When are internships offered?
Internships are offered every Fall, Spring and Summer semesters (NOT offered Winter Session).

Who is allowed into the internship program?
Only those students that are officially classified as upper level (juniors and seniors) are allowed to register for an internship.

What are the prerequisites for the course?
Prerequisites include appropriate performance, production and writing courses. Qualification is subject to the internship director's approval.

When should students begin their internship process?
Students interested in participating in the internship program are urged to consult with the Internship Director at least one semester in advance so there will be ample time to secure a good assignment. Students will still be allowed to add the course when the semester begins (even without prior consultation) but only by the approval of the instructor. Finding an internship can sometimes take several weeks. This is why it is best to begin your search for a placement the semester before you plan to do the internship.

How is the internship assignment determined?
In most instances, the Department does not place a particular student in a specific internship. Instead students are encouraged to make their own arrangements with participating organizations. This provides the student with valuable job-seeking experience. However, we do try and “connect” students to specific internships that meet their skill levels and interests. Students may also come into the program with an internship they have in mind; this is fine but it is important that the organization understand the rules and purpose of our internship. The internship is not cheap labor for private companies. The experience must be well rounded and replete with evaluations.

What is required of the participating organization?
San Jose State University requires all internship sites to complete a TRFT Department Contract and SJSU Placement Agreement. The department contract (one page) is to establish the student assignment with the site. The University Placement agreement is kept on file for two years and establishes a formal relationship between SJSU and the outside internship organization.This latter agreement stipulates that all internship sites are required to provide proof of liability insurance before any student can begin working.

After the site-university relationship is legally established (paperwork is completed), the site is responsible for three simple simple tasks:

1. Provide relevant work experience for the students;
2. Supervise their work at the internship site;
3. Evaluate the students upon completion of the internship. This can be done by letter or by a form provided by the Department.

Are interns paid for their work?
Our department encourages (but does not require) businesses to compensate interns for their services (in addition to the academic credit received). Thus, some internships are paid; others are not. This is a matter to be worked out between the individuals involved. We have more students than ever advancing to the internship stage and, therefore, many more sites are needed. The competition does create an additional incentive for organizations to provide compensation (or an educational stipend) because, of course, paid internships are snapped-up the quickest.

What is required of the students?
Please note: Students are responsible for their own internship and all assignments must be approved by the faculty internship director.Once the internship has been approved, University and Department contacts are taken to the location for a signatures by the site supervisor. The program requires each student to complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised work for the participating organization. Students who wish to do so may make arrangements with their sites to continue their internships beyond the 100-hour minimum requirement. In addition, the following requirements must be fulfilled in order to receive (RTVF or TA 198) credit (3 units):

1. RESUME: Initially, students prepare a brief resume to present to the Internship Director and (later) the potential placement (if required).
2. CONTRACT: Upon completion of the resume, students contact their placement, make an appointment and go for an interview. If accepted by the placement, the intern and the site supervisor agree on duties and a work schedule (8-10 hours per week) on the contract form. This contract is then submitted to the Internship Director who will sign it and provide copies to the intern and site supervisor.
3. BACKGROUND RESEARCH REPORT: Next, students do research on their potential placement and prepare a one-page report which provides basic background on the organization.
4. RESEARCH DESIGN: You get more out of an internship when you clarify what it is you want to learn. Once students have established their internship, a preliminary version of learning objectives are drafted on the internship contract agreement and a research design is established as a plan to accomplish these objectives. Minimally, the research design should set forth some questions to be asked and some means of answering them.
5. LEARNING JOURNAL: Interns should record their activities in a journal, work file or detailed daily calendar. The weekly journal entry should not be a description of "what I did today." Rather, it is a record of what you are learning.
6. MONTHLY CONSULTATIONS: Interns must meet with (in person or by email) the Internship Director once each month (three times during the semester) to monitor progress, discuss journal entries, share experiences and ideas and get feedback that enhances their on-site learning.
7. FINAL END-OF-SEMESTER PAPER: This paper should review, analyze and criticize the field work experience. Normally, a copy is prepared and sent to the placement.
8. SITE SUPERVISOR'S EVALUATION: At the end of the semester, the site-supervisor must provide a performance evaluation and confirmation of hours completed by the intern. The supervisor may simply write a letter or the department can provide a form to assist the supervisor with the evaluation.
9. THANK-YOU LETTER TO THE SITE SUPERVISOR: This demonstrates professional courtesy and shows participating agencies that we appreciate the opportunities they present to us. A copy of the letter must be submitted to the Internship Director. More complete and detailed requirements are provided in the course greensheet.

How is the student’s work schedule determined? How many hours of work are required by the program?
The program requires each student to complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised work for the participating organization. Students who wish to do so may make arrangements with their sites to continue their internships beyond the 100-hour minimum requirement. Scheduling of the 100 hours is left to the student and the participating organization. Most students are enrolled in classes while interning, and individual schedules vary considerably. Spread over an entire semester, the 100 hours breaks down to about 8 to 10 hours per week.

How is the grade determined?
According to university policy, grading is credit/no credit. Credit is awarded only on completion of all (every one) of the requirements for the course including attendance of consultations, resume, background research on the placement, contract, research design, weekly journal entries, consultations with the director, final paper, placement's evaluation, and thank-you letter from the student to the placement. No late reports will be accepted without prior arrangment.

Can a student do an internship without taking either the TA or RTVF 198 courses?
It is University and TRFT Departmental policy in addition to most labor union regulations and corporate policy that students must be enrolled in RTVF 198 or TA 198 in order to do an internship with any organization. Any work done by a student with a company without being enrolled in the Internship course will be considered unauthorized and no retroactive credit will be given. Simply put: Students must be enrolled in the internship course WHILE they are doing the internship. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Can internships be repeated for credit?
Internships may be repeated for credit but typically not at the same location and only by approval.