ADV 4940

ADVERTISING PRACTICUM

School of Mass Communications

University of South Florida
Spring, 2007

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Scott Liu, CIS 3089, (813)974-6797, sliu@cas.usf.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Advertising majors are required to complete one supervised internship during their academic
program. It gives students an opportunity to find out what happens in the “real world” of
advertising and marketing communication as well as to explore the possibility of working as
advertising professionals after graduation. It helps students differentiate themselves in the job
market. Employers favor entry-level job candidates with internship experience.

There are a great number of opportunities for interns, here in Tampa Bay as well as all over the
country. Many companies with internal marketing and advertising departments as well as
advertising agencies offer internships. They range from large corporations to small shops. The
level of experience and involvement varies greatly.

COURSE PREREQUISITES

Students are encouraged to obtain an internship at anytime. However, in order to register for
ADV 4940 and receive credit for the course, the following prerequisites must be met:
(1) completion of MMC 2100 Writing for Mass Media, MMC 3602 Mass Comm. and Society, and
ADV 3000 Introduction to Advertising with grade of at least C, and (2) a 3.0 or better mass
comm. GPA.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students are responsible for meeting requirements without reminders. It is the student's
responsibility to be informed. Failure to meet requirements will result in a failing grade for the
course.

A. An Internship Application Form (attached) must be completed by the student, signed

by the employer, and submitted to the course instructor no later than January 22. It is in
the student's best interest to obtain an approved internship prior to the first day of class.

B. The student’s employer must send a signed Letter of Confirmation on company

letterhead to the course instructor no later than January 22. It is the student’s
responsibility to make sure that the employer sends this letter on time. The letter must
state: 1) confirmation of employment; 2) description of job duties; and 3) confirmation a
minimum of 100 hours to be worked during the semester.

C. The student must complete a Written Internship Report and turn it in prior to April 27
in order to pass the course. Late reports will not be accepted for any reason. The report
 must be a minimum of six type written pages (double spaced) and must include the
following subheadings:

o Cover Sheet: Student's name and student number; name of company; dates of
employment. (Cover sheet does not count as one of the six pages.)
o Description of Firm: Background, history, staff, facilities, and organizational
structure.
o Description of Work: Describe your work experiences and give examples of a
typical day/week.
o Evaluation of the Internship: Practical value of knowledge and experience,
academic value in relation to course work, appropriateness of this internship for
future students. It is important to be honest. If this was an inappropriate
internship we want to know (confidentiality is assured, and your grade will not be
affected).
o Suggestions for Improving the Internship: Ideas you have for making your
internship position—or the internship course—a more valuable experience.
o Appendix: Examples of work you did while serving as an intern, i.e., ads,
memos, media schedules, etc. (Three or more pages of appendix items may
substitute for one written page of text in the paper.)

D. The student’s employer must send a signed Evaluation Letter on company letterhead
to the course instructor prior to April 27. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure
that the employer sends this letter of evaluation on time. The letter must state: 1)
confirmation of completion of a minimum of 100 hours of work; and 2) an evaluation of
the student’s performance as an intern. Late letters from the employer will result in a
grade of I (Incomplete). Being fired from an internship position or receiving a poor
evaluation could result in a failing grade.

OBTAINING AN INTERNSHIP

It is the student’s responsibility to obtain an internship in the advertising field. The position must
be approved in advance by the course instructor in order to qualify as an internship. Only those
positions that are posted in the bulletin board in the department office are pre-approved.
Beware of the “intern ads” you see posted elsewhere as they may not be approved as
advertising internships.

SUGGESTED DUTIES FOR THE ADVERTISING INTERN

Specific duties will vary among individual students and with the size of the firm. A student might
be involved in a wide variety of activities at the firm in order to receive experience in all
departments, activities, etc. Many firms rotate interns on a regular schedule from one
department to another, and this is perhaps the ideal situation. In larger companies, the student
might be assigned to one specific job or department and spend the entire internship working on
the same type of assignment. This could include agency copywriters, analyzing data for a
client, or a variety of other functions.

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COMPENSATION FOR THE INTERNSHIP

Students are encouraged to seek positions that compensate their time and services to the firm.
However, students need to be aware that they are vulnerable to termination during the semester
when they accept a paid internship, and that this could result in a failing grade for the internship
course. Many internships are made available in the advertising area because firms often need
temporary or part-time help while their permanent employees are on leave. Therefore, it is often
not possible for a firm to compensate interns. However, students are encouraged to consider
both the amount of compensation as well as the opportunity for experience being offered by a
firm when accepting an internship.

TIPS ON BEING A SUCCESSFUL INTERN

BE A GOOD EMPLOYEE—whether or not you are getting paid. Do what is expected of you
such as arriving on time, following through with instructions, paying attention to details, dressing
neatly, etc. Remember that a successful performance may result in an excellent
recommendation after graduation.

ATTEND REGULARLY—do not call in sick unless you are really sick. Do not ask for time off to
complete other school assignments. In other words, organize your time wisely.

VOLUNTEER—for assignments or for extra work to increase your experience. Ask to sit in on
meetings whenever possible.

ASK QUESTIONS—and learn as much as you can. Listen, be observant, and pay attention to
the suggestions of your supervisor—even when you disagree.

SET GOALS—at the beginning of the semester for your work experience with your supervisor.
Make sure that your supervisor helps you achieve your goals throughout the internship.

REMEMBER—that your employer will evaluate your work and, therefore participate in assigning
your final grade. Do what is expected of you and be a good intern. You are representing both
the current and future students of The School of Mass Communications at USF. And,
remember that you will need a good work reference in the advertising field when you are
applying for a job after graduation.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

Internship Application Form (by student) January 22

Letter of Confirmation (by employer) January 22
Written Internship Report (by student) April 27
Evaluation Letter (by employer) April 27

Dr. Liu’s mailing address: 4202 E. Fowler Ave., CIS 1040

School of Mass Communications
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL 33620

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ADV 4940 Internship Application Form
Semester: ___ Spring ___ Fall ___ Summer Year: __ 2007 __ 2008

STUDENT INFORMATION (Please print or type)

Name __________________________________________ SS# ________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________

Telephone ___________________________ Email ________________________________

Have you completed the following courses: (Yes or No)

MMC 2100 __________ MMC 3602 ___________ ADV 3000 ___________

INTERNSHIP INFORMATION (Please print or type)

Firm Name _________________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________

Telephone _____________________________ Email ______________________________

Supervisor’s Name and Title __________________________________________________

Dates of Employment: Starting Date _______________ Ending Date _________________

Average Number of Hours Per Week _____________________ Pay __________________

JOB DESCRIPTION (Please print or type, attached extra sheets if necessary)

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

APPROVALS

Signature of Student _______________________________________ Date _________

Signature of Employer _____________________________________ Date _________

Signature of Instructor _____________________________________ Date _________