Long-term Professional Internship

Long Term Professional Internship (MIT 3096-3099)

The FIMS Long Term Professional Internship (MIT 3096-3099) program places undergraduate students in internship positions for 8, 12 or 16 months. These supervised and paid (non-credit) positions aid students in making connections between academic study and the off-campus world, including organizations and businesses with media-related or information-related interests, public service organizations and community groups. Assigned work may encompass a wide range of tasks such as corporate communications, public relations, copy writing, feature writing, multimedia development, media production, market research, Internet administration, e-commerce and community outreach activities.

  • Enrolment Requirements
  • Application and Selection Process for Students
  • Registration and Payment
  • Student Responsibilities
  • Terminating an Internship Placement
  • Evaluation Process

Enrolment Requirements

To qualify for enrolment, students must:

  1. be registered full-time in an MIT or MPI undergraduate module offered by the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (students registered in the Collaborative Program in Media Theory and Production (MTP) are not eligible to participate);
  2. have completed their second year with a minimum cumulative average of 70% and no failures;
  3. be in good standing in their program, with no academic offences;
  4. be eligible to work in Canada (or the country of the placement);
  5. be willing to return to the university after the internship to complete their degree requirements (to maintain status in the Long Term Professional Internship program, a student must have 2.5 courses or more remaining to complete his/her program after the internship).

Internship students are considered ambassadors of The University of Western Ontario and the Faculty of Information and Media Studies and are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner while on internship. Before a placement has been confirmed, consultation will take place with faculty and staff to raise any concerns regarding academic standing, professional readiness and/or suitability to represent the Faculty on a Long Term Professional Internship placement.

Application and Selection Process for Students

To be competitive in the application process, FIMS strongly recommends that students who are considering applying for a Professional Internship Program  visit the Student Success Centre for daily drop-in help with Resumes and Cover Letters, and Interview Strategies.

If selected for a Professional Internship, students normally are required to participate in the Strategies to Succeed at Work workshop offered through the Student Development Centre. This workshop lasts approximately 2 hours and proof of participation must be supplied to the Internship Co-ordinator as part of the application process.

To begin the search for a potential placement, eligible students should:

  1. complete an Internship Approval Form (available in NCB 230);
  2. e-mail a “wish list” to the Internship Co-ordinator (e.g., interests, skills, suggested employers);
  3. e-mail a résumé (the Internship Co-ordinator may request corrections or suggest changes); and
  4. arrange a time with the Internship Co-ordinator to discuss ideas for possible placements.

The Internship Co-ordinator will work closely with interested students to identify a suitable employer for a Professional Internship. Any positions submitted by an employer also will be advertised to the students via e-mail. All placements must have an official position description and must be full-time (a minimum of 28 hours per week). Placements are approved by the Associate Dean or designate.

Students are permitted to pursue their own placements. In such cases, the potential placement must be discussed with the Internship Co-ordinator. Student-initiated placements are subject to all of the regular approval processes.

If an available position is e-mailed to the students via e-mail, eligible students should:

  1. complete an Internship Approval Form (available in NCB 230);
  2. e-mail a résumé and cover letter for position of interest to the Internship Co-ordinator;
  3. meet with the Internship Co-ordinator to discuss résumé and/or position.

The Internship Co-ordinator will confirm that a student is eligible and his/her application will be forwarded to the employer for consideration. Employers will review only the applications forwarded by the Faculty. Students must not send applications directly to employers.

The selection process may vary depending on the employer. The employer may contact a candidate directly to arrange an interview or an arrangement may be made with the assistance of the Internship Co-ordinator.

 

Registration and Payment

Prior to the start of the placement, interns will be required to sign/complete the Student Contract with the Faculty of Information and Media Studies. The Faculty will register the student in MIT 3096-3099 prior to the start date of the internship. For the benefit of both the employer and the student, a three-month probationary term is permitted.

A one-time, non-refundable fee of $750.00 for 8, 12 or 16 month placements will be charged to students to support the costs of administering the program. The Office of the Registrar will invoice the student (students should check for the invoice on myUWO) as soon as the appropriate course numbers have been recorded on the academic record. Non-payment of the internship fee within 30 days of the invoice date will result in accrual of late charges at the current university rate. Non-payment of the internship fee within 180 days of the invoice date will result in an academic seal. Income tax forms will be issued by the Office of the Registrar.

 

Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible for the following while on a long term placement:

  • All expenses related to the placement, including transportation, accommodation, moving costs and the like;
  • Health insurance (students are not covered under the provisions of the Student Health Plan while on Internship);
  • Contacting the Office of the Registrar to ensure that a continuation of interest-free status form is submitted each term for any student loans, scholarships or bursaries;
  • Obtaining special permission from an Academic Counselor in FIMS to enrol in courses while participating in the Long Term Professional Internship Program. Interns are limited to enrolling in 0.5 course per academic term.
  • Bringing any concerns about the placement to the attention of the Internship Co-ordinator immediately.
  • Notifying the Internship Co-ordinator immediately if any issues arise that may compromise the successful completion of the internship.

Terminating an Internship Placement

A student must notify the Internship Co-ordinator prior to early termination of employment. If the termination is within the first three months of the placement, students will receive a WDN (withdrawn) status on their transcripts. The employer and the student will be made aware that terminating the internship before completion may result in a failing grade.

Once an internship has begun, the internship fees are NON-refundable. This includes situations where:

  • The student wishes to terminate the Internship prior to the end of the Internship term;
  • The employer has requested that the student be terminated due to non-performance or other work-related issues;
  • Termination due to financial, medical or compassionate reasons;
  • Withdrawal from the internship program due to academic reasons (i.e. a scholastic offence).

 

Evaluation Process

To complete the Internship Placement with a grade of Pass, the following components must be met:

  1. A preliminary 500 word (two pages, single-spaced) within the first eight weeks of the placement. The report gives a brief outline of the organization and the intern’s activities. In the report, the intern must make some preliminary connections between the organization and/or tasks undertaken on site and theoretical work in the his/her program.
  2. A progress report (500 words) at the halfway point of the placement. This report should describe what the intern has learned and how it relates to both his/her and goals for the placement and courses taken in the Faculty. This report should address the questions: Am I achieving my goals? Why or why not? What connections does this placement have with my academic studies?
  3. A final report (2000 words), due within one week of placement completion. The final report further develops, formally and fully, the connections made between the organization and the theoretical work in the student’s program in FIMS. “Formally” requires that the student cite specific readings that enhance or contribute to the points made, and “fully” involves a detailed discussion of how the connections and observations the student is noting are informed by the theories he/she has been studying.
  4. Satisfactory performance evaluations (early, mid and final) submitted by the employer to the Internship Co-ordinator.

The assessment of the reports for the Long Term Professional Internship will be made by the Associate Dean or designate. Employer evaluations also must be considered satisfactory by the Associate Dean or designate in order for the intern to continue in and pass the Internship.