An immersive learning experience for English majors of all concentrations, Internship I offers students the opportunity to use and develop their writing, communication, and interpersonal skills in a professional setting.

Placement sites vary among local non-profit organizations, businesses, government organizations, and schools, with interns fulfilling a range of professional tasks according to the needs of their placement site.

Some of the benefits of the course are obvious: students will build valuable skills and expertise, gain hands-on experience, and improve their prospects in a competitive job market after graduation. In addition to the practical, professional experience, the internship may yield something deeper: a sense of confidence and purpose that comes with contributing to the community by helping organizations meet often-pressing needs.

Learning objectives:

  • Develop professionalism and a career plan (including mastering basic career tools: resume, LinkedIn, informational interview, networking, etc.)
  • Develop teamwork skills and collaborate effectively.
  • Gain basic competence in technology and/or genres associated with your internship.
  • Enhance your ability to determine the appropriate content, format, and style for a specific situation, purpose, and audience.
  • Revise and edit materials through an on-going process of self-, peer-, co-worker-, and supervisor-based critique; substantive revision; and careful editing.

Internship I and the Practicum course fulfill different requirements for English majors depending on the concentration. 

  • JPW Concentration: A) 3/4000-level Writing Elective or B) Capstone. 
  • CW/LIT/THEA Concentration: C) English elective, with the possibility of the course meeting an upper-level course requirement, by exception, if the internship is relevant to a specific concentration. 

Discuss with your advisor. English minors and BLA students may take this course to fulfill a requirement. Check with your advisor about your specific case. Any student in any major who has met the prerequisite may also take the course as a free elective.