The Department of Languages and Cultures offers a three (3) to twelve (12) credit-hour internship to junior or senior majors and minors in languages or linguistics and to graduate students in French and Spanish who wish to enhance their study of a world language in aspects such as language, culture, and linguistics with an educational experience directly in the workplace, either in the United States or abroad.
The Language Internship fulfills the Immersion Experience requirement for BALC majors.
Interns are expected to engage in written and oral experience in the studied language on a regular basis. Internships help students test and develop their skills of expression and communication in the world language or in English, if the internship involves the Teaching of English as a Second Language or English linguistics. Internships may be salaried, but unpaid or volunteer positions also qualify.
Students who seek to pursue this type of elective credit-bearing on-the-job experience by teaching a world language, Teaching English as a Second Language or by working for a company that conducts business in one of our language-major languages or in areas related to English linguistics should contact their advisor to review information regarding job search, company contacts, contractual procedures and semester credit evaluation and approval.
For graduate students only: Graduate students who wish to take more than 3 credits of LAN 525 must apply for an exception to policy. In principle, Graduate Studies will not allow for more than 3 credits of graduate LAN 525, although exceptions have been approved in the past.
Required for eligibility for these internships: Minimum of 75 credits accumulated (through fall of junior year). Minimum overall GPA of 2.75. Minimum GPA in the language of 3.0. Completion of 15 semester credits in the language or placement equivalent to third year or 300 level coursework.
Internship curriculum requirements:
A total of 120 hours for 3 credits (that is, 40 hr per credit, up to a maximum of 480 hours for 12 credits).
Written contractual job description and student expectations to be approved by the faculty advisor and signed by both student and on-site supervisor at the beginning of the internship. (If an internship is paid, a contract is not required between the university and the site).
Workbook log to be submitted weekly in the language or in English, if related to TESL or English linguistics, by the student to the faculty advisor.
Regularly scheduled meetings of intern and on-site supervisor to review intern performance and log, and meetings with department internship coordinator as scheduled or requested.
Presentation of on-site supervisor's final written evaluation to the intern and the department.
Final written report (10-20 pages, according to the number of credits) by the student at the end of the internship to the faculty advisor, in the language or in English, if related to TESL or English linguistics, including self-evaluation of growth and professional development accomplished, and language and learning experience achieved.
Suggested internship opportunities
The Department has a series of agreements with local organizations (such as Community Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM), Upper Merion Middle School, The Youth Garage,...), however students can search other organizations that they may be interested in and contact the Language Internship Coordinator for options with:
Airlines or airports with services using Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish (US Airways, Lufthansa, Philadelphia, Dulles, BWI)
Banks with operations using Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish (World Bank, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank)
Computer companies with operations using Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish (IBM, Hewlett Packard)
Area firms working with the local Hispanic populations or institutions (Comunidad Hispana, Taller Puertorriqueño, local law offices, banks, hospitals, Vanguard, Salvation Army, Chester County Volunteer English Program, the Migrant Education Program of the Chester County Intermediate Unit)
Area firms doing business in Latin America, Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain) Organization of American States Yves Rocher, French cosmetics firm in Exton FACC, French American Chamber of Commerce of Philadelphia Firms doing business in Germany (SAP, Siemens), Russia, Italy Area firms like Cephalon with production facilities in Europe Area consulates of other countries (Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.) Upper Merion Area K-12 Internship Community Volunteers in Medicine Spanish Internship
Timeline: It is advisable that you contact the department internship supervisor for ideas and possible internships at least by the middle of the semester prior to completing the internship, in order to have time to explore, contact the site, get approvals, etc. If a student would like to complete the internship in the Summer, contact the supervisor by the middle of the Spring semester.
How to get an internship with a site: Students will be provided with a list of local organizations with whom we already have ongoing agreements. However, they are also encouraged to search for opportunities in the community with local organizations in which the use of the target language studied is needed. Students can work with the supervisor to arrange a meeting with the local organization and see if it is a good fit; once approved, the university creates a formal agreement with that organization.
Assessment: The student’s grade will be based on the internship coordinator’s evaluation of: 1) the on-site visit (where applicable), 2) the on-site supervisor’s evaluation, 3) the student’s internship written or oral report(s) (as explained before the internship begins) describing and evaluating the nature of the internship experience with emphasis on its contribution to the student’s career interests, and 4) any possible meetings with the department internship coordinator. The internship supervisor will provide an outline to be followed in these reports, based on the intern’s work at the cooperating institution. The internship coordinator and the student will agree upon the nature and the length of that paper early in the internship.
For more information about requirements and local organizations where you can complete an internship, please contact:
Language Internship Supervisor/Coordinator:
Dr. Marcos Campillo-Fenoll
MCampillo-Fenoll@wcupa.edu
Mitchell 129