City Tech

Entertainment Technology Department

Internship FAQ Page

This is the General FAQ Page for the Entertainment Technology Department of NYC College of Technology (CityTech).

What Is The Catalog Description Of The Class?

ST 900 Internship in Entertainment Technology

Work experience at a professional scenery fabrication shop, rental/supply house, off-Broadway theater, or any related industry organization approved by the adviser. Serves to bridge the students' academic and commercial careers by incorporating professional work experience and industry contacts before the end of the senior year. Students keep a log/journal to be shared in group seminars. Supervision by faculty and managers at the internship site.

Prerequisites: ST 211, ST 351, ST 371 and completion of 75 credits towards the B.Tech. degree 2 cl hrs every other week, 45 lab hrs/per cr, 3 cr.

ST 900.1 Internship in Entertainment Technology II

A continuation of ST 900. Allows students a second internship opportunity.

Prerequisites: ST 900 2 cl hrs every other week, 45 lab hrs/per cr., 3 cr.

When should I do my required, for-credit Internship?

You can do a (non-credit) internship at any time, but you should really only enroll in the for-credit ST-900 internship class in your last (or next to last) semester, so that if you are offered a job you can take it right away.

What Is The Process For Getting An Internship?

  1. Find a potential internship. Start thinking about this today. Our advice on this is simple: If you were graduating today, where would you want to work? Wherever that place is, you should start there. Few organizations will turn down free labor!  If you don't have connections at that place, check with the faculty and CLT's (we all have many professional contacts). Ask your friends, post on lists, email people. Be persistent!
  2. Enroll in the class.
  3. Submit the proposed internship to the Internship professor for approval.
  4. WAIT UNTIL THE INTERNSHIP IS APPROVED OR REJECTED BEFORE STARTING. Internships done without prior approval will not be accepted.
  5. Write and submit a "before" paper BEFORE YOU START the internship outlining your goals for the internship. (See the assignments document on this web site for specifics.) "Before" papers submitted after the start of the internship will cause a reduction in the internship grade.
  6. Keep a journal during the internship. You won't have to turn this in, but it is important.
  7. Write and submit an "after" paper after you have completed the internship. (See the assignments document on this web site for specifics.)
  8. Have your supervisor complete the evaluation form (available on this web site below). Your supervisor must sign this document, and include complete contact information. He or she can fax it to the office at (718) 260-5591, or put it in a sealed envelope for you to give to the faculty internship advisor if they like, but you will always be allowed to view it. All required paperwork MUST be submitted to the faculty advisor no more than 30 days after the completion of your internship, or the paperwork will not be accepted and you will fail the class and have to retake it.

Communications and Documentation

All communciations regarding your internship must be documented via email, so that a record is kept. Just telling the faculty advisor that you are starting XYZ internship tomorrow is not adequate--the advisor has to track many, many different students.  If you tell the advisor something, you MUST follow up with the details of that conversation with an email.

How Are Grades Determined?

Your grade is based primarily on the quality of your evaluation from your supervisor. However, how you handled the adminstrative process of the internship can also affect your grade.

NOTE: No grades will be given until all three documents (Before and after papers, signed evaluation form) are submitted. Y and I grades are only given by special arrangement with the professor--F's will be given if all requirements are not met.

How Many Hours Do I Have To Do For The Internship?

The catalog says 45 lab hours/credit, and the course is three credits, so that means at least 135 hours. However, our requirement for the internship is that it is significant, and that you get something out of it. That could mean doing one day a week for the semester, or doing a show start to finish for two weeks of 16 hour days.

What if I want to do an internship over the summer?

The ST-900 class is not generally offered during the summer, but you can do an internship during the summer with no problem. Simply follow the process outlined above, except enroll in the class AFTER you have completed your internship. Just keep in mind that you only have 30 days after the completion of your internship to turn in ALL paperwork, or you will not get credit for the class. If your internship requires you to prove that you are currently enrolled and getting credit, contact the internship supervisor.

Where can I get more information?

What are the required assignments for the Entertainment Technology Internship? (Click here)

Where do I get a supervisor evaluation form? (Click here)

If you are a company or employer and have an internship to offer, please click here.

For more information, email Faculty Internship Advisor mschneider AT citytech.cuny.edu (replace the "AT" with @).

Last updated: 30 January, 2006