Welcome to MUS 490: Music Business Internship. The best way to start your career in the music industry is with an internship in the area you’re most interested in like management, recording, marketing, production, etc. You need a minimum of 3 credits of MUS 490 to graduate with a BS in Music Business from JU but it is recommended that you try to do as many internships as you can for as many credits starting the summer after your sophomore year.
The internship must be approved by me, the Division of Music Chair and the Deans of the Colleges of Fine Arts and Business Administration. Application forms are available from the Division of Music office or from the career Services website here:
https://www.ju.edu/careerresourcecenter/students/InternshipPacket.pdf
These are the steps as outlined in the forms from career services with some extra advice from me.
Step 1: Find an internship
There are several ways to find an internship at JU:
- Talk to a career advisor or faculty advisor (This would be me!)
- Attend the internship workshop (This should be an email from career services but I will hold informal meetings at the beginning of each semester to help get you started)
- Talk to past interns (One of your most valuable resources in my opinion. Please ask for their contact info from me so I can help connect you to them.)
- Learn more about approved internship partners at the Career Expo’s
- Apply to internship opportunities on Handshake
- Create your own! (Most of you looking to do internships at studios or with small firms will probably go this route. I can help guide you through the process.)
Students are encouraged to consult with me and a career advisor before engaging in an internship search.
* 45 hours of internship are required to receive 1 credit hour
Suggested application deadlines: Summer – Mid-January; Fall – Early June; Spring- End of November.
Applying to an internship does not mean you have “secured” the internship. Make sure to ask your sponsor for an email confirming your start date and work hours.
Apply to at least three internships and never think you have one until it is in writing!!! In the industry, many businesses and most corporations require that you have already had at least one or two internships. This is why it’s so important for you to look at your dream job early in case you need prior intern experience before even applying.
Once you have secured your internship, several things must be taken care of before you fill out the JU application:
Fill out the learning contract (page 2 and 3) : https://www.ju.edu/careerresourcecenter/students/InternshipPacket.pdf
Develop your learning outcomes with your sponsor (Intern employer) and faculty advisor (me), and attach internship objectives or responsibilities for organization or from Handshake after the two of us (you and me) have gone over them. For additional guidance, please consult the online internship resource center. Once I have approved your learning outcomes, we will determine what factors your final grade will be based on and I will sign the forms.
Step 2: Gain Approval
Credit bearing internships must adhere to the academic internship sponsor policy. Approved internship sites are listed in Handshake recruiting portal under “applications.” Check here to see if your internship site is an approved provider. If it is, record the job ID on your learning contract. If it is not listed, ask your sponsor to complete a sponsor internship application found here https://ju.joinhandshake.com/login. Allow 2 weeks for the approval process. Completion of this form does not guarantee your site will be approved. There are rare cases in Music where an organization wishes to remain anonymous so other arrangements will need to be worked out. Please speak with me about the issues your internship sponsor has and I will try to find an accommodation with career services.
Step 3: Register and notify your faculty sponsor
In accordance with the academic calendar and registrar’s guidelines, credit bearing internships must be registered by the add/drop date for the semester when your internship takes place. All documents included in this packetmust be signed and on file in the registrar’s office before beginning your work as an intern. Internship paperwork includes:
- Documentation on your internship site – attach a job description from Handshake
- Learning contract completed in consultation with your faculty sponsor and internship supervisor
- Liability agreement
- Set appointment with Career resource Center to review completed documents
Step 4: On-site Participation begins and requirements completed for your grade
Credit is earned in the semester that the internship takes place. Your faculty sponsor will determine how you will be graded by indicating the evaluation plan in the learning contract. Mid-term and final evaluations are required for the internship program, as are learning objectives related to communication, critical thinking, diversity, and teamwork skills. Have your Sponsor supervisor fill out this evaluation sheetand return it to me.
(For academic credit you must be registered prior to the internship)
