This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cover the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, will be available for 50 Missouri School of Journalism students, both graduate and undergraduate. You will have the opportunity to work as an intern with the international press corps covering the Beijing Olympic Games and will gain valuable experience interacting with athletes and professional reporters. Most of your tasks will be collecting flash quotes (brief, pertinent comments by athletes and/or officials in response to questions by broadcast and print reporters in the Mixed Zone, immediately following competitions) and writing press conference highlights.
In addition to working as an intern at the Olympic Games, you will also learn a great deal about the Chinese culture through a Chinese Life and Culture course taught during your first three weeks in China.
Eligibility
Students who have a minimum of 3.0 GPA and who have completed the first course in their area of study by the start of the program are eligible for admission to a study abroad internship program. All students must be in good academic standing with a clean disciplinary record.
MU Chancellor Brady Deaton and Dr. Sun Weijia, director of media operations for the Beijing Organizing Committee, sign the Memorandum of Understanding that will allow up to 50 Missouri School of Journalism students to work in media operations at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. [More] Photo by Joshua Bickel.
Course Credit
The internship earns you three hours of journalism elective credit. In addition, you will take a Chinese Life and Culture course, which will count as three credits of either upper level humanities or social science credit.
Costs
The Missouri School of Journalism attempts to make the costs of studying abroad affordable for you. Generally, study abroad experiences cost a bit more than credits taken on-campus at MU, but include new experiences, cultures, languages, and often times housing, flight costs and other program-related costs. It's highly recommended that you outline a budget for yourself of what you would spend during a semester here at MU and compare it to study abroad costs.
The cost for this program will be approximately $3,000. This includes housing accommodations, airfare, and on-site assistance by an MU professor. You will also be billed MU educational fees (6 credits). Other expenses you will want to consider include meals, local transportation and other miscellaneous expenses.
Please note that there are scholarships and other financial options available to you to help make study abroad a part of your college experience.
Financial Aid
The financial aid you normally receive for your classes at MU is usually applicable to study abroad programs. Additional grants, loans or scholarships may be available to offset the extra costs of studying abroad. Please meet with the advisor for study abroad financing at the MU Financial Aid Office, 11 Jesse Hall, 573-882-7506.
The School of Journalism offers need-based travel scholarships each semester. A downloadable application is available in the "How to Apply" section below. You can also apply for additional scholarships through the MU International Center in Memorial Union.
Housing
Renmin University, one of the most prestigious universities in China especially in the field of arts and humanities, will provide housing accommodations for volunteers.
How to Apply
Application Deadline: November 15, 2007
It is recommended that all applicants meet with either the journalism study abroad coordinator or academic advisor prior to applying. Please submit the following application materials in a manila envelope to the journalism study abroad coordinator, 76 Gannett, by the posted deadline. Remember to sign-up for an interview time when you drop off your application. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving. For this program you will need:
Two letters of recommendation. We prefer one to be from an academic source and one from an employer. Please have references direct letters "To Whom It May Concern." [Recommendation Form]
PDF File: 130K
An official transcript.
Deposit of $1,000 and Deposit Form; must pay to Cashier's Office in 15 Jesse Hall.
PDF File: 136K
Resume. Submit hard copy with application packet and e-mail electronic version to
