Eligibility
School of Communication undergraduate students in good academic standing are eligible to enroll in EPICS Internship Courses.
Internship Course Application and Enrollment Deadlines
Internship applications are accepted on a rolling basis but are due at least two weeks before the start of the quarter for which the student is requesting enrollment. Attendance at the first class of CMN 340 is mandatory. If your application is pending, please still attend the first class and speak with the instructor.
Academic year 2024-2025 deadlines are as follows:
- Fall 2024: September 3
- Winter 2025: December 16
- Spring 2025: March 18
- Summer 2025: June 9
Students should consult with their Academic Advisor to determine the appropriate course and number of units they are eligible to enroll. Once students have received their internship position description and offer letter from their employer, they will need to complete the course registration application in Handshake’s online registration form.
This brief video provides step-by-step instructions to guide students through the registration process.
Internship Course Options
School of Communication students can apply a maximum of four (4) units of academic credit toward their degree for their internship experience by enrolling in one or more internship courses offered by the School of Communication or Chicago Field Studies. Students can only earn academic credit for an internship by enrolling in an internship course during the same quarter that they work the internship. The dates of the student’s internship must overlap with the dates of the academic quarter by a minimum of eight (8) weeks. Students are eligible to earn between 1-4 units of academic credit in any one quarter based upon the number of hours they work each week:
- 8 – 15 hours/week per quarter = 1 unit
- 16 – 23 hours/week per quarter = 2 units
- 24 – 31 hours/week for one quarter = 3 units
- 32 – 40 hours/week for one quarter = 4 units
Students working a minimum of eight (8) hours per week during the course of a quarter may opt to enroll in a 0- or .25-unit course.
Students can also opt to register for fewer units than they are eligible to receive. For example, students working 20 hours a week can register for 0, .25, 1, or 2 units.
Students who work internships for more than one academic quarter can enroll in an internship course and register for academic credit in each quarter that they work the internship. However, students may only apply 4 units of internship credit toward their School of Communication degree.
Students who work more than one internship during one academic quarter are eligible to register for the total combined number of hours worked per week, not to exceed 40 hours per week/4 units of academic credit. For example, students working 10 hours per week at one internship and 16 hours per week at the second internship, may register for 3 units total.
Please note that registration for CMN 340, 325, and 300 is handled by the EPICS office upon completion of the internship application approval process in Handshake.
The School of Communication offers three internship courses:
This course is for School of Communication students who intern 8-40 hours per week. In order to enroll, students are required to submit a Handshake application, which includes an offer letter and position description. Once enrolled, students are required to participate in a weekly seminar course with associated assignments and complete and submit a midterm assessment and final evaluation. Students should consult their academic advisor before applying as they may be subject to course unit limits.
Of the 4 units of academic credit that can be applied toward an SoC degree:
- 1 unit of CMN 340 may apply toward major requirements for Communication Studies, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Performance Studies, and Radio/Television/Film. Students should consult their academic advisor regarding additional restrictions on internships, independent studies, research practica, and other special course types for each major.
- Up to 3 additional units of CMN 340 can be applied toward general electives.
- CMN 340 can be repeated, however, only 4 units total of internship credit can be applied toward the SoC degree.
- Students repeating CMN 340 with the same internship in consecutive quarters may be eligible to enroll in an asynchronous, online version of CMN 340. Please direct questions about this option to the course instructor.
Please visit the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Advising website for additional information on how internship units can be applied towards the BA or BS undergraduate degrees.
This course is for School of Communication students who intern 8-40 hours per week with employers throughout the world. In order to enroll, students are required to submit a Handshake application, including an offer letter and position description. Enrolled students must participate in an asynchronous, online course and complete and submit a midterm assessment and final evaluation.
By selecting a 0.25-unit internship option, students register an internship with the School of Communication, which will be officially recorded on their transcript. This is a good option when an employer requires credit but won’t accept the 0-unit option as the cost will be less than a one-unit course. The 0.25-unit internship registration process is the same as the process of registering an internship for a higher unit amount.
This option is appropriate for students who:
- Do not wish to enroll in CMN 340
- Are working for employers that require academic credit but will not accept the 0-unit option
- Have been awarded a School of Communication internship award and are working for an employer that will not accept the 0-unit option
- Have been awarded a SIGP grant, which disqualifies them from earning more than 0.25 units for their summer internship
This asynchronous, online course is for School of Communication students who intern 8-40 hours per week with employers. In order to enroll, students are required to submit a Handshake application, including an offer letter and position description. Enrolled students must complete and submit a midterm assessment and final evaluation.
By selecting a 0-unit internship option, students register an internship with the School of Communication that will be officially recognized and recorded on their transcript but not subject to a per-unit tuition fee. The 0-unit internship registration process is the same as the process of registering an internship for a higher unit amount.
This option is appropriate for students who:
- Are already carrying the maximum number of units for the quarter and wish to register for an internship without incurring additional tuition charges
- Applied the maximum number of internship units allowed by their academic department
- Do not wish to pay tuition for an internship unit, particularly during the summer
- Have been awarded a School of Communication internship award are required to enroll in the 0-unit course
- Have been awarded a SIGP grant, which disqualifies them from earning more than 0.25 academic units for their summer internship
Questions? Contact Us
Questions about your credit load, contact your Academic Advisor
Questions about tuition, contact Student Finance