FAQ

Why should I intern?

Today's job market is very competitive and with changing technology, it is imperative for even entry-level employees to have experience in order to land a position.

Internships also help you to decide what you really wish to do when you leave La Salle, and help you see how class work connects to work in a professional setting.

 

What are DART461/462?

These are three-credit courses; DART461 is for the first internship and DART462 is for a second one. These are graded courses with requirements as outlined on this syllabus.

 

How do I enroll?

You must be a junior or senior. Students can take internships in the summer entering their junior year.

You must have your supervisor complete the enrollment form (below) and submit it to the internship coordinator. If the form satisfies the requirements, the coordinator will have you enrolled in the course.

Internship candidates should have a GPA of 2.5 in the major and overall.

 

What makes for an acceptable internship?

Generally there are three essentials:

• significant responsibilities related to the field of digital arts
• a supervisor who is able to guide and instruct you in the profession and to evaluate your work
• your skill set matches the position requirements

One thing these mean is that a position that asks you to in effect teach the organization digital art skills is not acceptable, nor is one in which your responsibilities are not career-related (e.g. making coffee).

 

Can I get paid?

Paid internships are acceptable, although you should not make pay the deciding factor. In some institutions, a paid internship is not permitted on the grounds that it shifts the relationship too much from teacher-student to employer-employee.

 

How do I find an internship?

Many students find their own online. La Salle's Career and Employment Services has been successful in placing students recently. Some requests will be e-mailed to students by the coordinator or department chair. The coordinator also can supply a spreadsheet of DArt alumni whose organizations may be placing interns, and we hope to establish on-going positions with some of the alums.

 

What do I need to do for the three credits?

On your part:

• keep a journal, logging hours worked and the type of projects and tasks you're working on (see below)
• meet or talk with the coordinator about 5 times per semester
• complete a final project or report (see below)
  

Dr. John Beatty

beatty@lasalle.edu
215-951-5004

Dr. Susan Dixon

 dixons@lasalle.edu
215-951-1163

Your supervisor needs to complete and sign this form before you can be enrolled in the course.

Meetings will be held about every three weeks, depending on your hours per week. These should be in-person, but can be by phone or, as a last resort, e-mail. You will be contacted by the coordinator. You will need to send a log and a brief report before each meeting (see Journals, below)

You should aim for a total of 120 hours over the semester, meaning e.g. 10 hours per week for 12 weeks, or 8 hours per week for 15 weeks. You are encouraged to start putting in hours before the semester starts, to lessen the end-of-semester pressure.

You are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner during your internship. Your employer has a set of expectations which are expected to be fulfilled, including attendance policies. You are also expected to keep a record of your deadlines and meet them without being reminded. This includes scheduled meetings with the internship coordinator and report due dates.

Before each meeting, you will send the coordinator a brief report of your recent activities. In addition to logging your days and hours worked, and the type of work you have been doing, you can comment on any or all of the following:

1. What connections can I make between my internship and what I have learned in my classes? Does my internship experience contradict or complement my classroom experience? How?
2. How do I feel about what I have accomplished?
3. What observations can I make about the organization? About my supervisor? About the field?
4. Has anything surprised me?
5. How has this experience affected my perceptions about the field and my career path?

These need only be 1-2 pages in length.

Here are some general suggestions and guidelines for developing your project or report.

You may wish to present samples of the work you have produced during your internship in a professional package (for example, a Web site, video or print portfolio). The samples will vary depending on the internship duties. Your presentation should provide a designer's description and explanation for each sample you include— it could also incorporate earlier versions of a project to show your development of an idea. For that reason it's a good idea to keep comps and earlier versions as you proceed.

If your internship doesn't lend itself to compiling a set of sample materials, you may wish to create a document—a written report or multimedia/Web presentation—that offers a more extensive and perhaps critical description of and reflection on your internship experience, including a consideration of the ways in which your internship relates to your coursework in the DArt program.

You need to have your supervisor complete and return to the coordinator a final evaluation form. This is important, as it will account for 40% of the grade.

Standard letter grades apply. Your grade will be calculated from:

• 40% journals and meetings
• 40% supervisor evaluations
• 20% final project or report

Insufficient hours may reduce the final grade.