Media Studies Internship Program

Media Studies Internship Program

Requirements

You must meet the following requirements in order to qualify for college credit through the Media Studies department:

  • Media Studies major or minor
  • Junior or Senior standing
  • Overall 3.0 GPA

Internships are for 3 credits or 6 credits:

  • 135 working hours = 3 credits = 299.3*
  • 270 working hours = 6 credits = 299.6*
    *Internships are NOT counted as a 300 level course. They are an elective.

You may take a total of 9 credits in internship placements, but no more than 6 credits can be taken per semester. (NOTE: only 3 credits count toward the major).

In addition to spending time “on the job,” there is an academic component to this course:

Fall/Spring

  • Media Career Guide textbook
  • 3 blog postings
  • One (1) mandatory meeting
  • Six-page research paper

Summer

  • 10-page research paper based on a proposal approved by the Internship Director

The Media Studies Internship requires a Faculty Sponsor to supervise your research. The Faculty Sponsor is selected by the student. (In most cases, the Internship Director serves as the Faculty Sponsor.)

Getting Started

Step 1: To begin the process of applying for a credited internship, you need to email Prof. Julian Cornell, Internship Director, at julian.cornell@qc.cuny.edu. State that you are interested in doing an internship for credit. Be sure to include your full name and the last four digits of your Social Security number so that we can confirm your class standing and GPA. If you are not a junior or a senior and do not have a 3.0 GPA you cannot get credit through the Media Studies department.

Step 2: Getting an internship is like getting a job. You need to find out what companies are hiring (see “How to find an internship”), send out your resume, follow up on the resumes you send out, and go on interviews. If you need assistance with your resume, contact the Internship Director to set up an appointment. Resumes cannot be review via email.

Step 3: Once you have been “hired,” email Prof. Cornell saying that you have obtained an internship. Include the name of the company in your correspondence and state whether you want to do a 3-credit or 6-credit internship. Note: You cannot be registered for the internship until you have been offered an internship position. You cannot register yourself.

How to find an internship

The Media Studies Internship Database contains over 400 internship opportunities, including internships in advertising, public relations, radio, television, production, casting, and so on. The database is located on MyQC, which requires a valid Queens College account to access. If you cannot find what you are looking for in the database, the following media websites may be helpful:

NOTE ABOUT USING CRAIGSLIST: Not all jobs listed here are legitimate. It is not recommended as your best source.

Additional resources/suggestions:

  • When you email Prof. Cornell stating you are interested in doing an internship, you are automatically added to the prospective intern email list. You will receive information about new internship opportunities on an on-going basis.
  • Additional websites can be found here. Included on this list are career websites as well as links to the career pages of many of the top media companies.
  • We have two liaisons in the QC Career Development Center. You may use them as a resource to help find additional opportunities and to work on your resume. Their contact information is:
  • Make a list of the top 10 companies you would like to work for. Call their human resources department and ask who is in charge of hiring interns and ask for their email address. Or apply directly to a company directly. For example: http://www.timewarner.com/careers.
  • Twice a year—September and February—there is a general internship meeting that reviews the internship program. Look for announcements in your classes and in the Media Studies department.

Note: You may use any method you like, including personal contacts or other research
methods not listed here, to obtain an internship. Be aware, however, that the position must
be media-related and you must be supervised by someone who will be providing you with a
legitimate learning experience in order to receive credit.

Once you have been registered for an internship

Shortly before the semester begins, you will receive an email about next steps. Among the things you will need to do are:

If you need a letter from Queens College stating that you are receiving credit, email the Internship Director with the name and address of the person to whom the letter should be addressed. Also, note any specific information the company requires to be included in this letter.

If you need additional information, contact the Internship Director:

Julian Cornell, PhD
G-100
718-997-2992
julian.cornell@qc.cuny.edu