Internships

The Internship Program is an integral part of the Professional Writing certificate and involves a capstone seminar, English 499, which is a required course for some Professional Writing students. Generally, students participate in the internship and seminar in the first semester of their senior year. While the seminar is required for many Professional Writing students, all students who are English majors or minors, undergraduate or graduate, regardless of their area of concentration, are invited to take advantage of the opportunities that an internship can provide.

The Internship Program in the Department of English Language and Literature allows students to gain real-world experience in various related fields, including editing, writing for publication, web design, and technical writing. Both volunteer and paid internships are offered by a variety of UNM programs and off campus New Mexico companies. All allow flexible hours to accommodate student schedules.

Placement

Students seeking placement in an internship should contact the Internship Director (see below).

Many students arrange their own internships with individuals they know from prior work or other existing personal and professional contacts. Such arrangements often make good internships, but in order to ensure the internship is recognized by the department and university for official purposes, students must notify the Internship Director and complete the items noted in the Internship Checklist.

Prospective interns should have a Portfolio, including current resume and samples of work, to take to an interview. If the student and mentor initiate an internship placement, call or e-mail the Internship Director (see below) to start the Internship process that, if you wish, leads to getting course credit for your work.

UNM Career Services offers co-op placements with major national employers. The co-op program is, essentially, a full-time, paid internship that usually requires delaying graduation by a semester or more depending on how the student fulfills the work requirement associated with the co-op. Co-op is an excellent opportunity for students who want work experience (and good pay) while they pursue their degree. The link below will direct you to the Co-op information page. See UNM Career Services for more information.

Coursework

The English department offers English 499, the internship course, which grants 1-3 hours of course credit for the internship itself and for participation in the 499 class. Students who want course credit for their internship work register for 499 either while they are interning or after completing the internship.

Please note, many students complete more than one internship before they register for 499, and students are NOT required to register for 499 to participate in an internship. Students concentrating in Professional Writing must complete English 499, but for all other students, English 499 is simply the means of receiving course credit; it is not a requirement for completing an internship.

Resources

Those who would like to know more about the process of preparing for an internship, or about how the internship works, can visit the Internship Timeline page. Be sure to check the Frequently Asked Questions, as well.

Contact the Director

For more information on internships in English, contact Dr. Tiffany Bourelle at tbourell@unm.edu.