Graduate Internships

LAN 525

The Department of Languages and Cultures offers a three, six, nine or twelve credit-hour internship to graduate students in French, Spanish, and TESL who wish to enhance their study of French or Spanishin aspects such as language, culture, and linguistics or in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) with an educational experience directly in the workplace, either in the United States or abroad. Other students may be eligible upon determination by the Department of Languages and Cultures and/or the director of the MA TESL program that the student has the competency to complete the internship. 

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 in areas related to the MA TESL program. 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 French or Spanish, Teaching English as a Second Language or by working for a company that conducts business in French or Spanish or in areas related to the MA TESL program 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:

1. Minimum of 15 credits accumulated
2. Minimum overall GPA of 3.0
3. Minimum GPA in the language of 3.0

Internship curriculum requirements:

1. 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)
2. 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
3. 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
4. Workbook log to be submitted weekly in the foreign language or in English, if related to the MA TESL program, by the student to the faculty advisor
5. Regularly scheduled meetings of intern and on-site supervisor to review intern performance and log
6. Presentation of on-site supervisor’s final written evaluation to the intern and the department
7. 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 the MA TESL program, including self-evaluation of growth and professional development accomplished, and language and learning experience achieved.

Suggested internship opportunities:

1. Airlines or airports with services using foreign languages (US Airways, Philadelphia, Dulles, BWI)
2. Banks with operations using foreign languages (World Bank)
3. United Nations
4. Computer companies with operations using foreign languages (IBM, Hewlett Packard)
5. 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)
6. Area firms doing business in Latin America or Europe (France, Spain)
7. Organization of American States
8. Yves Rocher, French cosmetics firm in Exton
9. FACC, French American Chamber of Commerce of Philadelphia
10. Area firms like Cephalon with production facilities in Europe
11. Area consulates of other countries (Chile, France, Spain, etc.)

January 2008