Communication Internships
Internships provide valuable knowledge and skills and are one of the most rewarding ways for Communication students to form professional relationships with our alumni and other employers. We strongly encourage our students to participate in one or more internships before they graduate.
Dr. Young Ji Kim serves as the Internship Advisor, and as a liaison for students, employers, and professional organizations. Students having trouble finding an internship are welcome to visit Dr. Kim during her office hours or email her at youngjikim@ucsb.edu to request an appointment.
Find an Internship
Check out the below resources to find the internship that's right for you!
Our UCSB Department of Communication group on LinkedIn assists students, alumni and departmental affiliates connect with one another. Our LinkedIn group of 1600+ members posts internship and job opportunities that target Communication students, recent graduates, and alumni. Any member can post new listings at any time. See “How to Use the student-alumni UCSB Department of Communication group on LinkedIn” on the Career and Jobs Information page.
UCSB Career Services offers an interactive database system called Handshake that lists and manages internship and career opportunities for UCSB students. Employers from all areas of the world can register their internships and job opportunities on Handshake free of charge. All UCSB students who are enrolled in the university can access this information. Career Services, part of the Career Center, is the primary campus resource for internship and career information (building #599, across from Storke Tower, next to Humanities and Social Sciences Building, 893-4412).
Our student–run Communication Association at UCSB hosts events on every other Tuesday evening. The group invites guest speakers to share career advice and offer workshops in professional development. These employers are often local communication alumni and other employers seeking interns. Additional internship opportunities are announced at each event. Please visit the Communication Association Facebook page and/or attend an event for more information.
UCSB participates in the University of California Capital Internship Programs which enable junior and senior undergrads to live in Washington, DC or Sacramento, CA, study there, and earn units for an internship for a quarter. For more information about this wonderful program, please visit the Capital Internship Programs website or Facebook page.
Get Internship Credit
To get credit for your internship, enroll in:
- COMM 197, Communication Internship (offered every quarter)
- COMM 191, Applying Communication to Internships in Organizations (typically offered once a year)
COMM 197, Communication Internship
Earns: 1 unit of P/NP credit (not for Upper-Division Comm)
This is not a course; it simply offers 1 credit for engaging in a communication-related, supervised internship. For requirements and enrollment information, please click here.
COMM 191, Applying Communication to Internships in Organizations
Earns: 4 Upper-Division COMM Credits
**Course typically offered once a year. Check Courses page to see when it will be offered this year.**
Involves participating in an internship and meeting for 2 hours and 20 mins each week. This course draws on students’ coursework and analytic skills as they transition into the workplace. It is open to 30 Communication students.
Prerequisites
- Student must be declared as a Comm major.
- Student must have upper-division standing.
- Student must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
- Students must secure a minimum of 8-10 hours of intern work per week while enrolled in the course.
Complete and submit Internship Contract via DocuSign by the 1st Wednesday of the quarter. You will automatically receive a copy of the completed form after all parties have signed. Please make sure to enroll in COMM 191 on GOLD via approval code issued by Internship Coordinator (listed at the bottom of the completed COMM 191 Internship contract form).
Communication Alumni Council Internship Scholarship Program
Established in 2024 by the UCSB Department of Communication Alumni Council, this program aims to expand access to experiential learning and professional development for Communication majors by providing financial support. Recognizing that unpaid internships can create significant barriers–especially for students facing financial challenges–the program is designed to reduce these obstacles for undergraduate Communication students pursuing unpaid internships with non-profit organizations.