Internships provide valuable experience, helping students apply what they learn in the classroom while building professional skills and connections. Internship opportunities are available across a wide range of fields, including traditional media organizations, public relations, book publishing, and communications and social media roles at private companies. Students in the School of Communication and Journalism have interned at industry-leading organizations such as Fox News, CBS Sports, Cosmopolitan, ABC News, MSNBC, Newsday, and many more.
Our students can earn academic credit through internships and are paired with a faculty mentor who provides guidance throughout the search, application, and internship experience. Students receive support in finding, preparing for, and succeeding in both paid and for-credit internships from School of Communication and Journalism faculty and staff, as well as the Stony Brook University Career Center.
International Reporting OpportunitiesLive overseas and gain reporting experience for international news outlets. Several exclusive programs are offered in partnership with the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting.
WSHU InternshipDown the hall from the School of Communication and Journalism offices, Long Island's National Public Radio affiliate offers several internships a year to give students the chance to learn more about radio reporting. WSHU internships are exclusively available to SoCJ students.
Professional Development OpportunitiesStony Brook University is one of the first universities to form a partnership with New York Women in Communications (NYWICI), a professional organization for women in journalism, public relations, corporate communications, advertising and related fields. Through the Rising Star program, SBU students and alumnae younger than 26 can sign up for a free membership and access to NYWICI events, mentorship and networking opportunities, and scholarships.
"Throughout the duration of my internship at WSHU, I’ve experienced and learned so much. I believe that what made acquiring these new skills and experiences that much more possible was already having a broad idea of how to write for a production rather than a publication. I was lucky enough to acquire the base of these skills from a variety of Stony Brook’s journalism and communication classes."
"Photography and videography can get intimidating when you see people using high-grade cameras, so it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that we have a do-it-all camera in our pocket at all times. Snapping pictures and recording videos while navigating tough sight lines with my phone gave me a lot more confidence in that department and I would now like to start practicing with an actual camera more."
"At WSHU, however, I came to appreciate a different pace: fewer projects, but with significantly more depth, research and care invested in each one. While WSHU is not focused on breaking news and instead leans toward feature storytelling, that format pushed me outside of my usual interests. As a result, I was able to use this internship as an opportunity to explore a different style of journalism and grow in ways I did not expect."
"I am eternally grateful for the opportunities and experiences the Career Center has offered me this past year. Aside from skill development, I was able to form connections with high-level professionals and network with people in industries I have always wanted to work in. Everything I have learned from the experience is applied to my daily life, and I cannot wait to return as a Senior Communications intern next year."
"This internship not only gave me invaluable hands-on experience at one of the highest levels of television news, but it opened the door to the career I have dreamt of pursuing since I was 12 years old. I am beyond grateful for everything I have learned, the mentorship I received, and the opportunity to continue growing with Fox News and the Jesse Watters Primetime team full time."
"By the conclusion of the internship, I had gained a much broader understanding of the evolving role of digital journalism. The experience demonstrated that platforms editing is not simply about attracting attention online, but about helping audiences access reliable information in an increasingly fragmented media environment. Working as a platforms editor intern at NBC News showed me how audience engagement, analytics, editorial judgment, and ethical reporting intersect within a modern newsroom."
