Internships

CMS 370K Internship in Communication Studies for Fall, Spring, or Summer

Prerequisites: A major in CMS; Senior status; 12 semester hours of CMS courses (at least 3 hrs upper division); overall GPA of at least 2.50; GPA of at least 3.00 in communication coursework.

Seniors who are interested in enrolling in CMS 370K Internship in Communication Studies in any given semester, must see their assigned CMS undergraduate advisor FIRST before they can register for the class. Once it’s been verified that students meet the prerequisites, they will be set up to register. Information sheets on the internship class are available outside the CMS department office (CMA 7th floor) along with CMS course descriptions.

NOTE: The College of Communication will not allow students to register for the fall internship class using a summer internship for credit. You MUST be enrolled in the class at the same time you are completing the internship in order to receive credit. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS.

IE Pre-Graduate School Internship

Are you thinking about whether graduate school is in your future? Are you uncertain about what it would be like to be a graduate student and what academic program may be suited best to your interests and career goals?

If your answer to these questions is yes, you may wish to consider undertaking the Intellectual Entrepreneurship (IE) "Pre-Graduate School Internship." This internship is open to students in all UT colleges/schools and departments. You may earn one, two or three hours of academic credit (CMS 164M/264M/364M) by participating in the internship.

[SPECIAL NOTE FOR CMS STUDENTS: The above pre-graduate school internship WILL count toward your CMS degree (under "additional CMS hours" - it will not replace required courses) - HOWEVER, you must take the course for a GRADE (no pass/fail) in order for it to count. Please make sure and let Dr. Cherwitz, your faculty mentor, and your graduate student buddy know that you must earn a grade for the course up front. If you have additional questions as to how this course counts toward your degree, please come see me.]

You may read more about this program (including FAQ's, examples of internship activities and an easy to complete internship contract) on the web: http://www.utexas.edu/coc/cms/faculty/cherwitz/

To participate and earn academic credit (CMS 164M, 264M or 364M), you must currently be a UT-Austin undergraduate and plan on undertaking the internship prior to graduation. Participation is contingent upon finding a mentor in your proposed field of graduate study who is willing to supervise the internship. This internship is an opportunity for bright UT undergraduates to work with faculty and veteran graduate students to learn about those unique aspects of graduate study that make it distinct from the undergraduate experience (e.g., conducting research, writing for scholarly audiences, participating in seminars, serving as teaching and research assistants, publishing articles in professional journals, becoming members of scholarly organizations and learned societies, preparing for an academic or professional career, etc.). The objective of the IE Pre-Graduate School Internship is to connect undergraduates with UT faculty mentors and seasoned graduate students ("buddies") in their area of study. Internships are arranged by Dr. Richard Cherwitz, Professor of Communication Studies and Founder of the IE Program, and are based on the ability of the student to gain the consent of a faculty member and/or graduate student willing to supervise the internship. Internship projects, assignments and tasks are determined through negotiation between students and faculty members; internship contracts ensure that there is both structure to and accountability for the experience. Professor Cherwitz, who served an Associate Dean of the Graduate School for seven years, will hold workshops and meetings, allowing all interns to share their experiences and to learn about: graduate study, obtaining admissions and funding and creating career possibilities.

If after examining these materials you have questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Rick Cherwitz at spaj737@uts.cc.utexas.edu.