internship describing your experience and advice for students. This letter is designed to be a positive assessment of your internship. Offer words of encouragement for current students. This letter is worth five percent of your overall grade.
Mid-term and final evaluations
The supervisor and internship coordinator will conduct evaluations of your written assignments, initiative, and professionalism. These evaluations constitute 70 percent of your grade.
Internship Assessment and Portfolio
This five-page, 12-point font, double spaced typed paper will describe your overall internship experience. Four areas need to be covered:
• How did you meet your objectives and overall goal for the internship?
• Describe your internship in relation to your public relations expertise. Incorporate theoretical concepts into your overall assessment.
• Evaluate the internship process and site. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the internship. Address the practical or logistical considerations of the internship.
• Describe your experience. What knowledge, skills, interests, etc. did you gain from your internship experience?
The internship assessment and a completed portfolio are worth 20 percent of the overall grade.
Note: Don't forget to log your hours on a time sheet.
Supervisor's Responsibilities
Supervisors will be provided with a contract, assignment checklist, time sheets, and, if necessary, GSU policies regarding insurance and verification for off-site work.
Internship Coordinator
All correspondence and related inquires may be sent to: Zoraida R. Cozier, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Public Relations, Georgia Southern University, Dept. of Communication Arts, P.O. Box 8091, Statesboro, GA 30460. Please feel free to contact the coordinator at 871-1847.
PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERNSHIP
SUPERVISOR-INTERN CONTRACT AND POLICIES
Name and Social Security #:_________________________________________
Internship site:____________________________________________________
Internship supervisor name:_________________________________________
SUPERVISOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES:
__________________________will accept a student intern who is recommended by the Department of Communication Arts of Georgia Southern University. The intern will be given the opportunity to obtain public relations experience. The broad general category of the internship is (select one):
• Marketing
• Public relations
• Corporate communications
• Other
The specific category of the internship is one or more of the following (select one or more):
1. Marketing communications (e.g., product releases, marketing campaign)
2. Media relations
3. Financial communications, investor relations, or shareholder communications
4. Employee communication
5. Government relations
7. Community relations
8. Public relations/Marketing campaigns
9. Sports marketing
10. Health communication
11. Other
The specific tasks and responsibilities include the following (select as many apply):
• Special Events Coordination
• Campaign planning, implementation, and evaluation
• Written assignments
Types of Writing
• Business Correspondence -e.g., memos that inform others about the status of projects
• Corporate communications -news and feature stories for publication in newsletters, company magazines, etc.
• Publicity writing-- news releases, background materials, and other written policies designed to produce print and broadcast media coverage
• Marketing communications --support marketing efforts, e.g., product brochures
• Advocacy writing -writing that establishes a position or comments on an issue
• Research writing -creating news lists, databases, etc.
Please add any additional categories and/or tasks and responsibilities that apply.
The scheduled number of hours are________________.
NOTE: All internships are required to have a substantial amount of written assignments for the interns' portfolios. It is recommended that interns conduct one major project for the duration of the internship.
Policies
( Internship supervisor) Please initial the following policies.
_____T he supervisor reserves the right to reject an intern for a particular semester or to permanently discontinue the acceptance of interns. In this situation, the supervisor will contact the internship coordinator prior to notifying the student.
_____The supervisor agrees to supervise the intern's activities, offering recommendations and assistance throughout the duration of the internship.
_____The supervisor agrees to conduct periodic evaluations of the intern as required by the internship coordinator. These evaluations will assess the interns' performance, capabilities, and future marketability. The employer agrees to mail the time sheets and internship forms to the internship coordinator on a timely basis.
_____The supervisor will meet with the intern prior to the outset of the internship to negotiate tasks and responsibilities consistent with the intern's goals and objectives.
_____The supervisor will abide by GSU's policies.
_____The supervisor will establish a set of tasks and responsibilities for the intern based on the negotiated goals and objectives established at the beginning of the internship. If the supervisor fails to meet these academic standards, another internship assignment will be made for the student.
Department's Responsibilities:
The Department of Communication Arts of Georgia Southern University agrees to recommend a qualified, professional applicant to each internship site. The communication department will remain in contact with the internship supervisor throughout the intern's tenure at the internship site.
(Internship coordinator) Please initial the following:
_____The internship coordinator will maintain contact with the internship supervisor to establish a record of attendance and professionalism, for evaluation purposes.
_____The internship coordinator will provide the internship supervisor with the contact information, policies, time sheets, and any other relevant materials based on the supervisor's requests.
Intern's Responsibilities
The intern is expected to complete the internship requirements as negotiated with the internship supervisor. The intern is expected to conduct him or herself in a professional manner while on and off duty, and to abide by all rules and regulations pertaining to the site.
The intern will work the number of actual hours that corresponds to the academic credit received by GSU. I will work________ of hours to attain________ credit hours.
(Intern) Please initial the following:
_____The intern's progress through various experiences of the internship is dependent upon the supervisor's evaluation of his or her ability to proceed, and the intern agrees to abide by these decisions.
_____The intern recognizes that if GSU Communication Department deems it necessary to cancel an internship before the completion of the semester, such a step will be taken. If the intern fails to meet acceptable standards of performance and professionalism, the procedures for terminating the internship will be followed in accordance with established Registrar's procedures for dropping courses.
We, the undersigned, agree to the provisions contained in this contract.
Lisa Muller, J. D.
Internship Coordinator
Department of Communication Arts
Georgia Southern University
Date:____________________
___________________________
Internship Site Supervisor
___________________________
Date
Internship Address & Phone No.:_________________________________________
Intern________________________________________________________
Date:_________________________________________________________
APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERNSHIP
Name and ID #:____________________________________________________
GSU Address:_____________________________________________________
Phone(s):_________________________________________________________
Home Address:____________________________________________________
Home Phone:______________________________________________________
Desired Semester for Internship:_____________________________________
Will you be taking other classes while interning? ________________________
Number of desired intern hours (3, 6, 9, 12) ____________________________
Have you completed PRCA 2330 and PRCA 3330? ______________________
Please list work or intern experience and computer programs in which you are proficient below.
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Are you fluent in another language? ______________
Are you a member of any communication or public relations trade Associations (e.g., PRSA)?______________________________________________________
What are your career goals? _________________________________________
Please list desired locations and/or internship sites_______________________
_________________________________________________________________
Please list any personal considerations or special needs___________________
_________________________________________________________________
Signature:_______________________________________
Date:___________________________________________
Please submit application with a resume to Zoraida R. Cozier, PR Internship Coordinator, Office 1029, Communication Arts Bldg., Statesboro, GA 30460.