Internships

Internships in English

Your skills in English prepare you for a wide range of jobs, and majors are encouraged to seek out internships in many different fields. Internships can help you figure out your career goals and prepare you for important decisions ahead. They provide valuable networking opportunities, pre-professional experience, and substantial enhancement to a resumé.

As a declared English major, you have access to a variety of internship experiences. You can propose an external internship or apply for an internal internship offered exclusively through the English Department. You can also arrange for a teaching internship with a member of the English Department faculty. Explore your options with an advisor or your professors to find a suitable and rewarding internship.

Spring 2025 Internship Descriptions English Internship Application

External internships

Students are encouraged to approach potential organizations and businesses outside of the English Department concerning external internships. See here for a list of previous external internships and current faculty recommendations; you’ll find opportunities in law offices, advertising agencies, radio and television stations, newspapers, and public-relations firms, among others.

The Walter Center for Career Achievement also maintains external internship listings through its Career Link. External internships can be taken at any time, but since they often involve work away from campus, most students pursue them during the summer term and very often in or near their hometowns.

Credit for external internships

The English major whose external internship involves skills appropriate to the English Program may qualify for academic credit in English X373: Professional Practice in English. The number of credits is dependent on the work requirement of the internship (3 credit hours is worth approximately 150 hours per term or 10 hours of work per week). If you are considering an external internship, read the full course description for X373, including prerequisites and restrictions, in the College Bulletin.

As noted in the course description, credit for X373 is arranged only in advance of the internship activity. An application for credit requires a description of the internship activity submitted by the employer and identification of the person responsible for supervising the activity.

Students are required to keep a reflective journal throughout the internship, to be checked by the director of undergraduate studies at the middle and end of the semester. The grade is awarded only after receipt of an evaluation form completed by the internship supervisor and an internship report prepared by the student.

If you are interested, email a letter of application and the provider’s description of the internship to: IU English Internship Program, Department of English, here.

Internal internships

Internal internships are coordinated through the Department of English and awarded competitively. English majors are notified of specific opportunities in advance of the deadline for each competition and must submit a letter of application and supporting materials to every internship that interests them. Previous internships have been awarded with:

Arts and Humanities Council

College Arts and Humanities Institute

Indiana Review

Indiana University Press

Indiana University Writers' Conference

Victorian Studies

Credit for internal internships

The English major awarded an internal internship is eligible to enroll for 1-3 hours of credit in English X473: Internship in English. The number of credits is dependent on the work requirement of the internship (3 credit hours is worth approximately 150 hours per term or 10 hours of work per week). If you are considering an internal internship, read the full course description for X473, including prerequisites and restrictions, in the College Bulletin.

Students are required to keep a reflective journal throughout the internal internship, to be checked by the director of undergraduate studies at the middle and end of the semester. The final grade for X473, S/F, is awarded only after receipt of an evaluation form completed by the internship supervisor and an internship report prepared by the student. (In the case of students who receive Honors College internship grants, this report may be a copy of the report required by the Honors College.)

Teaching internships

Teaching internships provide opportunities to participate in planning a course and lecturing or leading classroom discussion. To apply, a student must first approach a familiar faculty member and make a proposal — typically, though not necessarily — for a course the student has already taken with that instructor.

Credit for teaching internships

The English major awarded an internal or teaching internship is eligible to enroll for 1-3 hours of credit in English X471: Teaching Internship in English. The number of credits is dependent on the work requirement of the internship (3 credit hours is worth approximately 150 hours per term or 10 hours of work per week). If you are considering a teaching internship, read the full course description for X471, including prerequisites and restrictions, in the College Bulletin.

Students are required to keep a reflective journal throughout the teaching internship, to be checked by the director of undergraduate studies at the middle and end of the semester. The final grade for X471, S/F, is awarded only after receipt of an evaluation form completed by the internship supervisor and an internship report prepared by the student. (In the case of students who receive Honors College internship grants, this report may be a copy of the report required by the Honors College.)

Internship grants

Students awarded IU editorial or teaching internships can compete for teaching and non-teaching internship grants from the Hutton Honors College.

Students awarded internships related to the professional practice of editing, writing, publishing, and communications may be considered for a grant from the English department’s Culbertson fund ($300 maximum).

Information about the Culbertson grant opportunity will be available upon request through undergraduate studies in English after internship selections are confirmed. Recipients of internship grants are required to submit a report on the internship experience to the appropriate funders at the end of the term.