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Finding an Internship

Receiving Academic Credit for your Internship

The English Department offers academic credit for pre-professional internships through ENGL388P, our Pre-Professional Internship Course.  Please visit the ENGL388P page for additional information on applying academic credit.

In addition, the English Undergraduate Studies Office offers internship advising on an individual basis to introduce students to internship opportunities inside and outside of the English Department. To make an appointment to see the internship advisor, call the English Undergraduate Studies office at 301-405-3825, or stop by 1128 Tawes Hall.
 

The following resources and considerations are intended to aid you in your search for the perfect internship.

Internship experience can help students stand out in today's crowded job market.  English majors and minors have acquired reading, writing, and research skills which a variety of employers find highly desirable. If a student doesn't have any experience in a particular career field, an internship can provide the experience needed to make a successful entry into the workforce. A semester-long stint at a publishing house, law office, media outlet, or government or nonprofit agency allows students to:

  • Take their skills outside of the classroom and into a specific company or organization
  • Make important contacts
  • Acquire references to use as they apply for positions in the future
  • Try out possible fields of interest before they graduate
  • Gain valuable skills to list on their resumes
  • See the value of an English degree beyond the obvious path of teaching
  • Narrow down the type of writing they're interested in doing in their careers
  • Learn how to interact with colleagues
  • Get an early chance to experience the world of work firsthand

Important Considerations

  • Many internships only require a semester-long commitment.
  • Supervisors are often quite willing to work around a student's academic schedule.
  • Students can earn college credit while they intern (see below).
  • Junior year is the ideal time to complete an internship, but opportunities exist for everyone.
  • Even if students don't have any related experience, an enthusiastic, eager attitude can help them receive an internship.
  • Students can complete more than one internship during their undergraduate years.
  • Internship experience can serve as a powerful navigational tool. It will allow students to focus their interests and uncover professional strengths and weaknesses.

Finding an Internship

Past interns have worked for magazines, newspapers, literary agencies, publishing houses, public relations firms, law firms, television and radio stations, museums, theatres, non-profits, and more.

  • Take an inventory, asking the following questions: 
    • What type of work would I like to do? In what field?
    • What type of organization would involve that kind of work?
    • What specific skills and experiences am I looking to gain?
  • Browse the list of English Department-sponsored internship opportunities.
  • Review the internships listed in our newsletter, the Friday Fast Facts.  Monitor the bulletin board in the Tawes Undergraduate Lounge for extended information on Friday Fast Facts listings.  If you don't currently receive the Friday Fast Facts, e-mail us at english@umd.edu.
  • Browse our previously posted internships from Friday Fast Facts on our electronic internship bulletin board. 
  • Consider one of these On-Campus or College Park-based internships.
  • Visit the employment or careers page of an organization's website for any available internships 
  • Make an appointment with Internship and Career Advisor Karen Lewis by calling 301-405-3825.
  • Search for connections through friends and family 
  • Browse the internship binder on the bookshelf in 1128 Tawes to get an idea of what opportunities have been available in the past 
  • Consult resources on the complete internship process:
    • Fedorko, Jaime. The Intern Files. New York: Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2006.
    • H. Frederick Sweitzer, and Mary A. King. The Successful Internship: Transformations and Empowerment in Experiential Learning. 2nd ed. Belmont: Brooks/Cole, 2004.

Internship databases