For Students

Entertainment Industry Internship Benefits

• Take what you've learned in your SFTV classes and acquire practical, hands-on knowledge to apply to a real-world entertainment industry setting
• Gain key entertainment industry contacts that may lead to future employment and/or potential references for future industry jobs
• Gain new skills to make yourself more marketable to industry employers and strengthen your resume at the same time
• Gain a working knowledge of what entry-level employment may look like in your area of interest
• Explore and identify new areas of interest in the industry that may increase your career options down the line

Internship Search

Are you looking for an internship but you're not sure how to go about it? Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Have you visited Handshake to find the latest posted internships available for SFTV students?
• Do you have the required internship paperwork? (Paperwork is required for ALL internships, regardless of academic credit or pay)
• Have you considered your options for academic credit?
• Do you have a professional resume and cover letter?
• Have you had your resume reviewed by a Career and Professional Development staff member?

Academic Credit

Internship Course Options

Our program offers several course options for SFTV students to secure academic credit:

• 0-Unit (FTVA 490/FTVA 688): These courses focus more on the internship versus in-class time or assignments. FTVA 688 is specifically for graduate level SFTV students, while FTVA 490 is for undergraduates. There are no class meetings and they follow more of an independent study format. Typically the work for these kinds of classes is administrative in nature to document the internship. They are not graded and do not add to overall units towards graduation, however, they can be taken multiple times. If students do not satisfy the course requirements, they will receive a grade of "No Credit" on their transcript and will be unable to enroll in the course during a subsequent term.

A Note About Cost

UNDERGRADS: Typically undergraduate students do not pay tuition fees per class, but instead pay a flat tuition rate and will likely not be charged extra for taking a 1-unit class during the fall or spring terms. However, 1-unit classes will incur an additional charge (typically one-third the cost of an average SFTV class) if a student has exceeded the standard course load in a given term or if a student registers during the summer months. It is advised that students contact their advisor and/or the registrar's office to confirm their individual circumstances before enrolling.

GRADS: 1-unit classes are for undergraduates only and are not open to graduate students. Instead, graduate students are encouraged to register in PROD 688 described above to fulfill their academic credit requirements. Because PROD 688 is a zero unit class, students will not be charged additional tuition fees for enrolling.

• 1-Unit (FTVA 491): This course is for undergraduate students only and focuses more on the internship, rather than on in class time or school assignments. There are no class meetings and they follow more of an independent study format. In addition to the required administrative paperwork documenting the internship, other requirements might include attending on campus events, conducting informational interviews at the internship site, and a final reflection paper. This course can be taken multiple times and though it is not graded, if students do not satisfy the course requirements, they will not receive a unit of credit at the end of the class so a "No Credit" will be reflected on their transcript and they will be unable to enroll in the course during a subsequent term. Undergrads typically take this class to satisfy an upper division elective with the intention of participating in multiple internships during their time at LMU to accrue 3 units of credit on their transcript.

To discuss course options in more detail, please schedule an appointment with the Internship Specialist.

Getting Academic Credit

Some companies require you to receive academic credit for their internship, while others do not. If you would like to receive academic credit for your internship you need to register for the appropriate internship class. There are two ways to do this:

Register on Prowl

• If the class has not yet begun, or if you are within the standard university add/drop period, simply log onto Prowl to add the class
• Please note, permission of instructor will be required to enroll in each of the above mentioned classes so email your SID# to sftvcareerconnect@lmu.edu with the course number you'd like to enroll in, listed in the subject line to receive permission.

General Petition

If the add/drop period has passed, you will need to fill out a General Petition:

• If the class has already begun, you will need to fill out a Late Add request on the General Petition form.
• Make certain that you complete ALL sections of the form, with the exception of the section marked, "For Office Use Only".
• Schedule an appointment with course instructor to obtain a signature and protocol for next steps

Academic Credit Verification

If your employer requires academic credit verification, you can request a credit confirmation letter from the Office of the Registrar.

1. In order to get this letter you must be enrolled in an internship class, be sure to clearly state the internship course name and number you're enrolled in when you make your request
2. Please note: If you are registering for one of the above internship courses during summer session one, be sure to mention to the registrar that the course runs through both summer session one and two, so that your letter will list the appropriate start and end dates
3. Keep in mind that letters can take up to 3 business days to process during peak times
4. For all questions and inquiries regarding a Proof of Credit verification letter, you can contact the Registrar's office via e-mail (registrar@lmu.edu) or phone (310-338-2740), located in VDA 150

Internship Paperwork

Online Internship Agreement Form (Via Handshake - The online internship agreement allows students and employers to get on the same page about what will be expected of them during their internship and create learning objectives for the internship experience. The form also makes the internship employer accountable for their role as intern supervisors. After enrolling in an internship course, students begin the online agreement process by first logging into MYLMU and selecting "Online Internship Agreement" under "System Logins." Once the student portion is completed and the appropriate approvals have been made, it will be routed to Career and Professional Development for the final approval. If you have any questions/concerns about the online internship agreement, please visit Career and Professional Development in VDA 135 or call 310-338-2871.

Please visit the appropriate course page on Brightspace for more information about internship course requirements.

Please Note: While it is our goal to screen potential employers and only promote employers who are honest and held in the highest regard, we encourage all students to use their best judgment when applying to and accepting positions from any employer. We also strongly encourage students to conduct a thorough research of employers before applying, to ensure you are making a sound decision that is right for you. If, for any reason, you have concerns about your internship employer and/or internship work environment, email us at sftvcareerconnect@lmu.edu.

Non-SFTV Students

While our program is dedicated to LMU students enrolled in the School of Film and Television, students in other LMU departments wanting to embark on a career in the entertainment industry are welcome to participate as well. If you'd like to join our program, email us as sftvcareerconnect@lmu.edu for instructions on how to join our program. Please note that at this time, we cannot support students who are not actively enrolled in LMU.

Career and Professional Development

LMU's Career and Professional Development office also offers career advisement as well as career fairs and special career-oriented workshops. For more information on any of these services, visit Von der Ahe 135, email careers@lmu.edu or call 310.338.2871.