Caplin News Bureau Experience

Caplin News offers two bureau experiences: Washington, D.C., and Miami. The Caplin News Washington Bureau Program is designed to offer students the opportunity to study in one of the most newsworthy locations and media centers in the world while networking with professional journalists, community leaders, and FIU alumni. The Miami Bureau Program offers students an immersive reporting experience in South Florida.

Overview

Each program offers hands-on academic experiences that reach beyond the traditional classroom structure. Through a combination of theoretical and experiential formats, students will engage in lively academic discussions, traverse each city while conducting investigative field work, and participate in professional workshops and events. Individually, each program will have its own unique focus and point of interest.

The goals of the Bureau programs are to:

  • Provide advanced journalism training to student reporters and hands-on experience in reporting, editing and production/design
  • Provide student reporters with media platforms to publish their works, giving them professional visibility in the field
  • Help student reporters establish professional connections and career development opportunities
  • Provide students reporters with a platform to experience personal and professional growth

Caplin News | Washington Bureau

Caplin News Washington Bureau
601 New Jersey Ave NW
Suite 103
Washington, DC 20001

The Washington semester program will focus on the intersection between politics and journalism.  Students will explore the relationship between politics and the media and gain a thorough understanding of the responsibility of the news industry as the “fourth estate”.

This internship may be used to substitute for your final capstone course or an eligible elective with prior approval from the Department Chair. Accepted graduate students can arrange specific course equivalencies with the Spanish-language Journalism Master’s program faculty director.

Applicants for the Caplin News Washington Bureau must:

  1. Be a junior- or senior-level Journalism & Media undergraduate student, a Spanish-language Journalism graduate student, or a recent alumni.
  2. Have a 3.0 minimum GPA
  3. Have completed a previous internship
  4. Be in good standing (academic, personal, and financial)

There are three easy steps to apply:

  1. Meet with your academic advisor to ensure that this program will work with your academic progress/plan (does not apply to alumni applicants)
  2. Complete the Washington, D.C., bureau application.
  3. Complete a personal interview

Once the application has been reviewed and the interview conducted, you will be notified of your acceptance via email with the permission number to register for the associated course.

In an effort to best accommodate the needs of our students and offer the most cost-effective option we can, this program will not offer predetermined housing plans. Instead, students will have the opportunity to make their own housing arrangements in a manner that best suits their budget – be that staying with family, friends, or with a third-party housing provider. You can see a list of third-party housing providers here. This listing is intended as a guide only. FIU and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media do not recommend a specific housing provider. It is the responsibility of each student to thoroughly research all available housing options and to secure his or her own accommodation.

Estimated Program Expenses

In addition to regular tuition and fees collected by the University for each 3-credit course enrollment, students can expect to have the following additional out-of-pocket expenses:

  • Travel – this includes travel between Miami and Washington, DC, and transportation on the ground during your stay in DC.
    • Air Travel – Most major airlines fly direct from Miami International or Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale International airports to one of the Washington, DC, area airports, which include Reagan National, Dulles and Baltimore-Washington International. Airfare, including checked luggage, ranges between about $200-$400 round trip, depending on which airline you book and how early you book your flight.
    • Local Transportation – Once on the ground, you will need to budget for local transportation. Fortunately, Washington, DC, and the surrounding areas have excellent public transportation systems. You may be able to budget as little as $100 per month for local transportation depending on where you live, how often you use the system and how far you go. You can see sample fares on the Washington Metro here.
  • Housing – Some students are able to stay with family who live in the DC area, which is definitely the cheapest way to go. Otherwise, students should expect to spend $5,000-$8,000 per semester to stay in Washington, DC, depending on whether or not they have roommates. There is a list of housing providers in the housing section.

Financial Aid

Stipends

Students enrolled in the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media who participate in the DC Bureau Experience may apply for a $5,000 stipend to help offset program expenses. Apply for the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media Washington, DC, Bureau Scholarship here.

NOTE: It is important that undergraduate award recipients who receive other forms of financial aid consult with the FIU Financial Aid office to ensure any additional funding will not result in over-awarding of aid for the academic year.

All stipend recipients must complete at least 75% of the program.  Students who discontinue their participation before reaching the 75% completion threshold may be required to refund a portion of the award up to the full stipend amount, depending on the length of completion.

Additional Funding

In addition to the $5,000 stipend, students may be able to earn an additional $1500 during the semester by working as interns for the Caplin News or for the FIU in DC Office. These positions are limited, however, so inquire about them early.

Students planning to participate in the DC Bureau Experience may also look for other paid internships while they are in DC. There are many internship opportunities with well-known organizations in DC. The FIU in DC office has a website about opportunities in DC where you can sign up for TalentLab Prep Network, to receive information about internships in DC, and for their newsletter, which also includes information about internships in DC.

Caplin News | Miami Bureau

SFMN Miami
318 NW 23rd street
Miami, FL 33127

The Miami Bureau provides students the opportunity to add professional-level work to their portfolios. Each semester, students work on a group longform, multimedia project while also producing written articles on a news-based beat or topic of their choosing. Based in the Mana Wynwood building, the Miami Bureau will be give students a front door view to one of Miami’s most vibrant neighborhoods within the Wynwood Arts District.

This internship may be used to substitute for a journalism elective or a PODs requirement.

Applicants for the Caplin News Bureau Miami  must:

  1. Have completed JOU 3117
  2. Have a 3.0 minimum GPA
  3. Be in good standing (academic, personal, and financial)

For information on applying to the Miami Bureau, please schedule an appointment with the Caplin News Director, Professor Charles Strouse at cstrouse@fiu.edu.

Wynwood / https://wynwoodmiami.com/
Wynwood Walls / https://thewynwoodwalls.com/

Still have questions?

Contact Charles Strouse at cstrouse@fiu.edu for more information.