Department of English
Guidelines for Internships

An important form of applied learning, internships help students hone their writing skills while also discovering and refining personal interests and career pursuits. And, of course, the professional relationships developed through internships have the potential to lead to job placement after graduation. English majors and minors are well suited for internships with, among others:

· Non-profit organizations (grant writing, public relations, event planning)

· Literary and arts-oriented organizations and foundations

· Public relations firms

· Law firms

· Publishers (books, magazines, trade publications)

· Government agencies

· Businesses of varying types

Recently, Micah Gutweiler interned with the The Pitch and Paul Pursell will be interning with Anthem Publishing in summer 2012.

Finding an Internship

The English Department maintains a list of organizations students may wish to contact about internships, and you can learn about these opportunities through your advisor. However, the best place to start when searching for an internship is the Park University Career Development Center, specifically the Internships page. Park University’s Internship Coordinator Traci Klasing assists students in locating and applying for internships. Ms. Klasing may be reached traci.klasing@park.edu or 816-584-6407.

Receiving Course Credit for Your Internship

Students wishing to pursue internships are not required to enroll in course credit (though some organizations may require this of student interns). Students who do want to earn course credit may do so in one of two ways:

· Enrolling in EN 384, Professional Learning Experience in English, for three credit hours. EN 384 fulfills one of the required electives for the EN major or minor. To enroll in EN 384, the student must have junior or senior standing and permission of the faculty member the student wishes to work with.

· Enrolling in LS 304, Special Topics in Humanities/Liberal Studies, for one or two credit hours (ideal for students wishing to complete course credit in the eight-week format). To enroll in LE 304, the student must have the permission of the faculty member the student wishes to work with. There is no requirement for student standing.

At least four weeks before the start of the semester or term the student wishes to enroll in EN 384 or LS 304, s/he should complete Part One of the Internship Learning Contract and submit the form to their advisors for approval. The advisor will help the student coordinate with the faculty member whose background and interests best fit the internship. You can obtain the Internship Learning Contract from your advisor or from Cathy Boisen.

Professional Expectations for Interns

In addition to the conduct expected of any English major or minor (timeliness, responsiveness, preparedness, etc.), students completing internships represent the University to important community constituents and must be accountable to that responsibility. Punctuality, professionalism (in dress, speech, and conduct), etc. are paramount not only to the success of each student but to the continued positive relationship between Park and the local community. All students will abide by the standards and policies set forth for Park University students, not only those specified in the Park University Student Code of Conduct but also those specific to Park University student interns. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Career Services Internship Coordinator to learn about specific policies and procedures. Failure to demonstrate appropriate conduct during the internship experience may result in failure of the course.