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Internships

Finding an Internship: Digital Media & Journalism

Strategic & Personal Communication Internships

Every Digital Media & Journalism student must complete a school-approved internship for at least 3 credit hours to graduate. This 14-16 week course offers an excellent chance to establish a robust professional network, showcase your skills, and leave a lasting impression on prospective employers. So, start networking now no matter where you are in your educational journey. This means talking to your classmates, friends, professors, etc. The people you see every day can help you a lot. Career Services also has a website called Handshake that can help you find internships with companies that are looking for someone like you.


DMCA 499 Course Eligibility

To be eligible for an internship for credit, you must have:

  • Junior or senior status
  • 2.0 GPA or higher
  • Declared a major within the Digital Media & Journalism department
  • Completed 24 hours within your major (not including COMS 101 or SCOM 110)
  • Completion of the DMCA 499 Internship Workshop before interning (see below for the current schedule)
  • No more than one outstanding BWVW/CSER requirement (Residential students only)

Note:  Internship opportunities must be approved through an online application process through the School of Communication & the Arts Handshake portal (see below).


 

Prerequisite Internship Workshop – Two options

  1. Virtual Internship Workshop:

We are offering the all-new Virtual DMCA 499 Internship Workshop online! We encourage all Residential and Liberty Online students to take advantage of this on-demand option, allowing SCA majors to complete the workshop requirement at any time before applying for the DMCA 499 Internship class. We will still offer in-person workshops for those who want them during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Juniors and Seniors intending to complete an internship for credit must attend a workshop at least once before applying for the DMCA 499 course. Students only need to complete one (1) workshop online or in person.

The virtual workshop will take about an hour. The virtual workshop includes a quiz that must be passed with a 90% or better.

Click the button below to take the virtual workshop now. Be sure to log in using your Liberty credentials to make sure your quiz is registered:

Virtual DMCA 499 Internship Workshop

  2. Live Workshops (attend one): Residential students must attend in person

Application Packet:

You will need the following documents as you complete the Internship Workshop and prepare to apply for the DMCA 499 course on Handshake. The packet includes the following documents:

  • USIA SSA DRAFT: Use this draft form to gather all the information you will use to complete the Handshake application.
  • How To Request An Internship: Here are the step-by-step instructions to help you complete the Handshake application. Please ensure you completed the workshop and have an internship before filling out the Handshake application.

Please email dmca499@liberty.edu if you have any questions.


Apply for DMCA 499 Internship Class

*** We are currently reviewing applications for the Summer and Fall 2024 semesters.

Even after taking the Workshop, students cannot independently add the DMCA 499 Internship class because of the prerequisites. Here’s the application process:

  1.   Attend an in-person or online workshop before applying for the DMCA 499 internship class. This is where you will receive detailed instructions about internships and an overview of the application procedure. Look for social media posts, web announcements, and digital signage in Green Hall throughout the semester announcing dates/times of the in-person workshops. The virtual workshop is always available (link above).
  2. Land an Internship! Apply to several internship opportunities. You are likely to receive an offer if you are determined. Contact dmca499@liberty.edu if you are unsure that your internship opportunity fits your major study area.
  3. Once you have an offer in hand, you must apply on Handshake to have your internship formally evaluated and approved through a vetting process. Your application and academic standing will be reviewed along with the specifics of the opportunity. The Handshake request will enter into a digital signature approval process if everything looks good. When ready to apply, click the Handshake link below to “Request an Experience.” (See How To Request An Internship for instructions.) Be sure to use the “SCA – DMCA 499 Internship (for credit)” when asked for “Experience Type.”

 

Request an Experience on Handshake

 

Approvals:  After you, your internship site supervisor, and the Liberty Internship Coordinator sign off on your internship. The Faculty Internship Advisor will send your request for DMCA 499 registration to the Registrar.

Registration:  The Registrar will now add you to the class (if your account is free from any holds).

 

Registration Deadlines

  • Handshake applications must be entered no less than 1-week before the Financial Check-In deadline for your selected semester. Based on the Registrar’s published academic calendar, residential and LUO internship sections run Fall, Spring, and Summer in 14-16-week (J-term) sections.
  • We are now accepting Summer and Fall 2024 Handshake applications.

*Because the prerequisite approvals and the contract take time to complete, you must give yourself plenty of time before the registration deadline. Contact Professor John Rost at dmca499@liberty.edu with any questions before the deadlines.


Credit Hours

Hours of Work

You need to work at least 180 hours for a 3-credit hour internship. You can register for more than three (3) credit hours – up to six (6), but each additional credit hour means you must do 60 more work hours. If you take on more than three (3) credit hours, the extra credits can be used to fulfill upper-level elective requirements on your Degree Completion Plan (DCP). The first three (3) credits of DMCA 499 must be completed within your major – not your minor. You can only earn DMCA 499 Internship credit for experiences during the semester when you are registered for the course. There are no look-backs to previous experiences allowed.


Extended Internships

If you like your internship and want to keep doing it, you must fill out a new application for each semester you wish to earn course credit.


Getting Paid

You may get money for your internship, and we hope you do! You may be able to use your current job as your internship, but your job duties must match what you want to learn and be related to your primary area of study. The Faculty Internship Coordinator must approve the internship site and assignments at dmca499@liberty.edu.


Internship Site Responsibilities

  • You must be supervised by someone with a degree in your area of study or at least five years of professional experience in the field.
  • The company or organization must provide enough work to fill the work hour requirements agreed upon in the contract.
  • Your supervisor must agree to give feedback about your experience by filling out a mid and final evaluation.
  • Virtual internships are possible—Contact Prof. John Rost at dmca499@liberty.edu about applicable laws and regulations.
  • All internship opportunities are evaluated considering The Liberty Way – Student Honor Code. While Liberty students are expected to uphold the Code regardless of their location, internship sites will not be approved if they may cause the student to violate the honor code.
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