Information for Students

COMPULSORY INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME (CIP)

For cohorts 2016 and onwards, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences' (FASS) students pursuing Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences, NM major and NM as Second Major will need to complete the Compulsory Internship Programme (NM3550Y). The Compulsory Internship Programme is not applicable to students who pursue either Double Degree programmes or a Minor in NM. Non-FASS students reading NM as Second Major are also not required to complete CIP.
 
The duration for CIP is about 20 weeks, and can fall on either semester:
  • Semester 1: Jul โ€“ Nov
  • Semester 2: Jan โ€“ May
Students are allowed to begin their internship earlier or later by no more than one week from the official start date of the internship.
 
The objective of the CIP is to ensure that our students gain industry experience through a structured internship programme and will be able to apply academic theories to practice.
 
The internship semester counts towards studentsโ€™ candidature and you are thus required to pay full semester fees (this also means that you get to maintain your status as a current NUS student during your internship and thus enjoy continued access to NUS medical and insurance benefits.)
 
PRE-REQUISITES FOR COMPULSORY INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
To be eligible for the Compulsory Internship Programme, students must satisfy the following requirements:
  • Must be an NM Major student who has completed 4 semesters of study or been promoted to ARS3
  • Must have read and passed a minimum of 80 MCs (of which 24 MCs are of NM modules)
 
RECOMMENDED MODULES
Specific internship jobs require specific skill sets. To accommodate such specialised work areas, students are strongly encouraged to have read certain modules to prepare themselves for the job. For example:
  • Students pursuing Communications Management placements are strongly advised to have read NM2219, NM2220 and NM3219
  • Students pursuing interactive media placements are strongly advised to have read NM2216
  • Students pursuing game design placements are strongly advised to have read NM3216
 
MOOC MODULES
Alongside internship, students are required to read MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), which will either be Level 2000 or 3000 modules. MOOCs are only offered to students who are doing their compulsory internship, and are pre-determined by the department every semester. Prior to the start of the internship, students are given the option of reading either a minumum of one or a maximum of two MOOCs during their internship. Each MOOC is worth 4 Module Credits, which count toward the NM Major.
 
Because MOOCs are often a customised version of an ordinary module, students are encouraged to check for the relevant alerts on the module's IVLE space. This information is important because students may reserve reading that particular module until their complusory internship comes along.
 
MOOCs have been designed to be interactive, where most lessons are hosted online. MOOCs will also have a manageable amount of face-to-face sessions, which will be conducted in the evenings.
 
Students are encouraged to take charge of their study plan and candidature. For students who intend to not study any MOOCs and/or plan to overload (in their honours year) you are reminded that you may risk delaying graduation and fail to graduate on time. Before your internship application can be approved, your study plan will be scrutinized to ensure that you will be able to graduate on time. Penalties will be levied for students who do not graduate on time. For more information on this please refer to  http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/education-at-nus/undergraduate-education/fees.html. 

 

For specific advice on your study plan and whether it is compatible with an internship, please contact cnmbox10@nus.edu.sg

 
MODULE CREDITS
The Compulsory Internship Programme is coded as NM3550Y, and is worth 12 Module Credits. If a student chooses to read one MOOC, then the total number of Modules Credits for that semester is 16. If the student chooses to read two MOOCs, then the total number of Module Credits for the semseter is 20. These Module Credits count toward the NM major. 
 
OVERSEAS INTERNSHIP
Students may choose to do an overseas internship with NUS Overseas College instead of through the Compulsory Internship Programme. In this case, the overseas internship module code will be TR3202. The CIP will be automatically mapped to the NOC internship. Students may contact cnmbox10@nus.edu.sg and inform the CIP team about their intention to undertake an NOC internship.

 

Student Exchange Programme and other non-compulsory activities

CIP is a mandatory programme and a graduation requirement and must be treated as a priority. If students want to opt for non-compulsory activities such as the SEP, they should plan them around the CIP, and not the other way around. Non-compulsory activities should not be used as reasons for delaying or cancelling your participation in the CIP.

 
APPLICATION PROCEDURE AND TIMELINE
Semester 1: Jul - Nov Period

Instructional Period of preceding Semester

Action

Recess Week

Department invites students to select their jobs in NUS TalentConnect

Week 7 โ€“ 8

Students are expected to complete their job selections in NUS TalentConnect

Week 9 โ€“ 11

Employers shortlist candidates and conduct interviews

Week 12

Employers offer job positions to successful candidates through NUS TalentConnect; Deadline for submission of self-sourced internships for CNM's evaluation and approval.

Week 13

Students accept/reject offers through NUS TalentConnect

Reading week

Department assigns Academic Supervisor; Students complete administrative procedures of the internship such as selecting their MOOC modules and other admin procedures

Internship

Students undergo internship with respective employer

 

Semester 2: Jan - May Period

Instructional Period of preceding Semester

Action

Recess Week

Department invites students to select their jobs in NUS TalentConnect

Week 7 โ€“ 8

Students are expected to complete their job selections in NUS TalentConnect

Week 9 โ€“ 11

Employers shortlist candidates and conduct interviews

Week 12

Employers offer job positions to successful candidates through NUS TalentConnect; Deadline for submission of self-sourced internships for CNM's evaluation and approval.

Week 13

Students accept/reject offers through NUS TalentConnect

Reading week

Department assigns Academic Supervisor; Students complete administrative procedures of the internship such as selecting their MOOC modules and other admin procedures

Internship

Students undergo internship with respective employer
 
 
SUPERVISION AND ASSESSMENT
Students participating in the Compulsory Internship Programme are assigned a worksite supervisor as well as an academic supervisor. The worksite supervisor will guide and mentor the student at the workplace, and is responsible for the final feedback on the student's performance during the 20 weeks.
 
The academic supervisor, on the other hand, will be in touch with the student throughout the internship and provide the student with guidance, especially in the context of applying theory to practice. The academic supervisor will also assess and grade the submissions, including the final report.
 

Deliverable

Weightage

Initial 500-Word Report

10%

Two Work Journals

40%

Final 3,000-Word Report and PowerPoint Summary of Report

40%

Feedback From Worksite Supervisor

10%
 
GRADES AVAILABILITY
Internship Period Semester 1 Semester 2 Grades made available in
  • Semester 1: Jul - Nov NM3550 (IP) NM3550Y (Final) Early Dec
  • Semester 2: Jan - May NM3550Y (Final) Early Jul
 
ALLOWANCE
The department recommends a minimum monthly allowance of S$1000. No CPF contributions are required.
 
TUITION FEES
During the course of internship, regular semester fees remain applicable, as students receive module credits for their participation in the internship programme. Consequently, students are not allowed to earn module credits if they have been granted a Leave of Absence to perform their internships.
 

Important Note

Do note that students from cohort 2016 onwards are bounded by the Normal Candidature period and partial fee penalty should you stay beyond the Normal Candidature allowed for a BA degree (6 regular semesters) and Honours degree (8 regular semesters).

 

This means that you will have to pay the partial non-subsidized fees, culminating in full non-subsidized fees, during the extended semester(s):

(i)    If you are unable to complete your BA degree requirements; or if you are not promoted to *ARS4 / SOC4 by the end of your 6th semester of study; and/or

(ii)  If you are unable to complete your Honours degree requirements by the end of your 8th semester of study,

(*To qualify for the honours track, students must have completed at least 110 MCs including 44 MCs of major requirements AND have a minimum CAP of 3.20 in order to be promoted to ARS4 / SOC4 by the end of their 6th semester of study)

 

Candidature URL: http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/education-at-nus/undergraduate-education/continuation-and-graduation-requirements.html

 

Fees URL:  http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/education-at-nus/undergraduate-education/fees.html

Students shall not use this reason to appeal to departments to allocate the modules that students have planned for in their intended study plan; and  

Students shall not use any unforeseen delay in graduation as an extenuating reason to appeal for a waiver in partial and/or full fees payment.

We offer two types of internship programmes:

  • 6 months (24 weeks) programme which runs from Jan โ€“ Jun or Jul โ€“ Dec each year
  • 3 months (12 weeks) programme from May โ€“ Jul (during vacation) each year.

Internships help you develop job-specific skills, apply theory to practice and increase your chances of securing a job offer before graduating. We partner several organisations across the communication, new media, public relations, advertising, interactive media and related industries to create meaningful work experiences, that CNM students can benefit from.

 

INTERNSHIP APPLICATION

Pre-requisites For 3-Month Programme

The 3-month programme that runs from May โ€“ Jul each year, does not have specific pre-requisites, as students do not receive modular credits for this. However, this short-term programme gives students a valuable peek into the industry that they are interested in, and gain some exposure.


If you are keen to participate in the 3-month programme, look out for an email announcement, which will usually be sent out sometime in Mar/Apr. Students can then email the internship co-ordinator and ask to have a look at the folder containing details of all internship openings. If suitable positions are found, students can email the employer directly with their resume and cover letter, expressing their interest for the position(s). Short-listed students will be contacted directly by the employer(s) for interviews and other selection activities.

Pre-requisites For 6-Month Programme

The 6-month programme can fall on either semester:

  • Semester 1: Jul โ€“ Dec
  • Semester 2: Jan โ€“ Jun

Students receive 8 modular credits for modules NM3550 and INM3550 upon completion. Additionally, students must satisfy the following pre-requisites:

  • Full-time student taking on NM Major
  • Read and pass a minimum of 80 MCs (minimum of 24 MCs from CNM)
  • NM3550 and INM3550 to be read concurrently
  • Must have read NM2220 and NM2219 and preferably NM3219 for communications related internships
  • Must have read NM2220 and NM2216 for Games or Interactive media related internships
  • Read CFG1000 StepUp Module or CFG1001 HeadStart Module or attended CFG Career Catalyst programme
  • Must not have been granted a Leave of Absence to participate in the internship
  • Additional prerequisites may apply for certain employers

The listed pre-requisites are only applicable to students who belong to cohorts before 2015. As a student, you are strongly encouraged to attend internship briefing sessions which we conduct in Semesters 1 and 2, to learn more about how you can maximise your internship opportunities.

Next Internship Briefing: The next briefing session will be held at the start of Sem 1 (AY2017/18), please check at a later date for more details.

Application Procedure

To apply for the 6-month programme, send the following documents to cnmbox10@nus.edu.sg:

  • Completed CNM Internship Application Form
  • Completed and signed Letter of Consent and Undertaking
  • Resume [View the suggested resume format here. Refer to Page 24 for a sample cover letter and Page 29 for a sample resume]
  • List of NM modules read and grades obtained
  • Recommendation from a CNM lecturer or tutor to be sent directly to cnmbox10@nus.edu.sg

We reserve the right to reject applicants, and will only invite short-listed students for an interview. During the interview, students may express their preferences. Thereafter, we will match students to potential employers and internship positions. Employers will then be sent details of qualifying students, who will short-list students for their own interviews and selection process.

Supervision and Assessment

Students participaitng in the 6-month internship programme are assigned a worksite supervisor as well as an academic supervisor. The worksite supervisor will guide and mentor the student at the workplace, and is responsible for the final feedback on the student's performance during the 6 months. The worksite supervisor will also vet weekly journals that are submitted on a monthly basis to the academic supervisor.


The academic supervisor, on the other hand, will be in touch with the student throughout the internship and provide the student with guidance, especially in the context of applying theory to practice. The academic supervisor will also assess and grade the submissions, including the final report.

Assessment Criteria

Criteria Item Weightage
Initial Report (500 words) 10%
Monthly Journals 40%
Final Report (3,000 words) and Presentation Slides 40%
Feedback from Workplace Supervisor 10%

Allowance

The department recommends a minimum monthly allowance of $1000. No CPF contributions are required.

Tuition Fees

During the course of internship, regular semester fees remain applicable, as students receive module credits for their participation in the internship programme. Consequently, students are not allowed to earn module credits if they have been granted a Leave of Absence to perform their internships.

Other Important Resources