Get client work experience before you graduate
COMM 397C: Soapbox Practicum
Monday & Wednesday 2:30-4:00pm
Enroll in COMM397C: Soapbox Practicum at BYU-Idaho
Real Agency Work
Built by faculty mentors who have managed agencies and worked with national and international clients, Soapbox Agency is the real deal. You get the agency experience of working with a creative team on client projects, scaled to fit your classroom experience.
Hands-on Learning
This is more than a class. It isn’t a roleplay or a simulation. You’ll be working with a real client to create a research-backed creative solution to benefit their organization.
World-class mentorship
You aren’t in this alone. You’ll be working alongside our talented paid staff who will mentor your team, paired with mentorship from our team of faculty who bring years of industry expertise to the table.
How a soapbox project works
Each semester we assign the practicum team a project to work on that’s usually smaller in scope than our paid clients. This might be a non-profit organization, a department on campus, or a small startup business.
You’ll spend your first week completing agency onboarding, then you’ll get to work.
Choose your department
Select from design, video, writing, marketing, or project management and meet your department head.
Meet the client
Your team will have a discovery meeting with the client to assess what they need and their goals.
Make a proposal
Make a plan
Pre-production
You’ll get to work executing the first phase of the project – whether that’s storyboards and scripts, sketches, or content plans.
Production
You’ll start building the bulk of the content, with refined drafts, video shoots, and everything else to make your project a reality.
Post-production
You’ll editing and refine every element of the project to make it ready to launch.
Presentation + Case Study
You’ll present your campaign to the client, and design a case study explaining your processes.
How the class is structured
Monday
Agency Meeting
We meet as an entire agency for training from staff, faculty, and guest speakers on skills like project management, client relations, problem solving, creativity, team dynamics, job readiness, and more.
Department Meeting
You meet with your department head to report on progress, get help on specific challenges, and receive training specific to your discipline.
Project Meeting
You’ll meet with everybody working on your project to coordinate plans for next steps and make sure everybody is aligned on goals and progress.
Wednesday
Work Time
Use this time to make progress on your project, get feedback from your department head and faculty, and collaborate with your team members.
In Canvas
You’re graded on:
Weekly Reports (20%)
You’ll self report each week on assignments, including time spent, hitting deadlines, and any roadblocks you’re facing.
Performance Reviews (20%)
You’ll meet with your department head in weeks 4, 8, and 12 to go over how you’re meeting the course objectives and your personal goals.
Final Case Study (60%)
You’ll be graded on your individual contribution to the project, both the quantity of work produced, the quality of that work, and the satisfaction of the client.
Any Questions?
Are there prerequisites to the practicum?
No, there are no prerequisites. However, it’s encouraged that you’ve taken some introductory COMM courses in your emphasis (102, 111, 130, 150, 235, 260).
How many hours of work is the practicum?
The baseline expectation of most practicums is that you spend at least 5 hours a week working on this class. Much of that work will take place during the 3 hours of scheduled class time. However, you’re expected to take as much time as needed to get your assignments done on schedule.
Can I take the practicum more than once?
Yes, a practicum course can be repeated for credit as many times as you would like. Retaking the practicum gives you a chance to build your portfolio, gain experience working on different kinds of projects, and network with a diverse group of students and staff.
What if it conflicts with my schedule?
Like any other class, you’re expected to attend the full scheduled class time. Failure to attend per the syllabus policies will result in failing the course.
How many departments can I work in?
Each semester we work on different projects with different needs. In most cases, you’ll work with one department the whole semester. However, there may be opportunities to work with several departments.
Do I need to be a Communication major?
No. This course fulfills a practicum requirement for Communication majors, but students from any major are welcome and encouraged to participate.
What emphasis is this recommended for?
All communication emphases are encouraged to take the Soapbox practicum. There’s some correlation between the departments and the emphases:
- Design – Visual & Digital/Social
- Video – Video
- Marketing – Digital/Social & PR
- Copywriting – PR & Journalism
- Project Management – Strategic Organization & PR
Can I do the practicum and have a job at Soapbox Agency at the same time?
No, the practicum and the job are separate experiences working on different projects. You may consider doing both, but not during the same semester.
How much do we work with Soapbox Agency employees?
This class will periodically meet with Soapbox Agency for agency-wide meetings and trainings. Beyond that, you’ll mostly work independently from the agency.
What’s the difference between the practicum and the job?
In the practicum you commit work about 5 hours a week on one client project, and receive 1 credit.
Paid staff work 15-20 hours a week on 3-5 client projects per semester, and hold management responsibilities.
Does taking the practicum help me get a job at Soapbox Agency?
The practicum gives you great hands-on experience to help you prepare to enter the workforce. Taking the practicum is not a prerequisite to working at the agency, nor does it give you an inherent advantage when applying to work in the agency. However, it does give you a chance to interact with employees and build a portfolio that could help you secure a job at Soapbox Agency.
Can this count as an internship?
No, both the class and the job cannot count as an internship, regardless of your major.
Explore Paid Positions
Every semester we hire for our staff positions – and the first place we look is our practicum class. Paid positions are highly competitive and have 300-level pre-requisites.