JMS Internships

As you progress through the JMS major, we strongly recommend you complete an internship. JMS majors intern for major media outlets and niche media in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. For assistance in finding internships and to gain permission to register for an internship, contact JMS Director of Undergraduate Studies Steven Miller.

To qualify for either Internship in Journalism and Media Studies – 3 credits: 04:567:393 or Journalism and Media Studies – 6 credits: 04:567:394, you must be a junior or senior JMS major and have:

• Obtained permission of instructor
• Completed a minimum of 75 overall credits and five journalism (567) courses
• Completed 04:567:200 Writing For Media
• Completed at least one foundation course
• Earned a minimum 2.75 GPA in the major and a minimum 2.5 overall GPA

You must meet with the internship advisor, JMS Director of Undergraduate Studies Steven Miller, to determine eligibility and gain approval for the internship. Once approved, you may register for the 3- or 6-credit course on a pass/fail basis. You may take either or both internship courses during your undergraduate studies but only one per semester. Please keep in mind that JMS majors are allowed to take a maximum of nine out-of-classroom credits (these include internship, practicum and independent study courses).

JMS internships are supervised field experiences at professional media outlets. For the 3-credit internship, you must work a minimum of 15 hours a week during the semester. Due to the pandemic and changing industry, on-site and online internships are eligible to receive credit.  For the 6-credit internship, you must work a minimum of 24 hours during the semester. You must complete a weekly journal and attend several in-class meetings during the semester.

Upon completing an internship, you will be able to:

• Integrate the skills you learned during the internship and adapt them to other professional media environments.
• Share information about the tasks assigned to you by your on-site mentors.
• Describe and relate the experience to your educational goals.

Eligible students will meet individually with the Internship Coordinator to discuss her/his career goals, review their resumes, and develop an application plan. The student will go through the process and apply for placements. Upon receiving an internship offer, the student will notify the Coordinator and register for the correct course. The Coordinator will send two forms to the student: An Information Form which the student will fill out and send back to the Coordinator and a Credit and Information Letter which will be given to the supervisor notifying them about their responsibilities. The supervisor will contact the Coordinator to confirm they understand the terms and they will conform to internship standards established by the National Labor Relations Board.

During the semester, student interns will be required to submit a weekly journal to the Coordinator in which she/he details their activities and interactions at the placement.

Students will also attend three class meetings during the semester and meet periodically on an individual basis with the Coordinator.

The Coordinator, as time permits, will also make on-site visits and meet with students and their supervisors. .

The Department of Journalism and Media Studies makes every effort to make sure out students gain the professional and educational experiences that will give them a leg up on their post-graduation careers. The faculty and staff are dedicated to assisting you reach your career goals and dreams by providing both on-campus networking opportunities and connection to our vast network of alumni. For more information, please contact JMS Director Steven Miller .

Rutgers University and SC&I are also committed to assisting you with making connections between your academic experience and career paths. Check out SC&I’s internship and career resources and career services at SC&I . Locate SC&I job listings via the Rutgers–New Brunswick Handshake platform. For additional information, contact Student Services.