RTVF Internships

Why are internships required?

The Department of Film, Theatre, and Dance requires students to complete an internship course in order to obtain important job-seeking support, gain valuable industry knowledge, network, and develop skills that will help them achieve their post-graduation goals. Students enrolled in the internship class have the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience while receiving academic credit toward their degree. As you navigate through your academic career, start thinking about places where you would like to intern so you can be prepared for your course requirement. Your internship work must be concurrent with enrollment in the course.

Course Offerings and Objectives

For RTVF, internships are offered every Fall, Spring, and Summer. Our internship courses are designed to help students make practical application of what they have learned in their classes. Most of the coursework is done at the placement site, but research, analysis, and written work also are required to ensure that students make analytical connections between classroom/textbook abstractions and its real-life counterparts. Most importantly, internship students will develop a career portfolio that will provide them with the knowledge and organization needed to be prepared for their industry's job market.

About the Course

Intership FAQs

• When are internships offered?

  • RTVF internships may be completed in the fall, spring, and summer terms.

• Who is allowed to participate in the internship program?

  • To enroll in RTVF 198 students must have upper-division standing (60 or more units completed). In other words, only students that are officially classified as juniors and seniors are allowed to register for an internship course.

• When should students begin their internship process?

  • Students interested in participating in the internship program are urged to consult with the internship director at least one semester in advance so there will be ample time to secure a good assignment. Students may be allowed to add the course when the semester begins (even without prior consultation) but only by the approval of the instructor. Finding an internship sometimes can take several weeks. Thus, students are strongly encouraged to begin searching for a placement the semester prior to the planned internship.

• What is required of the participating organization?

  • San José State University requires all internship sites to complete an internship contract. The department contract (one page) is to establish the student assignment with the site. This agreement stipulates that all internship sites are required to provide proof of liability insurance before any student may begin working. In addition, students must sign a Release of Liability statement.

    After the site-university relationship is legally established (paperwork is completed), the site is responsible for three tasks: provide relevant work experience for the students, supervise their work at the internship site,
 and evaluate the students upon completion of the internship. This can be done by letter or by a form provided by the department.

• Are interns paid for their work?

  • The Department of Film, Theatre and Dance encourages, but does not require, businesses to compensate interns for their services (in addition to the academic credit received). Thus, some internships are paid; others are not. This is a matter to be worked out between the individuals involved. We have increasing numbers of students advancing to the internship stage and, therefore, many more sites are needed. The competition creates an additional incentive for organizations to provide compensation (or an educational stipend) because paid internships are snapped up the quickest.

• What coursework is required for the internship?

  • Visit the About the course page for a detailed list of what is expected of student interns.

• How is the student’s work schedule determined? How many hours of work does the program require?

  • The program requires each student to complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised work for the participating organization. Students who wish to do so may make arrangements with their sites to continue their internships beyond the 100-hour minimum requirement. Scheduling of the 100 hours is left to the student and the participating organization. Most students are enrolled in classes while interning, and individual schedules vary considerably. Spread over an entire semester, the 100 hours breaks down to about 8 to 10 hours per week.

• Can a student do their internship without being enrolled in RTVF 198?

  • Students cannot participate in the internship program unless they are enrolled in their internship course and have set up the appropriate contracts. University, department, corporate, and most labor union policies require that students be enrolled in a valid internship course to complete an internship with an organization. Any company work done by a student without being enrolled in an internship course will be considered unauthorized and no retroactive credit will be given. Without exception, students must be enrolled in an internship course RTVF 198 while they are doing the internship.

• Can internships be repeated for credit?

  • Department policy allows students to repeat RTVF 198 once for credit, as long as the subject matter changes.