Undergraduate Internship Process & Application
Students in an undergraduate program must follow these steps if they want to find an internship and have it approved for academic credit.
Steps for Completing Your Internship for Academic Credit
Step 1: Meet with your Academic Advisor
Recommended Timeframe: 4 – 5 semesters before your graduation semester
Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to build a plan for completing any prerequisites for your program. Find your program below and review the University Catalog and Course Schedule to confirm the requirements and prerequisites. Review your GPS audit and plan in Flashline with your advisor every semester to ensure you are meeting the requirements for your program.
Step 2: Check in with the Internship Coordinator for you major.
Recommended Timeframe: 3 – 4 semesters before your graduation semester
Students should check in with their internship coordinator BEFORE applying for an internship. Internship coordinators have a wide variety of resources that can help students with their internship search and ensure they are finding an internship that meets the criteria for academic credit. Find your internship coordinator below and start discussing your internship goals.
Major |
Internship Coordinator |
|
|---|---|---|
| Advertising | Evan Bailey | ebailey@kent.edu |
| Communication Studies (Kent Campus) | Aaron Bacue Maguire | abacue@kent.edu |
| Communication Studies (Stark Campus) | Lisa Waite | lawaite@kent.edu |
| Digital Media Production | Jacqueline Marino and Becky Rolnick | jmarino7@kent.edu and rrolnick@kent.edu |
| Emerging Media and Technology | Adam Stephens | astephe9@kent.edu |
| Journalism | John Kroll | jkroll3@kent.edu |
| Public Relations | Stefanie Moore | smoore1@kent.edu |
| Photography | Check in during the VCD 40182 Internship Prep Course | |
| Visual Communication Design | Check in during the VCD 40182 Internship Prep Course | |
You must have completed the previous steps before finding an internship!
Step 3: Start looking for an internship.
Recommended Timeframe: 2 – 3 semesters before your graduation semester
You need to find an internship before filling out the application form to register for the internship course. Internships can be paid or unpaid. Here are some resources to begin your search:
- Talk with you Internship Coordinator about your career goals and what kind of internship you're interested in finding.
- Browse Handshake. Many employers list their internship opportunities on Kent State's student job board.
- Explore CCI's Internship & Job Search webpage to help filter Handshake opportunities by major and position type
- Watch your email for opportunities sent to students by the CCI office, faculty and Career Community newsletters
- Make an appointment with Kent State's Career Exploration & Development. They can help you prepare your resume and identify internship opportunities.
- Attend a job or career fair (various times throughout the year). Watch your email and Handshake for opportunities!
- Connect with CCI's Professional Development Project Coordinator, Caitlin Guenther for additional assistance.
Step 4: Complete the internship application.
Recommended Timeframe: After you find your internship.
You must apply and be approved for the internship course before your internship begins and before the start date of the internship course.
You must complete the steps above and have your internship approved by the appropriate Internship Coordinator. Complete the Internship Application Form below to submit your internship for review.
Step 5: Wait for notification that your internship has been approved or denied.
Recommended Timeframe: At least 2 weeks after you've submitted the application.
If your internship is approved, you will be notified via your KSU email of the next steps regarding registration. The semester in which you complete your internship course will be based on the start and end dates of your internship.
If you internship is denied, you will be notified. If you have already accepted your internship, you'll need to decide if you want to work the internship for no credit or resign from the internship. Not every internship is guaranteed approval.
Step 6: Successfully complete your internship and the course requirements.
Recommended Timeframe: Between the start date and end date of your registered internship course
During the semester you are registered for the internship course, work the necessary hours required for your major. Complete any assignments and evaluations for the internship course and receive your final grade at the end of the semester.
If you have additional questions about the internship process or application, please contact your Internship Coordinator or CCI's Professional Development Project Coordinator, Caitlin Guenther at cguenth2@kent.edu.