Language Internship
LAN 425
The Department of Foreign
Languages offers a three, six, nine or twelve credit-hour internship to junior or senior majors and minors in foreign languages or linguistics 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.
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 foreign-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.
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:
- Minimum
of 10 hours a week for three months (120 hours) for three credits,
20 hours a week for 6 credits (240 hours), 30 hours a week for
9 credits (360 hours), 40 hours a week for 12 credits (480 hours)
- Summer
session internships are possible for 3 credits for 24 hours
per week for five weeks (120 hours total); a 6-credit internship may
on occasion be arranged during a summer session under very special
circumstances
- 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
- Workbook log
to be submitted weekly in the foreign 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
- 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 foreign 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:
- 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.)
January 2008 |
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