Internship Opportunities for English Majors

If you are a junior or senior and have a GPA of 2.0 or above, you are eligible to receive credit for an internship related to the English major, credit can now be applied to the 36 credit requirement for the English major. Internships are invaluable, as they can offer valuable workplace experience, while also helping you determine career goals and adding those needed lines to your résumé. Moreover, doing an internship can put you in touch with people who can help open doors to your future profession by giving you insight to the field, introducing you to others in the profession, and writing letters of recommendation for you. BSU offers a wide range of possible internships, which you can explore by using Career Services Internship Database (www.bridgew.edu/CareerServices/Intern/).

To see what internship relevant to English majors are available for this coming semester, I tried this database. I conducted two searches, using the terms "Publishing" and "Public Relations / Corporate Communications," and limiting my search to Massachusetts. I got 59 hits, including such organizations and companies as Boston Magazine, Cape Cod Times, the BSU Adrian Tinsley Program for Undergraduate Research, Pearson Prentice Hall, the BSU Office of Institutional Communications, John Hancock, and the Massachusetts Democratic Committee. And these 59 internship opportunities are not the only ones available to English majors. As John Paganelli, the interim director of Career Services and Internship Coordinator, points out, all companies and organizations need good writers and critical thinkers.

If you would like to do an internship for next semester, you should start investigating the possibility now. Here are the steps you would need to take:

  • Select an internship. You may search the Internship Database to learn what internships are offered, details on what each internship involves, and which internships are paid. For more assistance, you may set an appointment to meet with John Paganelli, who can help you narrow your career goals and guide you in selecting an internship that will best help you meet these goals.
  • Contact the organization or company. The Internship Database provides the name, phone number, and email address of a contact person for each internship opportunity. You should call or email this person to confirm that the internship is still available and other details provided in the Internship Database.
  • Send a resume and cover letter. Once you've confirmed that the internship is still available, send a resume and cover letter. For assistance developing these materials, you may meet with a Career Services staff member or Writing Studio consultant.
  • Interview. If the organization or company is interested, they will request an interview. Career Services offers a number of printed materials offering interview tips, and offers mock interviews.
  • Identify a Faculty Supervisor. You may receive 1 credit hour for every 45 hours of interning. To get three credit hours (the equivalent to other courses), you would need to intern for 135 hours, which works out to about 10 hours of interning per week. If you would like to get credit for your internship, ask one of your English professors if they will serve as your faculty supervisor. For assistance getting in touch with a potential faculty supervisor, contact Dr. Michelle Cox, the English department's Internship Coordinator.
  • Develop an Internship Contract: In collaboration with your faculty supervisor, develop an internship contract, which includes the following: a job description, your goals, your plan (which includes the number of hours you'll be interning weekly, the kinds of writing you will be doing as part of the internship, the kinds of writing you will be doing for your faculty supervisor, and a schedule for meetings between you and your internship facilitator), and a plan for how you will be assessed. If you’d like to see a sample internship contract, contact Michelle Cox.
  • Complete the Application for Undergraduate Internship or Practicum form: To register and receive credit for ENGL 498 Internship in English, you must complete this form, which can be found at www.bridgew.edu/Registrar/forms.cfm. You may attach your contract to this form. Plan ahead, as this form requires signatures from your advisor, the faculty supervisor, and the department chair. The schedule for registering for internships is the same as for other courses; the deadline is the end of the add/drop period.

Best of luck and feel free to contact Lee Torda if you'd like additional information on internships.

Dr. Lee Torda
Assistant Professor of English
Internship Coordinator
Tillinghast 310
508-531-2436
ltorda@bridgew.edu

Last Modified: December 2, 2011