ADVRT / JL MC / P R 4990A is a three-credit, 300-hour internship in advertising, journalism and mass communication or public relations required for all majors in the Greenlee School. It is different than many other courses in that learning takes place in a professional media environment instead of the traditional classroom. 4990A allows students to gain professional media experience while being mentored and evaluated by both media professionals and your faculty adviser. It is available only to Greenlee majors and offered on a satisfactory-fail basis.
Prerequisites for 4990A
To enroll in 4990A, you must have fulfilled the following requirements:
- Passed JL MC 1100 and successfully completed JL MC 2010 with a C+ or better
- Classified as a junior or senior
- ADVRT majors: successfully completed ADVRT 3010 with a C+ or better
- JL MC majors: successfully completed JL MC 3020 or JL MC 3030 with a C+ or better
- P R majors: passed P R 3010 and successfully completed P R 3210 with a C+ or better
4990A Canvas Page
You will receive in invitation to join the 4990A Canvas page your first semester as a Greenlee student. This Canvas page (a) offers helpful resources for finding an internship, (b) is where you will document your progress toward securing an approved internship, (c) is where you will submit your assignments during your internship and (d) is where you receive your final grade from your faculty mentor at the completion of your internship. You will have access to the 499A canvas page before you start to seek an internship and before you are officially registered for the 4990A class, so visit the page early and often to help you prepare.
4990A Syllabus
The 4990A Internship Syllabus Packet is essential reading for all Greenlee students as they prepare for their 4990A internships. If you have any questions about the process, we recommend you first consult the syllabus packet. In it, you will find additional information about 4990A, including:
- syllabus (faculty mentor, course description, learning objectives, grades, disability accommodations, academic misconduct)
- pre-4990A checklist
- internship supervisor discussion checklist
- 4990A professional media internship checklist
- how to find a 4990A internship
- how to get internship approval and enroll in 4990A (step-by-step instructions)
- financial aid and scholarships
- assignments (mid and final evaluations, the portfolio and final paper, exit interview)
Download the 4990A Internship Syllabus Packet
Allowable 4990A Internships
Internships must meet the following criteria to be considered for your 4990A:
- A minimum of 300 hours of work
- Duties related to advertising, journalism and mass communication or public relations
- A professional supervisor who:
- has an education and/or significant professional experience in journalism and communication, advertising or public relations or a closely related field
- works on site with you and is an employee of the organization where you are interning
- is not related to you
- A professional workplace. (You cannot work for a student organization, or be supervised by a fellow student, or be supervised by a relative). In office or mostly in-office internships are the most likely to be approved, however substantive remote internships will be considered acceptable.
- Necessary resources and equipment for you to complete the internship (work space, equipment, software, etc.). You cannot check out Greenlee School equipment for your 4990A.
- An opportunity for you to build a professional portfolio.
Note: You cannot use your ADVRT/JL MC/P R 4990A internship to obtain academic credit from any other department at Iowa State University.
Preparing for your internship
Preparing for your internship should begin the moment you step on campus. The Greenlee School provides a number of internship resources to help, but you are responsible for finding your 4990A internship. Here are some steps you can take now to help you land your internship:
- Use your four-year plan to make sure you are on track to complete 499A prerequisites.
- Collect work samples from courses, student media, clubs and organizations. Search for work opportunities that could contribute to your portfolio.
- Attend workshops to prepare for your internship and Greenlee School events and internship fairs and career fairs to network with alumni and professionals.
- Begin research on 4990A internship interests including:
- What type of professional experience do you want to have?
- When do you want to complete your internship?
- Where do you want to work? Think of specifics (location of internship, living arrangements and cost), and look for contacts within organizations. Keep track of companies you’re interested in, including contact information, a list of required application materials and application deadlines for each organization.
- Meet with your faculty mentor to discuss 4990 opportunities.
Questions?
Email the Greenlee School via greenlee-internships@iastate.edu or call (515) 294-4342.