Internships in English

Completing an internship gives you an opportunity to hone the analytical and writing skills you’ve developed in your English classes in a professional setting. Besides earning course credit, you gain real-world experience that helps you stand out when you apply for a job, start a career or apply to a graduate or professional school. The contacts you make are often invaluable and many students find their internships are just plain fun.

Students are generally responsible for finding internships, but once you land one, you work with the English Department’s Internship Director in order to define the professional and academic requirements that, once completed, earn unit credit.

For freshman and sophomore students considering the Professional Writing minor

Apply to be an intern in ENGL 189: Professional/Digital Writing. ENGL 189 brings together a group of freshman and sophomore students for an experience that is half class (readings, discussions, homework), and half internship (researching, writing, and designing for an on campus department). This collaboration allows first and second year students to engage in multiple roles (project manager, content strategist, web developer, usability tester, user researcher, etc) during one internship, so that they can apply to competitive off campus internships with confidence.

For students who have secured an internship and want to receive course credit

English 198a, Writing Internship, is an independent study course that grants academic credit for your internship:

Work-study program for students of superior writing ability who gain course credit by supervised writing on newspapers, magazines, or for government or private agencies. Enrollment is by permission of invitation of the instructor and department chair. May be repeated once for credit for a total of 10 units. Students are graded P/NP only. (1-5 units)

You cannot register for ENGL 198A yourself via eCampus as you do for regular classes. To enroll, you must complete this form, then receive approval from the English Department Internship Director, who will give you your next steps.

For students enrolled in ENGL 198A

Once enrolled, you’ll meet with the Director of Internships a few times during the quarter during your internship. During these meetings you will: 

1. Create an informal planning memo to set clear goals for the internship. Your plan will often enumerate your writing tasks and a tentative schedule of projects as well as any anticipated problems, concerns, or special needs.
2. Share progress reports describing and assessing your internship at mid-quarter and establishing goals for the second half of the term.
3. Workshop your professional website (see student examples) that includes an updated resume, an evaluation letter from your site supervisor, and examples of some of the work completed during your placement.

Questions or concerns? Contact Dr. Heather Noel Turner, Director of Internships.