Internships
Internship Requirement (Libs 499)
The Libs 499 Internship Requirement
The Libs 499 internship is a communications-related activity that is required to finish your degree in communications studies. The majority of our students say that their internships have led them to jobs or to the next step in their career path, and it just may be one of the most important classes you take while at Sonoma State.
Internship Procedures
a) Secure an internship
b) Complete the Internship Learning Contract and Waiver (detailed instructions below) Contract and Waiver can be found on the forms tab of this website
Instructions on completing the Internship Learning Contract and Waiver
Click on the form, download the form and begin completing. DO NOT CHANGE ANY OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS PRE-FILLED. Once done, be sure to SAVE the completed form.
- Section I: Student Information
Fill in your Name and SSU student ID#
- Section II: Course Information
Semester/Year: Choose from the drop-down which semester you will be completing your internship.
Planned Number of Units: Choose from the drop-down the number of units you will be completing for your internship. Example: 1 unit is 45 hours, 2 units is 90 hours, 3 units is 135 hours and 4 units is 180 hours. IF YOU ARE DOING MORE THAN 4 UNITS, PLEASE COMPLETE 2 FORMS.
Internship Start/End Date: Please put when you will be starting and ending internship. These dates need to be within semester you are completing your internship.
List primary responsibilities at the Learning Site: In consultation with your Internship Provider/Learning Site Supervisor, list 4-5 responsibilities you will have at your internship.
- Section III: Internship Learning Outcomes and Oversight
This section has been completed by the Faculty Instructor of Record/Internship Coordinator, Hillary Homzie.
- Section IV: Student Agreement
In the first box, insert the number of hours a week you will be completing at your internship. The second box will include the total number of hours you will complete in the semester. Choose from the drop-down. Reminder: 1 unit is 45 hours, 2 units is 90 hours, 3 units is 135 hours and 4 units is 180 hours. In the third box, choose from the drop-down which semester you will be completing your internship.
Print your name
Date the contract
Sign the contract (this needs to be an electronic signature or a hard signature)
- Section V: Learning Site Information
To be completed by your Internship Provider/Learning Site Supervisor
- Section VI: Approval
Internship Provider/Learning Site Supervisor must:
Print their name
Date the contract
Sign the contract (this needs to be an electronic signature or a hard signature)
Please note: You DO NOT need to get the signatures for the Faculty Instructor of Record, Chair and Dean. The COMS department will route the form to get those signatures.
- Waiver of Liability, Promise not to Sue, Assumption of Risk and Agreement to Pay Claims
Activity: Libs Internship
Activity Dates and Times: Please put the dates you will be starting and ending internship.
Activity Location: Please list the address for your learning site/internship.
Print your name
Date the waiver
Sign the waiver (this needs to be an electronic signature or a hard signature)
c) IMPORTANT Final Steps:
Once you have the competed and SAVED the Internship Learning Contract and the Waiver, email the Internship Coordinator/Faculty Instructor of Record, Hillary Homzie at homzie@sonoma.edu Upon approval, she will email you to request that you upload the documents to a Canvas Prep site. Once approved of the internship, you will be registered in the course.
Please note that these steps will take up to 2-3 weeks.
Internship Criteria
In order to qualify as an internship, your work needs to not just be supervised but you need to experience supervised intellectual and skills growth.
To ensure that an internship is educational, and thus eligible to be considered a legitimate internship, Sonoma State University Arts & Humanities Internship program follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) criteria for a quality internship:
- The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform. (This means work that is clerical in nature or involves routine maintenance or service responsibilities does not qualify for academic work).
- The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
- The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
- There are clearly defined learning objectives and goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework. In other words, the student will experience significant intellectual and skills growth as a result of the internship.
- There is supervision by a professional with expertise and an educational or professional background in the field of the experience.
- There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.
- There are resources, equipment and facilities provided by the host employer that support the learning objectives and goals.
In addition, internships cannot be:
- located in someone’s residence (home office or on someone’s home property). However, you might be able to work remotely with someone working in a professional capacity from their home residence due to COVID-19. However, students are never to visit the residence of their internship supervisor or other employees.
- In a family-owned business or in an organization where a family member is supervising you or is in a position of authority over you
- In an organization where you have previously volunteered, interned, or worked (although exceptions can be made)
- service sector positions don’t qualify as an internship. However, if you are working in management for the service sector, event planning or communications then, yes, you may potentially use the experience as an internship.
If you have further questions, contact Hillary Homzie, the internship coordinator in the School of Arts and Humanities.
Hillary Homzie
Faculty, Communications
Coordinator, Internships
Arts & Humanities
Sonoma State University
Carson 51