Internships

Internships are a key step on your journey as a student at BMCC. They are a bridge connecting what you’ve learned in class to real-world experiences in creative media industries. Internships let you use your skills in a professional setting, helping you grow your skills and build confidence. By doing an internship, you’ll get to explore different work environments, make connections, and create new pieces for your portfolio.

At BMCC, internships are an important part of your learning experience, and CCL in the Media Arts and Technology Department is here to help you find internships that match your interests and goals. You can also get help from the Office of Internships and Experiential Learning and the Center for Career Development. CUNY offers several great internship programs designed to connect you with internship opportunities. Look below for more information.

But remember—internships take planning! You’ll need to prepare your resume ahead of time, and many internships also ask for a portfolio of your work. This website has lots of resources to help you build your resume, put together a portfolio, and even write a professional bio about yourself.

Don’t worry—getting ready for internships isn’t as hard as it might seem at first! There are workshops, information sessions, and plenty of support to help you every step of the way. Start planning early, get help when you need it, and you’ll be on your way to an exciting and rewarding internship experience!

The Internship Class: MEA 371

All majors in the Media Arts and Technology Department are required to complete an experiential learning class which can be an internship class. The internship class is MEA 371 Media Arts & Technology Internship. Internships are supported by the Office of Internships and Experiential Learning.

Unlike most classes, you can’t register for MEA 371 on CUNYfirst. There is a process that you need to complete. The reason we have this process is to help make sure that you understand what will be required of the internship class and that you’re prepared for it.

Click here to find out more about how to register for the Internship class.

Finding an Internship

CUNY and BMCC have a number of resources to help you get an internship.

CUNY-Sponsored Internship Programs

The following programs are sponsored by CUNY and designed to help you get an internship.

Spring Forward

This is an internship program specifically designed for students who have never had a paid internship while a CUNY student.

• When to apply: beginning the Fall semester (October deadline)
• When it happens: in the Spring semester
• Pay: $20/hour
• Official Spring Forward Web Page

More information

Internship opportunities start at the beginning of March and last until early May. You must be available for 15 hours/week within a typical work week (8AM – 6PM, Monday – Friday) during that entire time.

Eligibility

• Have you had NO prior paid internship experience during your CUNY career? (including previously participating in Career Launch or Spring Forward)
• Will you be a CUNY undergraduate student this Fall AND Spring semesters?
• Are you at least 18 years old?
• Do you have a grade point average of at least 2.0?
• Are you eligible to work in the United States?

Career Launch

This is a summer internship program specifically designed for students who have never had a paid internship while a CUNY student.

• When to apply: in the Fall semester (and sometimes into the start of the spring semester)
• When it happens: in the Summer
• Pay: $20/hour
• Official Career Launch Web Page

More information

Career Launch Timeline

• January: applications open
• February: applications close
• March: students selected
• April: you are notified if you are selected
• April–June: onboarding paperwork and match fair to get matched with an internship
• July: begin paid training for your internship

Eligibility

• Are you within the ages of 18-24 years old?
• Have you had no prior paid internship experience during your college career?
• Are you a current CUNY undergraduate student enrolled in Spring?
• Do you have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher?
• Are you eligible to work in the United States?

Cultural Corps

CUNY Cultural Corps gives you a paid work experience in NYC’s arts and cultural sector. The kinds of institutions you will work with include non-profit cultural organizations involved in the visual, literary and performing arts as well as public-oriented science and humanities institutions including zoos, botanical gardens and historic and preservation societies.

• When to apply: early Spring (March) or early Fall (October)
• When it happens: in the Fall and Spring (apply the semester before)
• Pay: $20/hour
• Official Cultural Corps Web Page

Current Deadlines

Fall 2026 CUNY Cultural Corps applications are open from March 2 through March 31, 2026.

Apply this spring to do an internship in Fall 2026. If you are interested you are encouraged to RSVP to their upcoming Feb 27, 2026 12:00 PM Zoom info session: RSVP to the CUNY Cultural Corps Student Info Session. You will receive the meeting link once you register to participate.

• Application opens March 2, 2026
• Deadline to apply is March 31, 2026
• An info session on the internship will be held on Zoom on February 27, 2026. RSVP to the CUNY Cultural Corps Student Info Session
  

More information

Eligibility

• Undergraduate Students: 2nd-semester freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to apply.
  • Early College Students within their first two years of college will be prioritized for program participation
• NO PRIOR PAID INTERNSHIP experience during your CUNY career at the time you submit your application
  • SYEP does not count as a paid internship in college.
• Have a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.5
• Have the proper work authorization required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• Able to commit to working part-time (15 hours per week) for 12 weeks during the semester.

Handshake

Handshake is the Center for Career Development’s on-line job board and career management system, where you can:

• Search for and apply to part-time jobs, full-time jobs, and internships
• See a calendar of upcoming events and workshops and reserve a seat to attend

See instructions for logging into Handshake

Internship Information and Events