Speech Communication  - Undergraduate

Internships in Speech Communication

Speech communication majors 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.

Internships can be taken for variable undergraduate 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. 

Requirements for Internships:

• Undergraduate students must have at least junior standing (60 earned credit hours)
• Students must be in good standing (minimum 2.0 GPA for undergraduates and 3.0 GPA for graduates)
• Internships must be coordinated through the Director of Internships in the Department of Speech Communication
• Students emphasizing in Public Relations are advised to seek the guidance of a PR faculty member
• Students seeking internships must talk with the Director of Internships, submit an application, and request two faculty recommendations (one of which must be from a Speech Communication faculty member).

***See below for links to access internships forms.

Possibilities of Internships:

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.

Students in Speech Communication have completed Internships in areas such as:

• Healthcare
• Nonprofits
• Public Relations
• Social Services
• Retail
• Travel
• Hospitality & Entertainment
• Media
• Academia
• Politics, Government, & Law Enforcement

Interns have worked in a variety of capacities, including:

• Fundraising
• Event Coordinating
• Training & Orientations
• Management
• Marketing Research & Planning
• Public Relations
• Human Resources
• Promotions
• Sales & Marketing
• Writing/Design (brochures, manuals, reports, press releases, features)
• Preparing & Giving Presentations
• Conducting Tours
• Research & Assessment
• Interviewing

Internship Forms

NOTE: You must seek the approval of the Director of Internships before commencing the application process. You need Adobe Acrobat to open the files.

For additional information contact:

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