While most of your work for COM 399 is done outside the university setting, this is a college course for which you are receiving academic credit. As such, you are expected to view your experiences as they relate to communication concepts, ideas and theories. You are communication majors and the courses you have taken up to this point should influence your observations. Your emails and final paper should reflect this assimilation of “classroom knowledge” and “real world experience.”
Begin by reviewing all internship information on this site. This includes all links and documents. A good place to start is to visit the Internships landing page.
Click here to complete the COM 399 internship request form.
The only way to become a student of COM 399 is to meet eligibility requirements, apply, be accepted and have the department enroll you in the course. You are not able to enroll yourself. Once you are accepted, you will be given access to the other forms and information you need for your internship.
All COM 399-related emails will be sent to your official UK email address so please check it regularly.
Click here to complete the COM 399 learning contract.
For Fall/Spring terms, this contract must be submitted by the Friday of the second week of the semester. For Summer term, this contract must be submitted by the Friday of the first week.
Read the areas carefully and get your supervisor’s help in filling out the “responsibilities” section. In articulating your “goals,” focus on the communication-related aspects of your work and what you hope to accomplish in those areas. Remember this is a communication course. The skills you develop and the knowledge you acquire should be central to the study of human communication.
This is a contract between you, the internship director and your supervisor and is a requirement to pass COM 399. The learning contract must be signed by you and your supervisor. You should scan the signed, completed contract and upload it to the corresponding Canvas assignment. If you are unable to scan it as a PDF you may place a hard copy in the internship director's mailbox. The internship director will sign it and obtain the department chair’s signature. A copy will be kept in your file.
You are obligated to work 50 hours for each credit hour you would like to earn. As an example, if you are taking COM 399 for three credits, you will work 150 hours over the term. If this is the case, plan to work about 10-15 hours a week at your internship.
Plan to keep track of your hours and be able to account for the schedule you have kept over the term.
Your hours may vary a bit - that’s between you and your supervisor - as long as you complete the total hours during the term.
You are required to meet, face-to-face, with Don Lowe, internship director, up to three times.
One of the meetings will come before the beginning of the term in which you are taking COM 399. At this meeting, you will discuss your interests and internship opportunities.
The second meeting will be a one-hour kick-off meeting at the beginning of the semester.
The final meeting is a “networking” event consisting of lunch or dinner with your fellow interns. The internship director will give you the date via a Canvas announcement each semester.
NOTE: There will not be a networking meeting for Summer term COM 399 students as many students are working outside of Lexington.
Click here for more information about the mandatory internship assignments.