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 non-academic 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