UMass Lowell English Department
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Professor Diana Archibald
Internship Coordinator
Our program…

We help writing and literature students gain
valuable “real world” experience.
– We offer several pre-arranged and pre-screened
internships:
• with course credit = practicum internship
• without course credit = volunteer internship
– We also assist students in securing placements at
suitable sites not on our pre-approved list.
– We offer service-learning courses & assignments
that provide “real world” experience.
– We encourage students to volunteer.
Our program, cont.…

Professionalization:
– We help students construct resumes and
prepare for interviews (with help from
Career Services).
– We coach students on professional
behavior and work practices.
– We assist students in exploring potential
careers and offer some career counseling
as a part of the process.
1. Volunteering

We are always happy to assist students in
finding a suitable volunteer opportunity that
will match their interests and abilities.
 Volunteer work can be enormously rewarding
and also a good skill builder.
 We encourage students to volunteer
throughout their career here at UML and
beyond.
2. Service-Learning Courses

We regularly offer four courses in which
students meet academic learning objectives
through service in the “real world”:
– Community Writing 1 (42.321)
– Community Writing 2 (42.406)
– Undergraduate Seminar on the Teaching of
Writing (42.388)
– Undergraduate Seminar in High School Teaching
(42.389)

Service-learning assignments are
incorporated into other courses periodically.
Community Writing 2 (fall)

Community Writing 1 is NOT a pre-req.!
 Community Writing 2 format:
– Each student works with a different non-profit
organization (instructor arranges placement)
– Students learn about different kinds of
professional writing in the course:
• e.g., press packets, p.r. materials, web content, volunteer
handbooks, grant writing, fundraising materials, etc.
– Each student completes a unique project based
on the organization’s need and receives
classroom support for that work.

Only responsible students should take this
course.
3. Internships

Two ways to categorize internships:
A. pre-arranged vs. student-initiated
B. for credit vs. not for credit
3A. Who Finds Internships?

Each semester several internships are prearranged through the English Dept. and
advertised to students.
– Placements are pre-screened to ensure suitable
educational content and safety.
– A wide variety of placement sites are offered,
mostly at area non-profits and schools.

Some students prefer to find their own
placements or ask for help in finding
something not on our list.
3B. Credit or No Credit?

Students may complete an internship (either
pre-arranged or self-initiated) and not seek
any course credit, if…
– they have no English credits left,
– the internship is paid and not eligible for credit,
– or they plan on doing several internships.

Students may want to earn academic course
credit (3 or 1) for their internship, so they
would take the Practicum (42.496)…
3B. Practicum requirements

Site/position must be approved by dept.
• Departmentally-sponsored placements automatically
qualify for Practicum credit.
• Other placements must be approved on a case-by-case
basis (Internship Coordinator conducts site visit)

Application must be completed and approved
• Includes a job description and supervisor contact info.
• Students then receive permission number to add.

Students complete 120 hours of work (3 cr.)
and two short reflection papers
• mid-term letter & final narrative essay

On-site supervisor completes evaluation.
Important!
– Our sponsored internships are all unpaid;
students who wish to pursue paid work
should visit Career Services.
– There is no guarantee that students will be
placed. Not all students would necessarily
be good ambassadors to the community on
our behalf, and community partners can’t
always be found to match a student’s
interests.
Our Process
1.
2.
3.
Student completes “Request for Placement”
form and attends English Dept. Internship
and Resume workshop to initiate process.
Completed form is processed and three
listed faculty references are checked.
Eligible students meet with Internship
Coordinator for a pre-screening interview to
discuss placement options.
Process, cont.
Names and resumes of internship nominees
are forwarded to placement supervisors,
who conduct formal interviews.
5. Students are notified whether they are being
offered the internship.
6. Students complete final paperwork and
register for the Practicum (if earning course
credit).
7. Students attend an “in-take” meeting at the
start of semester to cover safety issues.
4.
For more information contact…
Dr. Diana Archibald
Associate Professor of English
Internship Coordinator
diana_archibald@uml.edu
978-934-4199