English Internship Program

The English Department's Internship Program connects English majors and minors with businesses and nonprofit organizations in the Chattanooga area.

Our program offers real-world experience in the following career fields:

• Advertising
• Marketing
• Public Relations
• Corporate Communications
• Nonprofit Proposal Writing
• Social Media Writing
• Event Planning and Promotion
• Journalism
• Copyediting
• Research

Eligibility

To apply to the program, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• English major or minor
• Junior or senior status
• At least a 2.5 overall GPA and a 3.0 in English
• 18+ credit hours beyond English 1020, including two upper level writing courses
• Availability to work 120-150 hours during the upcoming semester, attend a weekly internship workshop, and complete coursework that includes a final portfolio

 

With the help of the internship coordinator, you must secure a qualifying internship prior to the start of the semester.

 

What You Need to Know

All application materials should be submitted two weeks prior to the start of the semester. 

English 4960R: Internship Workshop
In addition to completing 120-150 hours of work experience, interns must enroll in English 4960, attend a weekly workshop, and complete coursework that includes a final portfolio.

Student interns work for an average of 10 hours per week for 12-15 weeks under the supervision of a professional in the Chattanooga area and attend a weekly 50-minute class with the Internship Coordinator. 

For course credit, you must fulfill your internship responsibilities, attend the weekly workshop, and successfully complete all coursework. 

Senior Capstone Option
Students with 90+ total credit hours may take English 4960R as their senior capstone experience. Capstone students must meet the same expectations as other English 4960R students, plus a few additional portfolio requirements.

Internship Opportunities

Local nonprofits in the health industry, law firms, community news publications with a focus on activities in and around the city, English department faculty and journals with an emphasis on editing.

Coursework

The class (ENGL4960R for undergraduates and 5290r for graduates) fosters students’ skills in writing nonacademic prose to support the goals of a company or nonprofit organization.  Students often learn:

To conduct research for the workplace which differs from academic research To demonstrate professionalism in appearance, demeanor, punctuality, and ability to meet deadlines. 

Students must apply for the internship during the semester previous to the intended internship experience. The internship provides 120-150 hours of hand-on experience for the student who is interested in a career in business, industry, government, or non-profit agency. Student interns work for an average of 10 hours per week under the supervision of a professional in the Chattanooga area.

• To develop habits and skills to become a self-starter in the workplace
• To respond with maturity to commentary, critiques, and suggestions from workplace supervisors
• To decipher the rhetorical and stylistic differences between academic and workplace writing genres
• To develop skills to market themselves to potential employers