Each proposal for an internship must include a description of the course's content. That description should detail the experiences and the experiential learning that will be central features of the internship, the nature and purposes of associated reading and writing assignments, and the nature and purposes of any associated projects that will be a part of the internship. A formal internship will be arranged by the English Department with responsible persons in a cooperating organization. Interns are not paid employees but apprentices to professionals. An internship is established when an official in an agency is willing to become a teacher or mentor, to commit time and effort to the instruction and supervision of the intern's work and studies.
Some agencies voluntarily offer the intern modest salaries to offset expenses.
Internship will have an academic base, combining work with academic study. For example, an intern at a publishing company who undergoes training as a reference editor will, at the same time, study sources on reference editing and publishing. A reading list of materials related to the work or agency would be included in the intern's contract. Participating agencies provide descriptions of the position and student qualifications for it. The student is matched to the position through exploration of career interests and background.