Communication 496 – Internship in Communication

Please click here to see when COM 496 is offered during the year.

Instructor/Director: Dr. Vivian M. Williams
Office Location: 357 Baldy Hall
Telephone: 716-645-2141 ext. 1187
Email: vmw@buffalo.edu
Course website:  ublearns.buffalo.edu
Office hours: Thursdays, Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 – 9:50 a.m. or by confirmed appointment
Other Resources: COM Internship Database – (access granted for students approved for enrollment);
Career Planning and Placement, 259 Capen Hall;
Princeton Review’s Internship Bible
Internship websites:  Monster.com, Jobweb.org, Careerpath.com, Vaultreports.com

The course is one of the few application classes that you may take in the Communication major that is designed to expand your career knowledge and experience in the specific area of Communication in which you would like to focus.  Because the class is intended to build on the coursework you have already completed, the Internship in Communication course is designed as elective class exclusively for Communication majors who have completed 90 credit hours of academic study and who are in good standing in the Department.  This means that you must have at least a 2.5 average in Communication coupled with at least an overall average of 2.0 at UB.  You also must have permission from the instructor before you  enroll in this class.

This course is designed to accomplish the following:

1. apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired in the various Communication courses in a professional setting,
2. hone your oral and written communication skills,
3. enhance your professional conduct and demeanor,
4. increase the scope of your professional networks, and,
5. enhance your ability to find employment.  Enrollment in the course is by permission of the instructor.

After you have been approved to enroll, you will be given access to the COM Internship Database; the database is intended solely for students enrolled in the class.

The internship program is quite simple and flexible.  It requires you to select an internship supervisor who has at least five years experience in the field to provide professional you with oversight and monitor your work hours throughout the internship. When the contracted hours are complete, you will ask your supervisor to write a letter that evaluates your performance and confirms the number of hours worked. The evaluation should be a frank assessment of your performance and is considered confidential between the Internship Director and the supervisor, but your supervisor may opt to share a copy of the letter with you, if s/he wishes to do so.

Course meeting times are arranged by mutual agreement between you and your internship supervisor.  You are expected to keep a record of the days and hours you have worked as well as the projects that you complete.