Students will earn a minimum of 6 credits (ENGL 597) for an internship. Students develop an internship plan in consultation with their advisors. The internship should complement the program of study and career objectives.
Note: Students with professional experience equivalent to an internship may petition the Rhetoric and Professional Communication Committee for a waiver of the internship requirement. If the waiver request is approved, students will complete six additional hours of coursework.
Internship Overview
A successful internship is an invaluable way of developing your writing, editing, digital and web design, marketing, grant writing, and technical skills. By building professional connections with on-site supervisors, companies, and departments, student interns are able to gain experience in the workplace while utilizing their academic abilities.
Typically interns work on-site for 8 to 10 hours per week during the semester or 10 to 12 hours per week during summer session and enroll in ENGL 597: Internship in Technical and Professional Writing. This 3-credit hour online course helps student interns deepen their on-site experience through weekly discussion posts, reading tailored to their specific internship placement, and a final report (either oral or written). The English Department Internship Coordinator oversees the online course and will assist students in identifying an internship placement suited to their skills and career goals.
Internship supervisors complete a final evaluation of the intern’s performance. Assessment criteria include punctuality, dependability, self-motivation, cooperation, confidentiality, work ethic, and professionalism. These evaluations are considered in the calculation of the final grade for ENGL 597.
Academic Requirements for ENGL 597
At the beginning of the term, interns, together with their site supervisors, develop a contract that outlines tasks and expectations, a timeline, and outcomes for the semester. The contract should also specify the skills are expected of the intern and those skills that may be developed on site. In conjunction with the Internship Coordinator/ENGL 597 instructor and the site supervisor, interns choose readings related to internships generally or specific to their placement. Subsequently, interns respond to weekly discussion prompts posted by the instructor and to the posts of other interns. At the end of the semester, interns may choose either to write a report or make an oral presentation on their internship experience. Interns also provide a photograph and summary of their internship placement for use in informational and promotional materials for the program.
Internship Placement
Interested students must apply for a specific internship position (announced on department or university listservs and via the ENGL 597 website) and be selected by the site supervisor. Students may meet with the Internship Coordinator in order to determine site placement and availability. Students should be prepared with a current CV or resume and have appropriate academic and professional skills that meet the needs of the prospective site placement. It is also possible to create an internship position through existing contacts or organizations with which the student has been previously affiliated. For more placement opportunities, visit the NMSU Office of Career Services website at https://careerservices.nmsu.edu/, or contact Justine Wells, Internship Coordinator, at jbwells@nmsu.edu.
Typically, internship placements are unpaid. Occasionally, however, interns may receive compensation.
Related Courses
In preparation for their internship, students should choose from the following courses to build a trajectory and gain practice, technique, and theory relevant to a successful internship:
- ENGL 512: Writing in the Workplace
- ENGL 520: Workshop: Advanced Composition
- ENGL 527: Graduate Study in Film and Digital Media
- ENGL 531: Technical Editing
- ENGL 536: The Borderlands Writing Project
- ENGL 562: Interdisciplinary, Client-Based Project Practicum
- ENGL 566: Online Pedagogy for Writing and Professional Communication
- ENGL 572: Technical-Professional Communication: Theory and Pedagogy
- ENGL 578: Document Design
- ENGL 643: Multimedia Theory and Production
- ENGL 665: Intercultural Rhetorical and Professional Communication
For more information on the Internship Program, visit http://english.nmsu.edu/resources/internships/.
