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Speech communication majors at the undergraduate and graduate levels may complete internships to earn both academic credit and valuable professional experience. Internships can provide a great opportunity to apply communication theories and skills, as well as gain practical insight under the guidance of a practitioner. Interns may work in virtually any area of communication under the supervision of representatives from a variety of local, regional, and national organizations.
Undergraduates: Internships can be taken for variable credit (1 to 9 credit hours). Students must perform 40 to 50 hours of work to earn each credit hour. Therefore, for a 3 credit internship, students will generally work 120 to 150 hours over the course of a semester, or about 10 hours per week in a 15 week semester. Up to 3 credits of internship can fulfill elective requirements for the Speech Communication major.
Graduates: Internships can be taken for 1 to 3 hours of credit and should involve graduate level work.
Many students have taken advantage of internships toward the end of their program of study as they transition from academia into their chosen profession. Students have found that internships not only can provide very valuable professional experience, but also can help students to make professional contacts and advance their networking efforts. Some interns have received offers for permanent positions as a result of their Speech Communication internships.
While the department does maintain ongoing relationships with many internship hosts, often the best internships are those created for individual students. The Director of Internships will work with you to identify possible hosts and create an internship that will work best for you.
Director of Internships
Department of Speech Communication, SIUE
Edwardsville, IL 62026-1772
Office Location: Alumni Hall 3108
Office Phone: (618) 650-3090 Fax: (618) 650-2038
