Internships help English majors explore some of the ways they can apply their knowledge and training before they graduate.
Many internship students discover that they love a particular industry or type of job, helping them better define what they want to do after graduation. Just as important, some students find that the job they thought they wanted is not a good fit for them after interning in that setting. That experience helps them adjust their post-graduation plans.
The Greater Milwaukee area is big and diverse and provides an array of potential internship opportunities for students. As part of their professional development, we encourage our students to draw upon both UWM and personal resources to develop professionally or locate suitable internships, including:
Depending on the internship, the role can be paid or unpaid. However, whether paid or not, internships are a valuable way to build a resume before graduation.
- Enrolling in ENGLISH 449 Internship in the Humanities or ENGLISH 749 Advanced Internship in Writing and Community Engagement in the English course list of the catalog.
- Networking through friends and family and their connections
- Networking through student organizations or professional organizations
- Using job boards and other online sites where internships are posted
- Connecting with the UWM’s Office of Student Experience and Talent for resume assistance, interviewing tips, internship and job postings and more
- Networking with alums of your program via Panthers Connect and asking questions about their internship experiences.
Valuable workplace skills and a solid career plan are best developed through a combination of hands-on experience and coursework. An internship is more than just a part-time job. During an internship, students synthesize course and work experiences through progress reports, class discussion, instructor conferences, and reflection. Through an internship, students should better understand how to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in a workplace and should gain a deeper insight into how their own skills and interests align with different jobs.
We have partnerships with a variety of local, regional, and national organizations and businesses in the following fields:
- Technical Writing
- Corporate Communications
- Publishing
- Public Relations
- Environmental Organizations
- Public Health
- Education
Interning for Credit
The English Department maintains an English Internship course (English 449 for undergraduates and English 749 for graduate students) that places students in a participating local organization. English 449 can be taken for a maximum of four credits per semester and retaken for a total of nine credits. Internships in English may be taken for credit during spring semesters or when otherwise offered.
Placements
Internship placements range from small organizations such as Woodland Pattern, Milwaukee Turners, and the Urban Ecology Center, to larger companies such as Johnson Controls and Northwestern Mutual. The diversity of participating companies and organizations allows students to tailor the internship experience to specific career goals. Students may also propose their own placement and should speak with the coordinator to discuss this possibility.
Internship Coordinator
For further information, contact Professor Rachel Bloom-Pojar.