Information for Internship Employers

General Information

An internship is a temporary work placement arrangement between the employer and the student facilitated by the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS) Co-op/Internship Office. The MMJC program requires a minimum term of 10-weeks of full-time professional work to complete the requirements for the program. Via contract, the University and the employer establish terms of employment.

Salary: The majority of internships are unpaid as students receive academic credit for their work. Some employers provide stipends such as a lump sum, gift cards or transportation passes to assist the student during or after their internship. If an employer elects to provide a salary, the employer sets the rate. Providing a salary will make the Internship more attractive to the students. The Co-op/Internship Office is able to advise on the range of current rates.

Types of Work Assigned: Internship work completed by MMJC students may encompass a wide range of tasks including (but not limited to): pitching stories, conducting interviews, shooting and editing video/audio, story development and composition, social media and integrated media, media design and project management/client relations.

Employer Requirements: Employers in the public or private sectors are encouraged to post positions with the MMJC Internship Program. Any bona fide employer can be an internship employer. Employers are required to provide a full job description where the work described is at a professional-level, and related to the academic discipline (Media, Journalism or Communications). A qualified individual is also required to supervise/mentor the work of the student for the duration of the work term.

The FIMS Co-op/Internship Office mediates initial communication between employers and students, as applicants, to ensure full understanding of the internship arrangement. This office will support employers and students throughout the internship (ex. job description development to final end-of-internship evaluation).

Internship Timeline

Job postings: Starting November 15th.
Interviews: As required.
Majority of placements confirmed: End of March.
Start Date: First week of May (flexible).
Internship Completion Date: 10 weeks.

FAQs for MMJC Employers

Internship FAQs

A MMJC Internship placement is a required portion of the program where students have the opportunity to work and learn in an environment that relates to their course of study. Students report to an experienced supervisor who oversees the training and day-to-day duties.

When do MMJC students complete their internship?

Students complete two terms of course work prior to going on Internship. The MMJC internships always occur in the summer (May-August). Normally, they are 10-weeks in duration. Specific start and end dates are at the employer’s discretion and may be negotiated between the employer and the student.

What skills can I expect an internship student from this program to have?

All students admitted to the MMJC program, will have a minimum of a four-year undergraduate degree with a final average of at least 70%. The average application average (last 10 courses completed) was over 80% for the incoming class 2018-2019.

During the first term of the program, students are required to take introductory courses in Journalism, Communications, Audio & Visual Storytelling, Social Media & Digital Production, and Ethics. In the second term, they will take Law as well as either an Integrated Media course in Journalism or Communications. Some students may elect to take both of the latter mentioned courses.

Elective courses offered in the second term might include Writing for Magazines, Audio Storytelling, The Power of Video Storytelling and Health Reporting depending on instructor availability. For brief course descriptions, please visit the MMJC courses page on the FIMS website.

What criteria are there for employers who are considering offering an internship placement for a MMJC student?

Each new opportunity is reviewed before it is offered to the students. A simple job description is required (example available from fims-coop@uwo.ca). The Manager, Graduate Student Services looks at the following criteria when deciding whether to approve a placement:

Are the duties well-suited for an MMJC student? Will the student be adequately challenged?
Will there be suitable supervision?
Does the placement meet the length requirement of 10 weeks (if not, what other arrangements can be made to meet the requirement)?

Are the students paid while they are on internship?

The majority of internships are unpaid as students receive academic credit for their work. Some employers provide stipends such as a lump sum, gift cards or transportation passes to assist the student during or after their internship. If an employer elects to provide a salary, the employer sets the rate. The Co-op/Internship Office is able to advise on the range of current rates.

Do employers get to screen candidates?

The co-op/internship office forwards applications of interested students to employers. It is up to the employer to decide which candidates they would like to interview. Interviews may be completed via phone, SKYPE or in-person at FIMS. We will arrange the interviews according to the availability of both employers and students.

If an offer is made, is the employer guaranteed a student?

Most employers who participate find students for their positions. If, however, a student declines your placement, it can be offered to another student. Once a student has accepted an offer, they are no longer able to seek out other internship opportunities.

Are there any additional administrative fees associated with hosting an internship student?

Through their tuition, the students pay any administrative fees.

What status will a student have while on internship?

An MMJC student on internship is registered as a full-time student at Western. Being that the internship is a requirement of the MMJC program, insurance coverage is provided by the University.

Where are internship placements typically located?

Internships can be located anywhere in Canada. There is some funding available to assist a student to participate in an International placement.

What happens if a student cannot complete the placement?

Emergencies and/or other unexpected situations may arise. In the case of an unexpected situation, employers and students should respond directly to any immediate concerns. Once the immediate situation has been dealt with, please contact the Co-op/Internship Office so that we can follow up as required.

What support is offered to new employers?

The Co-op/Internship Office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30 pm EST. You may reach the internship office via phone 519-661-2111 x88468 or via email at fims-coop@uwo.ca.

How can I find out more?

You are welcome to contact the Co-op/Internship Office at any time in order to find out more about the internship or MMJC program. If you would like to receive email notifications with updates and timelines, please forward your contact information to fims-coop@uwo.ca.