Internships
Current Students
Communication and Media Sciences students earn academic credit and add a significant real-world component to their studies through internships. An internship is an opportunity to integrate career related experience into an undergraduate education by participating in planned, supervised work placements. Students earn three (3) credits for an internship in their final year and gaining valuable experience in their specialty by working with seasoned professionals.
The internship:
- Contributes to the student’s personal and professional development through challenging work assignments.
- Is completed before the student graduates from the university.
- Is planned and scheduled through consultation with the department or college so as to fit into the undergraduate experience.
- Involves a supervision component that is mentoring and educational.
- Includes career related experiences that complement what is learned in the classroom.
- Will have a reflection and evaluation process at the conclusion of the internship.
- Builds upon the relationship the College has with employers.
- Is most successful when the student, the college, and the employer all share responsibility in making it a valuable experience.
College students spend a full semester on site and submit weekly reports, which are followed by completion of a presentation for other students and faculty. All internships require the approval of the college.
Student interns are responsible for choosing three internship sites and completing a parental permission form as documented in the ZU Internship Brochure. They must submit a professional CV and prepare for potential interviews, as many sites require interviews. All students also must complete post-internship reflection and presentations.
The College has a designated Internship Coordinator (IC) on each campus, an Internship Officer who assists both Coordinators, as well as faculty who serve as Internship Supervisors (IS) for each student. The IC meets with students prior to their internship to orient them with internship expectations, assist them in finding internship sites and understanding the course requirements.
CCMS Internship Structure
- Pre-internship Phase: Orientation and Workshops on campus
- On-site Work: Supervised work
- Reflective Phase: Post-internship final Presentation and career orientation.
CCMS Internship Assessment
- Onsite Visits by College Supervisors Weekly Reports (Journals)
- Mid-internship Supervisor Evaluation
- Final Employer Evaluation
- Final Poster Presentation
CCMS Internship Sites
Internship sites include top media organizations as well as key public organizations that have media, public relations and/or advertizing departments and units.
The Dubai sites have included the Arabian Radio Network, DEWA, DNATA, Dubai Press Club, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Dubai Police, du telecommunications, Dubai TV, Dubai World Trade Center, Emirates Group, Etisalat, Fortune Promoseven, Leo Burnett Agency, Reuters, RTA, Ajman TV, UAQ FM and others.
The Abu Dhabi sites have included Edelman, Weber&Shandwick, Brunswick, Phoenix Advertising, Emirates Media, Emirates News Agency, the Cultural Foundation, ADCO, Al Mawadda Magazine, The Masdar Institute, the National Newspaper, Tourism Development and Investment Company, UNDP, the Women's Union, the Red Crescent Society, CNN, Mubadala, ADNEC, TCA, Abu Dhabi Media, National Geographic, Al Ittihad Newspaper, ImageNation, TwoFour54, and Department of Foreign Affairs.
An internship is an important part of the educational experience at CCMS, as well as a primary step of career preparation. The CCMS Internship program is designed to provide necessary professional experience, networking, and confidence needed to begin a career. CCMS runs a comprehensive and elaborate Internship program with approved policies and procedures to provide a meaningful work experience to its graduating students.
Posters are created by student-interns at the end of their internship to showcase their experience at their respective placements. Posters are assignments required for the completion of the internship course. An Internship Poster Fair is organized on each campus at the end of each internship course to provide an opportunity to students to display their work and discuss their experiences with CCMS faculty.
The Internship class, Com 490 is a supervised professional work experience in a media organization or in the media department of an appropriate organization in a field that is similar to a student’s concentration.