Philip Merrill College of Journalism | University of Maryland

JOUR 199 Survey Apprenticeship
Fall 2009

Penny Bender Fuchs
Director of Career Placement and Professional Development
3116 Journalism Bldg.
Phone: 301-405-2796
Fax: 301-314-9166
pfuchs@jmail.umd.edu

Important note: This is a one-credit pass/fail course that does not count toward your graduation requirements. Registration for this course requires the completion of an internship proposal form and a meeting with Mrs. Fuchs before the end of the add/drop period.

Requirements for this course:

60 hours of service in an approved apprenticeship extended over 10 weeks.
One positive job evaluation from a job site supervisor.
Participation in a class blog.
Time Sheets, due Friday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Dec. 4.
A conversation with the instructor between Oct. 23 and Dec. 4. (This requirement is waived if you have completed JOUR 399.)

Grading:
To receive a satisfactory grade in this course, students must complete the required number of apprenticeship hours, receive good job evaluations from their supervisors, participate in the class blog and show up on time for conferences (if required.)

Recording Your Hours:
Arrange your schedule -- including your start and end date -- with your employer before you begin the internship. Work must occur on the job site or on assignment. Work performed at home will not count toward hours of service. Students may begin recording their hours on the first day of the semester. All hours must be completed by Dec. 4. Timesheets are available on Blackboard in the Course Documents folder. Bring in, mail or fax the time sheet by Oct. 23 and Dec. 4. Be sure to total the hours and have your supervisor sign the form. You must have a minimum of 60 hours of service over 10 weeks to get credit for this class.

Evaluations by Job Site Supervisors:
One evaluation will be sent directly to supervisors during the semester. An example will be posted on Blackboard in the Course Documents folder. Supervisors are instructed to review the evaluations with students. Please take these comments seriously; the results of the evaluations are factored into students' grades. See Professional Demeanor below for additional information on performance and behavior on the job.

Participation in Class Blog:
Because JOUR 199 students meet only with the instructor, the blog will serve as our virtual classroom. Students will be required to check the blog regularly and post responses to topics raised by the instructor. Students should also read each other’s responses and are encouraged to respond to one another. The blog will be on Blackboard in the Assignments folder.

These topics are to be addressed in your blog entries:

Introduce us to your employer: Provide a description of the organization, including the type of medium and who owns it. (Is this a weekly newspaper, a Web site or a network affiliate, for instance?) Give the circulation, market size or unique visitors, and discuss the target audience. In a paragraph or two, tell us the history and the mission of this company. Entry due Wednesday, Sept. 16.
Describe the personnel and the management: How many employees work there and who reports to whom? Note the diversity of the office in terms of race, gender and job type. You will likely need to get these facts from your employer. Entry due Friday, Sept. 25.
How do the deadlines work in your office? (This is a deadline-driven industry, so don't say there aren't any!) Describe the process of putting out the publication (Web or paper) or getting the show on the air.Entry due Friday, Oct. 9.
How did you get this internship and what do you do? Describe the skills you've gained -- journalism skills as well as real-world skills, such as building relationships with supervisors, interacting with co-workers and managing work and school responsibilities. Entry due Friday, Oct. 23.
What have you learned about the culture of the workplace and how professionals interact on the job? What surprised you? Entry due Friday, Nov. 6.
Did you have a mentor? Did you cultivate relationships with supervisors and co-workers? How will these relationships help you in your career?Entry due Friday, Nov. 20.
What advice would you offer your replacement? Entry due Friday, Dec. 4.

You will rely on your own observations for your blog entries, but some answers will require research. You may interview and quote co-workers and supervisors, read histories posted on a company's Web site or another reliable source. However, your work should be your own. It must be clear to the reader where you got the information you cite. That means using attribution, just as you would in a news story. Credibility and integrity are hallmarks of what we do as journalists, so you must be stringent about crediting your sources. Not doing so leaves you open to charges of plagiarism. If you are uncertain what plagiarism is, the university's library system offers an excellent explanation: What is plagiarism?

Do not cite your blog entries in footnote style. The attribution should be in the body of the text, just like a news story.

A note about blogging: Blogs by their nature are more casual than academic papers and printed news columns. I encourage you to write in first person and to be creative but to also remember your journalism training. All your entries should be written professionally, in complete sentences, using AP style and should address the topics raised. Write with the same care you would an assignment to be handed in. Remember, this is about quality, not quantity, so avoid repetition and muddled writing.

This blog will be read by others in the class, and I may ask to make portions of what you write public later on, so be honest in your assessments but take great care with facts. Do not unfairly criticize your employer or co-workers or publish unsubstantiated information. A good rule of thumb is to assume nothing is private on the Internet. Never post anything on the Internet that could hurt you professionally and never post anything you couldn't say to your employer.

Conversation with internship coordinator:
Plan to meet with me sometime between Oct. 23 and Dec. 4. This meeting is not a requirement for upperclassmen who have already taken JOUR 399, although it is encouraged. It is mandatory for freshmen and sophomores who have not fulfilled the internship requirement. We will discuss the progress of your apprenticeship and your supervisor's evaluation as well as your blog entries. It is also a good opportunity for us to discuss future internships, so you are encouraged to bring your resume and a sample cover letter with you. Punctuality is crucial in the professional world. Missed appointments may not be rescheduled. If you are more than 10 minutes late, I consider it a missed appointment. A missed appointment will result in a three-point deduction from your final grade. To cancel or reschedule an appointment, e-mail and/or call me at least a few hours ahead of time. If you are having trouble parking, have overslept, got out of class late, etc., and you know you will be five or 10 minutes late, it is your responsibility to call and let me know.

Professional Demeanor:
By enrolling in this class, you are entering the professional world of journalism and serving as emissaries of the college and the university. As such, you are expected to act with maturity and professionalism. Failing to meet professional standards in appearance, performance and attitude may cost you the job and result in an F in this course. Unacceptable behavior on the job includes disrespectful or improper communication with co-workers, an uncooperative attitude, failure to perform required tasks and failure to report to work on time. Please note that employers make the decisions to hire and fire students, not the college. But an apprentice who is terminated before completing the 60-hour course requirement will not pass JOUR 199.

Academic Integrity:
Along with certain rights, students also have the responsibility to behave honorably in an academic environment. Academic dishonesty, including cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty and plagiarism, will not be tolerated. Any abridgment of academic integrity standards will be referred directly to the dean and the university's Office of Judicial Affairs. Confirmation of such incidents can result in expulsion from the university. All students will be required to sign an academic integrity pledge at the beginning of the semester that will cover all assignments in the course.

Confidentiality Agreements:
Journalism is a competitive industry and some employers have strict policies regarding the release of proprietary or competitive information. It is not unusual for employers to require students to sign confidentiality agreements. All students in JOUR 199 must take care not to release sensitive information on the class blog or in communication with other interns. Examples of proprietary information may include news stories that have not yet been published or aired, details of new products or projects and internal company policies or staffing changes. If you are not sure what is considered proprietary at your workplace, be sure to ask your supervisor.

Equal Opportunity:
The University is an equal opportunity institution with respect to education and employment. The university's policies, programs and activities are in compliance with pertinent federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, religion, age, national original, sex, sexual orientation and handicap. On your internship site, if you perceive any problems related to the above or if you believe you have been the target for sexual or other forms of harassment, contact me or Associate Dean Olive Reid in 1117 JRN.

Here is a link to the University of Maryland's Human Relations code: http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/vi100b.html
Here is a link to the University of Maryland's policy and procedures regarding sexual harassment: http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/docs/vi-120a.pdf

I want this to be a valuable learning experience for you. If you or your site supervisor has any questions, call 301-405-2796 or the Student Services Office, 301-405-2399, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.