Mass Communications Work Experiences
The School of Mass Communications is headquartered in the center of Florida’s largest media market. The Tampa Bay metropolitan area of more than two million inhabitants is served by 14 television stations, 60 radio stations, seven daily newspapers, 70 non-daily newspapers, 50 magazines and dozens of advertising and public relations firms. The school has cooperative agreements with many of these organizations.
The school offers undergraduate academic credit for two kinds of approved media employment experiences.
The most common work program is the practicum, which is open to juniors or seniors who have the appropriate preparation in advertising, journalism, public relations and telecommunications. The practicum student works at least eight hours a week for the semester. Hours are arranged to suit the student’s class schedule and the needs of the organization. The student receives one hour of academic credit for successful completion of the practicum. Payment for practicum duties is optional.
An internship program also is available. The intern must complete a semester-long full-time paid work experience in an approved media-related position. Interns receive three hours of credit. A student may not receive credit for both a practicum and an internship because of national accrediting guidelines. A list of national and regional internship opportunities is available from the school undergraduate program assistant’s office in room 3082 of the Communication and Information Sciences Building on the Tampa campus.
For more information about specific practicum and internship experiences, students should review the catalog prerequisites for practicum and internship courses and then contact the faculty member as appropriate to their area of interest:
| Area |
Faculty Member |
Telephone |
| Advertising: |
Scott Liu: |
813-974-6797 |
| Journalism: |
|
|
| Newspaper: |
Randy Miller: |
813-974-6791 |
| Magazine: |
Rick Wilber: |
813-974-6792 |
| Public Relations: |
Kelly Werder: |
813-974-6790 |
| Telecommunications: |
Marie Curkan-Flanagan: |
813-974-6789 |
A cooperative education experience also is available. A cooperative education student may work half time during a semester under the direction of a professional whose organization has agreed with the USF Cooperative Education Program to sponsor this paid training experience. The program also includes an alternating work plan. Under the alternating plan, students are permitted to alternate full time semesters of work with full time semesters of study. No academic credit is given. Both undergraduate and graduate students participate in the Cooperative Education Program. Students are eligible to participate at the completion of their sophomore year. After attending an orientation, the student can then submit an application to participate. This needs to be accomplished one semester prior to the training assignment. An appointment is then scheduled with the Cooperative Education adviser who arranges interviews with prospective employers.
Practicum, internship and cooperative education opportunities are posted on the school’s bulletin board in the undergraduate program assistant’s waiting area on the Tampa campus.
Part-time employment opportunities in the communication industries are available in addition to practicum, internship and cooperative education experiences. These part-time jobs, which usually do not qualify for academic credit, also are posted on the school’s bulletin board.
Full-time employment opportunities in the communication industries also are posted on the school’s bulletin board. In addition, the school maintains an electronic placement directory of Florida media organizations as a service to graduating seniors and alumni. Select the school Florida Media Work Site at this link to access hundreds of current job listings in the state.