English internship opportunities
Internship as Capstone
Revised September 2007
The Internship as Capstone
is designed for students enrolled under the “new” English major
requirements. These requirements include a capstone experience. You may
choose to fulfill that requirement by successfully completing ENGL 498.
An internship is a bridge between the university and the workplace. It
gives you the opportunity to explore the practical application of your
skills in writing, editing, oral communication, critical thinking,
literary analysis, and research. And it lets you test whether a career
in publishing, journalism, public relations, or business is right for
you before you accept that important first job after college.
Nationwide, employers emphasize the importance of internships; indeed, a
significant number of employers—34%—report that they specifically look
for internship experience on the resume of job applicants. And a letter
of recommendation from the supervisor of your internship can be
invaluable in helping you to land the job you want after graduation.
Eligibility
If you’re interested in the
Internship as Capstone, you should first meet with Dr. Carl Behm, who
coordinates the program. Dr. Behm may be reached by e-mail (cbehm@towson.edu)
or by telephone (410-704-3600). His office is in Linthicum Hall, 201-F.
To be eligible for an internship, you must
-
be an English major,
have completed ENGL 200 with a grade of C or higher, and have
initiated your major assessment portfolio (a requirement for
satisfactory completion of ENGL 200);
-
have completed (or be
completing concurrently) all (or nearly all) the requirements of the
English major;
-
have a 2.7 cumulative
GPA at Towson University or obtain a waiver of this requirement from
Dr. Behm.
Selecting and Registering for an Internship
Students eligible for the
Internship as Capstone should meet with Glenda Henkel in the Career
Center. You may make an appointment by contacting Ms. Henkel by e-mail (ghenkel@towson.edu)
or by telephone (410-704-2932). Ms. Henkel will assist you with your
internship placement. You may choose from dozens of approved internships
or you may “self-select” your internship subject to Dr. Behm’s approval.
You may register for ENGL 498 at any time, either before or after you
finalize your placement. First, you will need Dr. Behm’s permission to
register, after which you may obtain the necessary permission code from
Susan Weininger, the administrative assistant in the English Department
office.
Requirements and Grading
To earn credit for ENGL 498
you must:
-
earn at least a
satisfactory rating from your employment supervisor;
-
work a minimum of 108
hours on the job;
-
complete all of the
requirements of the Career Center;
-
update Dr. Behm regularly
throughout the semester, either in person or by e-mail;
-
arrange for Dr. Behm to
visit you at the job site, preferably no later than midsemester;
-
complete the assessment
portfolio you began in ENGL 200 (either LiveText or paper portfolio)
and have it approved by Dr. Behm;
complete the following written requirements for ENGL 498 and submit
them to Dr. Behm no later than the last day of classes for the
semester:
-
a first report (to
be submitted after you have completed approximately 20 hours on
the job) that details your responsibilities, the nature of the
supervision provided by your employer, and any problems you have
encountered (see the attached form);
-
a report based on an
interview with your supervisor that examines his or her views on
the profession and his or her educational and career history in
light of your own aspirations;
-
a final report
describing and evaluating your internship experience (see the
attached form).
The Internship as Capstone
employs regular (A to F) grading. Dr. Behm will determine your grade as
follows:
Your employment supervisor’s evaluation of such things as mastery of
necessary skills, initiative, effort, improvement, punctuality,
appearance, and attitude will determine 70% of your final average.
Dr. Behm’s evaluation of your reports, assessment portfolio, and ability
to complete all requirements in a timely and professional manner will
determine the remaining 30% of your final average. It is imperative that
you work closely with Dr. Behm and meet your deadlines.
N.B.: Failure to complete either your assessment portfolio or the final
report will result in a grade of F for the course.
First Report
-
Your name, student ID
number, address, telephone number(s), and e-mail address:
-
Your employer’s name and
address:
Your supervisor’s name,
position, and telephone number:
-
Your work schedule (days
and hours):
-
Your duties and
responsibilities (describe in detail):
-
Your learning goals:
-
Nature of supervision:
-
Initial impressions:
Problems, or potential
problems?
Suggestions you would like me to mention to your supervisor?
Is the internship experience everything you had hoped it would be so
far?
Final Report
The Final Report is an
important requirement of the Internship as Capstone. It should describe
in detail the work you did and the things you learned. It should contain
examples of your work and discuss them in the context of your training.
Finally, it should evaluate the experience and make suggestions for
improving the internship experience.
These are the specific
requirements:
-
Due date: No later than
the last day of classes.
-
Length: A minimum of
five double-spaced, typed pages, exclusive of examples.
-
Contents:
-
Description of your
duties, with examples of your work;
-
Analysis of this
on-the-job experience in terms of your professional growth and
experience as an English major;
-
Comments on the
nature of and value of the supervision you had;
-
An appendix of
examples of your work (when appropriate), containing any
published work, letters, press releases, and unpublished work.
Please submit the report—in
hard copy—to Dr. Behm in Linthicum 201-F. If Dr. Behm is not available,
please give your report to a secretary in the English Department offices
in the 218 wing of Linthicum Hall.
Questions
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Behm, either
by telephone (410-704-3600) or by e-mail (cbehm@towson.edu).
PDF Version:
ENGL 498 Internship as a
Capstone (PDF)
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