As an intern in either the Europe Area Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Frankfurt, Germany, or the South Pacific Area Office in Auckland, New Zealand, you will have a unique opportunity to improve your new media and international public relations skills. The core purpose of public affairs program is to build strategic relationships with opinion leaders who affect the reputation of the Church, and whose actions and influence can help or hinder the Church’s mission. As such you will be involved with a wide variety of ever-changing activities and people in order to facilitate a proper projection of the Church in the Europe or Pacific areas. Depending on your emphasis in communications, you could find yourself writing press releases, assisting in planning strategic media interaction, researching various media inquiries, assisting in interview and spokesperson training, developing relationships with opinion leaders and participating in various modes of social networking and video production.
Church Communication: Germany or New Zealand
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DATES
Winter, spring-summer combined, or fall semesters are available, (specific dates will be determined after acceptance to the program).
HOUSING
Frankfurt Germany: Students will live in a furnished basement studio apartment arranged by BYU.
Auckland New Zealand: The School of Communications will assist students with housing arrangements.
COURSES
All interns are required to take a minimum of 4 credits of COMMS 496R (or if approved COMMS 399R.) Students may arrange additional courses with professors pertaining to their major and the type of internship work they will be performing.
Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
COST
$3,300–3,600 w/housing (Germany)
Includes Latter-day Saint, undergraduate tuition (4 credit hours), housing, placement fee, and international health insurance coverage.
$1,400–1,800 w/out housing (New Zealand)
Includes Latter-day Saint, undergraduate full tuition (4 credit hours), placement fee, and international health insurance coverage.
Not included: airfare ($1,500–2,000), public transportation ($130/month), meals (variable), housing (for New Zealand $2,200–2,600), personal expenses (variable), and visa.
PREPARATION
Students need to be admitted to the communications program and have completed the prerequisites for COMMS 496R.
Prerequisite courses are different for each emphasis and may be found by contacting the Communications Internship Office, 280 BRMB, (801) 422-5836, comms_internship@byu.edu.
Although English is the lingua franca for these Area Offices, having other language skills is helpful (including German, French, and Chinese).
Accepted students are required to participate in an international, cross-cultural preparation course (IAS 201, 1 credit hour). This evening course will be held during the second block of the semester before departure. Part-time students will need to pay an additional tuition fee for enrolling in the prep class.
Accompanying spouses need to be credit-bearing participants on the program. They will also need to apply online, take the preparation course, make program payments, and any additional housing costs.
FUNDING SOURCES
Interns at both locations are eligible to receive up to a $3,100 grant from the School of Communications. Priority is given to students enrolled in COMMS 496R. Amount awarded will be determined after acceptance to the program. This grant is available for the program’s initial semester only. Seniors should also apply for the Oscarson Discovery Grand for additional funding. For more info, please contact the Communications Internship Office.
Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.
Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application, and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB), will be considered for a study abroad scholarship and may be considered for other scholarships. They must indicate on their original online application that they want to be considered for financial aid.
Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
Qualified students are eligible to apply for a School of Communication scholarship upon acceptance into the program. This scholarship is based on financial need beyond the initial grants. Interns are eligible for an additional $1,000. Scholarships are not guaranteed.
APPLICATION PROCESS
BYU welcomes students from any university to apply to participate on our study abroad programs. However, internships and direct enrollment programs are limited to BYU–Provo students.
Visit comms.byu.edu/internships-careers/lds-public-affairs/ and download the information packet before applying online.
Students need to include their city of preference in their letter of intent upon applying.
Complete the online application at kennedy.byu.edu/isp/apply. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required.
Applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.
Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program.
Deadlines
Winter: 1 October
Spr-Sum: 1 February
Fall: 31 March
FACULTY
Steven Thomsen is the faculty director of this program from the School of Communications.
(801) 422-2078
steven_thomsen@byu.edu
SCHEDULE AND TIME COMMITMENT
The duration of the program will not exceed 90 days. Students are responsible for visa arrangements. ISP can provide support in this process. Frankfurt, Germany Internship: Program participants can enter, travel, and live in the European Union for no longer than 90 days under a visa waiver.
INTERESTED STUDENTS SHOULD CONTACT
International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
kennedy.byu.edu/isp
Communications Internship Coordinator
280 BRMB
(801) 422-5836
comms_internship@byu.edu
PROGRAM ADJUSTMENTS
ISP reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost estimates due to conditions beyond its control.