English Internships

About Internships

English majors from Saint Rose are able to take advantage of a variety of internship opportunities through taking our class English 494: Internship. This course, which is required of our English majors starting with the 2007-2009 Undergraduate Catalog, provides students with the practical experience of applying the knowledge and skills of their coursework in actual work environments.

It is also open to all English and English: Adolescence Education majors who have completed 90 credits toward their degree, as well as students who have completed at least 12 credits toward their Writing Minor may also apply to take this course. Students engage in field opportunities in writing, research, drama, and literature at such sites as newspapers, public relations offices, schools, non-profit organizations, government agencies, theaters, and other professional contexts.
 

How to Get Started

So you want to take an internship. You want to gain some professional experience before heading out into the real world. For many English majors, it will be an academic requirement for graduation. But where do you start?

I's never too early to plan for your internship. In the semesters that lead up to your internship, there's plenty you can do. Here are some tips.

1. Go to the Career Center, located on the third floor of Saint Joseph Hall . There, you can start to compose a professional resume and cover letters. Go to the Center's Resource Room, where there are shelves full of directories and how-to guides on resume writing and careers.

Register for their eCareerCenter website to see what kinds of internship opportunities and resources are online. Come during their walk-in hours and talk with a counselor.

2. Plan out which semester you will take your internship. Look up your own Academic Progress Report. Talk with your English Department adviser. If you are an English major, confirm whether or not it is a requirement for your graduation--those who started their studies under the 2007-2009 catalog onward must take ENG 494. Make sure you are eligible to register for an internship as well. A student who is an English or English/Adolescence Education major who has completed 90 credits toward his or her degree and has completed the prerequisites--ENG 112, ENG 330, and one 300-level literature course--can take an internship. Students who have completed at least 12 credits toward his or her writing minor may also apply to take English 494.

Remember: There is an internship, and then there's ENG 494: Internship. Please remember that the English Internship class is required for those English majors who started studies under the 2007-2009 catalog. Please also remember that the internship coordinator and the English Department can only offer assistance for those students who take on an unpaid internship position for academic credit--that is, to register for ENG 494--as opposed to those taken outside the realm of the English Department.

3. Obtain permission from (PDF file) the internship coordinator to register for English 494. Do this around advisement time. In order to register for the class, you need to obtain a signed permission form from the internship coordinator, Dr. Ronald Shavers,  and register in person at the Student Solution Center.

4. After you register for ENG 494, there will be another meeting with the internship coordinator to figure which kind of internship you will want to take. Bring a professional resume and questions about what kind of internships you may be interested in exploring. After this meeting, you will set up interviews and appointments. Go to the class Blackboard site, which will have listings of internship opportunities. Do this before the semester ends to start you internship at the start of the semester.

5. Once you secure your internship. you will need to fill out a Learning Contract before you start your internship (PDF file).

Internships: Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours a week do I need to work?
English 494: Internship is a 4-credit class. Plan on working 8-12 hours a week, for a total of 120-140 hours total.

Do I get paid?
No. English 494: Internship is for credit. Sometimes an internship site may reimburse for transportation, but no paid positions will "count" as an internship.

What kind of internship opportunities are out there?
There's a wide range. Recently, Saint Rose English majors have worked everywhere from nonprofit organizations such as The New York State Alliance for Arts Education and The Sanctuary for Independent Media, to small literary presses such as Flim Forum Press and Painted Bride Quarterly, to small publishers and public relations firms.

Will I have to find my own internship?
Yes, but we will help you! Start off with looking at the many listings for you to look at in the Career Center. After you have registered for English 494, you will be able to access the internship opportunities the English Department internship coordinator retains on file and posts on the class Blackboard site as well.

When do I need to find an internship?
Ideally, students should start looking for an internship immediately after they have registered for the class. A student who registers for English 494 in April for the following Fall semester, then, should find, interview for, and secure an internship well before the Fall semester starts. Failure to secure an internship at the beginning of the semester will increase how many hours per week a student will end up working at a placement, and also may affect that student's final grade for the class.

Are there any forms to fill out?
Glad you asked! Yes, there are some forms to fill out. Since this class is by permission only, you will register for English 494 in person at the Student Solution Center. Before you go there, you must fill out Permission Form (PDF file) and have it signed by the internship coordinator, Dr. Ronald Shavers. Do this at any time.

The most important form comes after you have obtained an internship is the Learning Contract. The function of the Learning Contract is to establish an agreement among student, internship site supervisor, and internship coordinator regarding the purposes and logistics of a student's internship. This will help insure that you will learn what you want to learn at your internship. This form must be signed by the student, the supervisor and the internship coordinator before the internship can begin, and are then distributed to all parties.

What will I do at the end of the semester?
Students hand in a Final Portfolio comprising three items--due at 5pm the final day of exams--when they are finished English 494.

1. A 4- to 5-page essay that explores what the student accomplished at their internship placement, in particular what connections they made with their in-class learning with their work out in the field.

2. A portfolio that includes three items the student worked on or completed during his or her internship. This may be anything from an official email the student wrote and edited, a flyer she wrote designed, or an article or blog posts the student writes or edits during his or her internship.

3. An updated professional resume that includes their internship experience.