Internship
at St. John's University
Overview
The Department of Art and Design considers experiential learning an essential part of its educational program. The ART 4909 Internship program involves the completion of 9 credits. This can be accomplished in the usual Fall or Spring 14-week semester, or in the Summer Sessions, depending on the student’s projected graduation date.
University regulations require that the Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Illustration, or Photography student complete all required studio coursework prior to undertaking the internship. Therefore, the student intern should be a soon-to-graduate senior. (Exceptions, though rare, may be made for students who may be off track for valid academic reasons. Written approval of the Chair must be obtained.)
The internship is by no means automatic. Students seeking consideration for internship must meet with the approval of the faculty of the Department Art and Design. Grade point average, regular portfolio reviews, and other factors are considered before a student may register for the internship program.
The faculty of the Department of Art and Design believes that the internship should encourage learning on many levels.
-
Exposure to “real” projects and situations
-
Development of technical skills
-
Cultivation of organizational and business skills
-
Insights to identify one’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas of significant contribution
-
Clarification of goals and professional growth leading to entry-level career situations
Expectations
General Expectations:
-
The student intern is required to conduct themselves professionally at all times.
-
Students are required to notify the faculty teaching ART 4909 if there is insufficient work for them to complete their hours and/or if they are not meeting with the supervisor and other employees for the required amount of time each week.
-
Dress codes of the sponsoring organization are also expected to be adhered to by the student.
-
The intern will work 16-20 hours per week during the registered semester, and follow the sponsoring organization’s work calendar, not the University’s academic calendar. By the end of the semester they must have worked at least 220 hours.
-
If the student is absent, it is their responsibility to notify both their internship supervisor and their professor.
Remote Work:
-
Remote work is permitted but must be supervised.
-
Interns engaged in remote work are required to meet with supervisors and/or coworkers at least two times per week and communicate using another platform such as Slack.
Class Content:
-
Weekly journal assignments
-
Keep a log of hours worked
-
Assignments related to professional development
-
Update resume and cover letter
-
Update online portfolio
-
Complete 5 job applications per week for 5 weeks
-
Create a 5-minute presentation
Preparing For Internship
-
Clearly define what career goal you want to aim for. Meet with your advisor to discuss the best possibilities for you. Ascertain what you need, then research possible sites that might provide you with the experience that will help you meet your goals. Choose a site that will help you will help you to gain new skills and provide more career possibilities.
-
Call/query to see if the place that you are interested in is in need of interns – if so – find out procedure for applying. (Usually, they will ask you to mail or e-mail your résumé first.)
-
You should start this process at least 3 months before your internship period begins.
-
Follow up one week later with a phone call or e-mail to confirm that they have received your résumé. At this time, ask to make an appointment for an interview and/or portfolio review.
-
Once you have visited a few places, and you have been offered placement, provide your decision to them in a timely manner. You should also notify the places, which you declined when offered placement. Do this via a phone call or e-mail, and follow up with a “thank you” letter.