GuidelinesforTC/RTCInternships TCOM495/ENGL 695

AsacomponentofyourdegreeinTechnicalCommunication(BA)orRhetoricandTechnical Communication(MA,effective2012-13catalog),aninternshipwillprovideavaluable opportunitytoapplyyourtechnicalcommunicationknowledgetotheworkplace.Withyour advisor’shelp,you’llidentifypotentialinternshipopportunities,registerforanddocument yourinternship,andworkasaprofessional/technicalcommunicatoratan organizationor company.

Asatechnicalcommunicationstudent,youhaveatleastfive(5)internshipcreditsaspartof yourdegreerequirement.Foratypicalfive-creditinternship,you’rerequiredtowork approximately20hoursperweek(200hours/quarter),butthatmayvaryfromorganizationto organizationbasedonyourarrangementwithyouron-sitesupervisor.Someinternships, for example, extendbeyondthe10-weekquarter,soyoumayworkfewerhoursperweekovermorethan onequarter.

Pre-InternshipStep1Locatingpotentialemployers

Thefirststepistolocatepotentialemployerswithinternship opportunitiesinyourfield.TheCareerCenterInternshipOfficein Showalterisagoodplacetostart.Theyofferacurrentlistingofall internshipopportunities.Thestafftherewillhelpyousearchfor appropriatelistingsinyourspecificfield.Youcanalsodoasearchon yourownat

Printouttheappropriatelistings.Ofcourse,youcanalsolocatean internshipthroughothercontacts,suchasfamily,friends,colleagues, orclassmates.You’llneeddetailedinformationabouteachinternship opportunitytocompletetheapplicationform.

Step2Consultingwithyouradvisor

Onceyouhavethelistingsandinformationabouteachinternship opportunity,makeanappointmentwithyouradvisor.Bringthe internshipinformationtothemeetingsoyouradvisorwillhelpyou selectthemostappropriatelistings.

Important:Youmustobtainyouradvisor’spermissionbefore applyingforaninternship.

Step3DocumentingyourinternshipwithCareerServices

Onceyouhaveobtainedaninternship,createanaccountin EagleAXISanddownloadthenecessarypaperwork.Completeadraft andbringittoyouradvisorforapproval.

(1)Thecontactandregistrationinformationand

(2)Yourofficiallearningcontract.

DonotsubmittheOfficialLearningContracttoCareerServicesuntil youradvisorhasapprovedandsignedyourcontract.

Step4RegisteringforCourseCredit

Afteryouhavecompletedyourofficiallearningcontract(and/orwhen youwanttotakecreditforcompletinganinternship)…

  1. Registerforyourinternshipcredits

a)DownloadtheSpecialCourseApproval/RegistrationForminthis sectionofCanvas(seeItem3)orpickuptheformfromthemainofficeoftheDepartmentofEnglish.

b)Completetheappropriatefields

c)Sign the form and submit toyouradvisor

NOTE:Ifyouhavequestionsaboutcompletingthisform,your advisorwillhelpyou.

e) Your advisor will submit the form to the department chair for approval.

  • After a week, check Eaglenet to verify that you are registered in the course.

Tracking Internship Progress

Post- Internship

1) Duringyourinternship,onceaweekorapproximatelyevery20hours (five-creditinternship),youmustinformyourinternshipadvisorabout yourprogress.Specificallyyouarerequiredtosubmitthefollowing reportsinCanvas,usingthedesignatedinternshipassignmentsin Canvas:

•Week1:Aone-totwo-pageproposaltoadvisor

•Weeks1-9:Alogindicatingwhatyoudidthatweekandthe hours/dayswhenyouworked.

•Week10:CompletionReport(seedescriptionbelow:Post- Internship)

1) Inaddition,theInternshipOfficewillrequesttworeportsfromyour internshipsupervisor,amid-termandfinalevaluationofyourwork. FormsareinyourLearningContractpacket.

Whenevernecessary,youradvisorwillmeetwithyouand/ormakeon-site visits.

Attheendofyourinternship,submitacompletionreport(seeformin Canvas),inwhichyousummarizethevariousaspectsofyourinternship experience,including,butnotlimitedto,thefollowing:

•Introduction:Summaryofobjectives/outcomes

•Background:Descriptionofyourbackgroundandtheinternshipas youoriginallyenvisionedit

•Activities/Outcomes:Alistofthespecificactivitiesyoudidonthe

jobandthedeliverables,

•Problems/Variations:Ananalysisofhow(whether)yourprevious workintheTCprogrampreparedyoutoachieveyourgoals,including anygapsinyourpreparationthattheTCprogrammighthavefilled

•LessonsLearned:Adviceorsuggestionsyouhaveforfutureinterns

undertakingasimilarinternship.

•OverallEvaluation

PleaseusetheCompletionReportFormintheCanvasAssignments.Include work samples in your Canvass portfolio and send the portfolio link to your advisor for reviewwork.

Questions?Contactoneofthetechnicalcommunicationadvisorsforfurtherdetails.

Dr.MollyK.Johnson (graduate)

DepartmentofEnglish Reid154F

509.359.6037

Dr.TeenaA.M.Carnegie

(undergraduate) DepartmentofEnglish Reid154

509.359.2869