Internships
The student pursuing an internship is expected to take responsibility for finding an appropriate sponsor and for organizing communication between the graduate director and the internship supervisor. Nevertheless, he or she should use these guidelines as an aid.
The M. A. program entertains proposals for two types of internships: those " in the field," so to speak, which would include work in the publishing industry, in technical writing, in museums, in archives, etc.; and internships in the teaching of composition.
Field Internships:
These internships are designed to help students make the transition from
academe to the professional world. The goal is to develop real-world experience
in a non-academic field you want to pursue after graduation.
For internships in the field the graduate director will act as the student's faculty supervisor. In consultation with both the graduate director and with the off-campus supervisor of the internship, the student will complete the Application for Individual Graduate Enrollment Project form).
This form is available at the Graduate School Office in Randolph Hall. The form provides a small space for "Description of Project." To satisfy this description, you should complete an "Internship Agreement" (Word document or Acrobat document), available through the director of graduate studies in English. You should draft this agreement in consultation with your supervisor, detailing the type of work and the hours to be completed. As the nature of these internships will vary according to each student, we can provide no general protocol. Consulting with the graduate advisor early in the application process will help the student devise an appropriate project. This application should be approved before the first day of class of the academic semester in which the project is to be undertaken.
It is the student's responsibility to find an internship and secure the cooperation of the off-campus sponsor. But the graduate director can help you develop contacts that might prove fruitful. The program maintains a file of past internships and of alumni contacts who are willing to develop an internship relationship with the M. A. Program, but, because the internship was only added to the program in 2004, our file is thin. The Career Services office is an excellent resource.
Teaching of Composition Internships:
These internships are designed to train students to teach composition
at the college level. Such an internship is appropriate for those students
pursuing, a career in teaching at the two-year college level, a career
in a writing division at a four-year college, or a doctorate.
Internships can be conducted at the College of Charleston or at another institution of higher education, such as Trident Technical College or Coastal Carolina University.
It is the student's responsibility to find an internship and secure the cooperation of the sponsor. But the graduate director can help you develop contacts that might prove fruitful. The program maintains a file of past internships and of off-campus contacts who are willing to sponsor internships in the teaching of composition. So you should discuss your ideas for an internship with the director early in your Program of Study.
In consultation with both the graduate director and with the internship's supervisor, the student will complete the Application for Individual Graduate Enrollment Project form (also called the "Independent Study Registration Form").
This form is available at the Graduate School Office in Randolph Hall. The form provides a small space for "Description of Project." You should attach a "contract," drafted in consultation with your supervisor, detailing your responsibilities. These responsibilities should include attending all class meetings. You should consult the "Internship in Teaching Composition" worksheet.
For teaching internships conducted at the College of Charleston, the mentoring faculty member will be the "faculty supervisor." For internships sponsored by other institutions, the graduate director is officially the "faculty supervisor." In such cases, it is incumbent upon the student to organize communication between the graduate director and the supervising faculty member from the outside institution.