Internships provide resume-building, hands-on experience and put students in an environment where they can apply their classroom training.  By working as an intern in Los Angeles, students gain a deeper understanding of how the West Coast communications and entertainment industry functions. Additionally, students start to build their professional networks which are invaluable when seeking employment after graduation. ICLA offers continual guidance and resources to students as they seek out, apply to, and are accepted into internships. 

Work Requirements

Fall and spring semesters

Students attending the Los Angeles Program in the fall and spring semesters must register for a 6, 7, or 8 credit internship.  Students are required to work for 45 hours at their internships during the semester for each registered credit. Work can be done at one, two, or more internship sites. 

  • 6-credit internship = 270 working hours
  • 7-credit internship = 315 working hours
  • 8-credit internship = 360 working hours

 Summer semester

Summer students have the option of registering for 3, 4 or 5 credits.  For each credit hour, students must work 45 hours over the course of the summer.

  • 3-credit internship = 135 working hours
  • 4-credit internship = 180 working hours
  • 5-credit internship = 225 working hours

All internship classes are graded on a pass/fail basis.

Advisors

Each student will be assigned to a faculty member who will assist him/her with their internship search and serve as his/her advisor throughout the semester. Students meet with their advisor periodically to discuss their progress. Advisors are readily available to help students with any issues or concerns that might arise at their internship.

Internship Listings

Many companies reach out directly to ICLA to promote their internship opportunities. Click on the "Internship Listings" menu option to access this list. Feedback and referrals from prior interns are available at the Pendleton Center. Students are requested to email any changes they are aware of, such as new contact names or new site phone numbers, to laprogram@ithaca.edu.

Credit Verification Request

Many internship sites request that you submit a letter stating that you are a student receiving college credit. We can easily provide this letter. All you need to do is submit the information to us, found on this page: https://ithacaedu.formstack.com/forms/credit_verification_request

INTERNSHIP REGISTRATION FORM

To receive credit for your internship, you must register it during your first week of work. Information you will need:

  • Your ICLA advisor's name and email address
  • Your internship supervisor's name, email address, and phone number
  • Your internship's street address if you are working in-person or hybrid
  • Your weekly schedule (this can be a best guess, and could change during the semester...you won't need to resubmit the form if your hours or schedule changes)

Once you submit your form, it will come back to you to sign electronically, then move to your supervisor to sign electronically, and then to your ICLA advisor to sign electronically. Once all signatures are obtained, you, your supervisor, and ICLA will receive a completed copy. 

Register your internship at this link: https://ithacaedu.formstack.com/forms/los_angeles_program_internship_registration_form

Additional Internship Resources on the Web

Click on the "Internship / Career Sites" in the menu for an extensive list of online resources for internship postings all over the internet. 

Sexual Harassment Prevention Worshop

All ICLA students must complete an online sexual harassment training workshop prior to beginning their internships. The purpose of this workshop is twofold.  We seek to educate students about sexual harassment so they will be know what to do if they are confronted with it, and show them ways they can minimize or eliminate behaviors and actions which others could perceive as sexual harassment. You can access the online workshop through the "Sexual Harassment Workshop" menu item to the left.

Participating in a student internship can be an important part of every student's higher education experience. However, most students, both male and female, have no idea what to do when confronted with sexual harassment. Unwanted advancements or sexually explicitly gestures and jokes can be damaging to a student's confidence both during the internship and when seeking employment after graduation. In addition, many students are unaware when their own well-intentioned conduct is viewed as unprofessional and offensive, putting them in jeopardy both academically and professionally. Learn the basics of how to identify and respond to sexual harassment as well as how to avoid engaging in behavior that could be perceived as sexual harassment by others.