Technical Writing Internships
Internship FAQs
- What is an Internship?
- Why Would I Want an Internship?
- What Will I Learn During an Internship?
- What Internships are Offered?
- How Do I Receive Academic Credit for my Internship?
- How Do I Know if I am Eligible for an Internship?
- Will I Get Paid for my Internship?
- How Much Time Do I Spend at the Internship Site?
- How do I Apply for an Internship?
- When do I Apply for an Internship?
- If I Am Not Selected for an Internship, Can I Apply Again?
- Why is the Internship Information Meeting So Important?
- When Is the Internship Information Meeting?
- When and How Do I Register for English 498?
An internship is an opportunity for you to work in a real work setting where you will be able to apply your classroom knowledge and gain experience in the areas of writing, editing, and layout/design.
2. Why Would I Want an Internship?
In addition to experience working in a real work setting with writing, editing, and layout/design, an internship will provide you with writing samples, references and letters of recommendation, and insight into your potential future careers.
3. What Will I Learn During an Internship?
An internship will enable you to develop your skills in technical writing, technical editing, web publishing, and desktop publishing. Some internships will allow you to develop your skills more in one area than another (e.g., some internships focus more on technical editing than on writing and web and desktop publishing). Attend the Internship Information Meeting and view the Past Internship Descriptions to find out what internship might be right for you.
4. What Internships are Offered?
The Department of English has various writing internships set up at the university and with businesses and organizations in Eau Claire. For a list of past internships, see Past Internship Descriptions. The internships change from semester to semester; attend the Internship Information Meeting to find out what internships are currently being offered.
5. How Do I Receive Academic Credit for my Internship?
When you obtain an internship, you will register for English 498, Internship in Writing. You will be required to complete the requirements for this course: work at least 3 hours per week at the internship site, keep a journal, give an oral report, meet with the internship director and other interns periodically throughout the semester, and write a technical report at the end of the internship. For more information, see Internship Policy.
6. How Do I Know if I am Eligible for an Internship?
In order to be eligible for an internship, you must have completed English 305 and 9 other credits from writing classes, not including English 110. For more information on eligibility, see Eligibility on the Internship Policy page.
7. Will I Get Paid for my Internship?
Because you are receiving course credit, most of the internships are unpaid. For more information on payment, see Unpaid and Paid Internships on the Internship Policy page.
8. How Much Time Do I Spend at the Internship Site?
For each course credit you earn in any class, you are expected to spend 1 hour in class and and two hours outside of class (e.g., reading, writing, studying). For example, for a 3 credit internship, you would work 9 hours per week at the internship site.
9. How do I Apply for an Internship?
The first step is to attend the Internship Information Meeting. After attending the meeting, you will have to submit a resume and cover letter to and interview with the internship director and/or the internship site supervisor. For more information on the application process, see the Overview of the Application Process.
10. When do I Apply for an Internship?
The application process takes place the semester before your actual internship begins. Therefore, if you want a spring semester internship, you need to attend the fall Internship Information Meeting. If you want a fall semester internship, you need to attend the spring Internship Information Meeting. For more information about the Internship Information Meeting and the application process, see the Overview of the Application Process.
11. If I Am Not Selected for an Internship, Can I Apply Again?
Yes--we encourage you to continue taking writing classes and apply again. Often this leads to an internship.
12. Why is the Internship Information Meeting So Important?
At the Internship Information Meeting, you will find out what internships are available, what the application deadlines are, what to put in your resume and cover letter and where to send them, and what the academic requirements are. You will also have the opportunity to talk to current interns.
13. When Is the Internship Information Meeting?
The Internship Information Meeting is held in October for spring semester internships and March for fall semester internships. Attend the information meeting the semester before anticipated internship. Find out the exact date from posters in Hibbard Hall and email notices.
14. When and How Do I Register for English 498?
Once you have interviewed and been chosen by the site supervisor, obtain the pre-registration form for English 498 in the English Dept. Office, Hibbard 405. Fill out the form and leave it in the Internship Director's mailbox to be signed. Then, before you go home for the semester, register for English 498 on the Blugold system as usual. For more information, see Application Process.
