The School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts offers both theoretical and applied courses in electronic media production, performance, advertising, programming, sales, promotion, management, electronic journalism, and film criticism.

Internships

  
Internship Application Form
Professional Evaluation of Student Intern
Internship Paper and Log Directions

INTERNSHIP GUIDELINES

Objectives

1. To fully involve advance BCA students in the procedures and environment of broadcasting or related industries.
2. To provide students with the opportunity to refine talents and skills in a professional situation.
3. To integrate full or half-time work experience with the final semester of academic involvement.

Eligibility

1. Junior or senior status at Central Michigan University.
2. Signed BCA major or minor.
3. Grade point average of at least 2.50.
4. School approval. Applicants are carefully reviewed to determine whether the student has satisfactorily completed appropriate course work and participated in relevant co curricular activities. Attitude, ability to work well with others, and interpersonal skills are also considered. Department approval consists of a positive determination by the Internship Director and a nomination statement signed by two BCA faculty members.

Credit Hours

Two (2) credit hours: Minimum of 10-12 hours per week for at least 15 consecutive weeks or part-time during weekends throughout the school year. (At least 175 hours work experience).
Three (3) credit hours: Minimum of a 20 hours week for 15 consecutive weeks. (At least 300 hours work experience).
Four (4) credit hours: Minimum of 25-30 hours per week for at least 15 consecutive weeks. (At least 400 hours work experience).
Five (5) credit hours: Minimum of 30-35 hours per week for at least 15 weeks. (At least 500 hours work experience).
Six (6) credit hours: Minimum of a 40 hours week for at least 15 weeks. (At least 600 hours work experience).
NOTE: Only 6 hours of intern credit may count toward a major and only 3 hours count toward a minor. BCA 529 does not satisfy the requirement that at least 6 elective hours in the major must be chose form 400-500 level courses.

Procedures

1. Students must first file an application in the BCA office. This must be completed no later than the last two weeks of the term preceding the period of the internship. Normally the department will act on whether to approve the application within two weeks. The application must be accompanied by a transcript and a completed faculty nomination form.

2. The School of BCA maintains a file of materials from radio and television stations or related organizations interested in hosting interns. Students whose applications have been approved by the department are invited to peruse this file and to directly contact stations regarding an internship. If a satisfactory arrangement is reached, the professional supervisor at the station should complete and sign the appropriate section of the internship application. After this is delivered to the BCA office, the student should initiate registration for BCA 529 in Moore Hall 340.

3. Some students have already established contacts with stations which are interested in having an intern. In this case, the student should file an application with the School of BCA and after approval, ask the station supervisor to complete, sign, and return the appropriate section of the application. The student should then begin registration in the BCA office.

4. Some students may wish to file a general application which the school will attempt to match with media agencies seeking intern. Theses will be kept in the BCA Internship Supervisor's office, along with the student's resume. If the school is asked to provide credentials for potential interns, we will forward the names and materials of qualified students whose experience and interests seem appropriate for the positions.

Evaluation

Upon completion of the internship, the student will be assigned a letter grade. Approximately 80% of the grade is based on the evaluations submitted by the station supervisor. The remaining 20% is based on the monthly narrative logs and the final intern report, which are due in the BCA office during the last week of the internship. Suggested formats of the logs and final report are available in Moore Hall 340. If the internship extends past the point when grades are due in the Registrar's Office, an incomplete grade will be assigned. If the internship takes place during the last semester of the senior year, the final report and logs must be submitted not later then two weeks before the end of the internship semester.

Compensation

Some stations pay intern and others do not. The matter if compensation is to be negotiated between the station and the student. This is not related to the amount of credit or the grade for the internship.

Registration

Because an internship in intended to be the result of a carefully pre-planned experience, no inter credit can be earned in advance of a department-approved application. Not that registration for the internship must be initiated in the BCA office. As is the case for other types of credit, payment is made through the Registrar's Office.

Although the School of BCA adheres strictly to the minimum requirements for internship credit, there is not assumption that every student fulfilling the minimum requirements will be approved for an internship. Our goal is to fill each internship with the most qualified students who will derive the greatest benefit from the specific available position and who will positively represent the School of BCA.

A copy of the
Central Michigan University/School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts Internship Guidelines
is also available in the BCA office, Moore Hall 340.

For more information concerning internships, contact
BCA Internship Director Jeff Smith , Moore Hall 307, (989) 774-1137