Challenging the 3.0 GPA eligibility standard for public relations internships

Analysis of internship grades earned by 132 public relations and communication majors registered for internship credit at a major Northeastern university show that students with a 2.7 grade point average (GPA) predictably do as well as students with a GPA ranging from 3.0 to 3.3.Accordingly, it is recommended that the GPA cutoff point for internship eligibility at this school be lowered from the previous 3.0 standard to 2.7. This case study demonstrates the value of measuring actual performance against idealized standards.In addition to his interest in the internship curriculum, Temple University Associate Professor Michael L. Maynard’s areas of research include mass media analysis, the relationship between mass communication and culture as well as textual and semiotic analyses of Japanese television and print advertising.