The Communication and Media Studies bachelor's degree program includes a mandatory internship. This practical work experience is intended to serve as an orientation to future occupational fields, to facilitate the understanding of the theoretical training content, and to support the deepening of practical knowledge. Information on the duration, type, and process of the internship as well as possible internship fields can be found below.
The internship is an integral part of the B. A. Communication and Media Studies as an internal key qualification. An internship can last eight weeks (10 credit points) or six months (30 credit points). A grade is not awarded for completion of the internship.
To earn 10 credit points, the internship must be completed either for at least 300 hours or approximately eight weeks consecutively (i.e., not part-time/parallel to studying, or in multiple blocks) in a (media) organization or institution. As a rule, it should take place during the lecture-free period.
or the acquisition of 30 credit points, the internship must comprise six months of full-time work. There are eight different internship fields that are assigned to the different branches of the institut
Internships that were completed prior to studying cannot be credited.
Furthermore, there is the possibility to complete an internship abroad.
In order to receive credit for the internship, students must...
- Register the internship in time (Form 1: Internship 8 weeks or 6 months)
- Have the internship organization confirm that the internship has taken place (Form 2: Internship 8 weeks or 6 months)
- Write an internship report, and
- Complete an evaluation interview (only for study program according to exam regulations 2012 or earlier).
Registration
The search for and organization of an internship is done independently and individually. The lists of internship providers offered by the departments of the institute and/or subject-specific criteria for the selection of internships can be considered.
If the internship organization requires a certificate stating that a compulsory internship is planned in the B. A. Communication and Media Studies, students can use the form "Certificate of Compulsory Internship in B.A. Communication and Media Studies for Submission to Possible Internship Organizations" to fill out on their own.
The internship must be described and confirmed by the (media) organization on the Internship F1 form. Form F1 must be submitted in person to the area representative. They will check the suitability and accept the internship with their signature. The form should be submitted in person, since in many cases questions and problems regarding the orientation and contents of the internship can be clarified in advance.
In many areas, the subsequent recognition of F1 is no longer accepted. Similar to the module registration, the internship registration has to be done before the start of the activity.
After the Internship
After the internship has been carried out, the internship F2 form must be submitted together with...
- An internship report and
- An evaluation by the (media) organization.
In the case of a short internship of eight weeks, the internship report should comprise approximately one page and describe the area in which the student was employed (tasks, activities) and the qualifications acquired that are relevant to the student's studies and career. For an internship of more than six months, eight to ten pages are required.
The internship report can be divided into:
- Description of the organization and department
- Description of tasks and activities
- Critical reflection on the activities and processes in the organization
- Overall evaluation from the point of view of the trainee
For the confirmation and evaluation of the internship, a "qualified internship certificate" (work certificate) is required, which describes and evaluates the work of the intern in the (media) organization. A copy of this must be submitted to the responsible area representative.
Evaluation Interview (only exam regulations 2012 or earlier).
Students of the BA program according to older examn regulations (exam regulations 2009, 2012) conduct an evaluation interview on the course, content, and reflection of the internship after consultation with the departmental representative. This generally takes place as a group discussion. To make an appointment, students should contact the relevant representative directly.
Crediting
On the basis of the evidence submitted and, if applicable, the evaluation meeting, the F2 form with the assessment (pass/fail) is forwarded to the exam office and 10 credit points (for the short internship) or 30 credit points (for the long internship) are credited.
Qualifications acquired outside the course of study (in particular training) can be credited towards the internship, provided that they correspond to the specifications of the internship in terms of content and requirements. It is recommended to discuss the prospect of receiving credit in advance with the area representatives. For credit, the above-mentioned documents must be submitted (in particular the Internship F2 form, report, and transcript). It is recommended to justify the request for credit in a short letter (maximum two pages).
Paragraph 4 of section II of the study regulations defines possible internship fields. The internship fields can be supervised/covered by different areas of the institute:
- Media and opinion/social research
Companies and institutions using empirical methods, especially institutes and companies in market, opinion, and media research as well as research departments in media companies - Media business/media management, publishing industry
including media agencies, book trade, book publishers and distributors, also in the online sector - Public relations
Fields of activity in public relations and organizational communications, in particular PR departments of companies, associations, PR agencies, press offices in political parties, public sector organizations, in culture, sports, science, the media and other forms of organization; other fields of activity can be assigned to internal communications and advertising - Journalism
Journalistic activities in media editorial offices, news and picture agencies, publishing houses as well as press offices in companies and institutions - Media studies and media culture/online communication
Television and radio stations with differentiated editorial structure; online editorial departments; DVD authoring companies; medium to large film and/or television production companies - Media education
Institutions for active media work with target groups, especially children and teenagers; open and community media; institutions for qualitative media education research; media editorial offices for children and teenagers; media education institutions and editorial offices, youth media protection institutions - Institutions for practical media education
- Libraries, museums, and archives
As a rule, students look for an internship themselves. An overview of advertised internship positions can be found, for example, on the job portal of the University of Leipzig.