Through the Applied Literary Arts program, the MFA supports a range of internship opportunities for students to gain experience and expertise in literary publishing, arts administration, teaching, community building, and more. The program offers between 1 and 3 Literary Arts Credits for internships which may be used toward completion of the MFA degree.
A credited internship is a position in a company or organization that provides you with a professional-level educational or training experience while earning academic credit. Internships can take place year-round and may or may not be paid. Credits are based on the number of hours per week dedicated to the internship. All internships taken for credit must be approved, in advance, by the MFA program.
What constitutes a graduate internship?
Interns work on projects that foster learning and facilitate opportunities for them to develop meaningful skills relevant to their field of interest.
How do I know how many credits I can earn for an internship?
Internships represent a weekly commitment during the semester (13 weeks). Fall and Spring semester credits are part of regular tuition, and as such are covered by the tuition credit associated with Graduate Teaching Associateships and Fellowships. Note that tuition credits do not cover Summer or Winter Session. Please contact the MFA Program Coordinator for questions regarding Summer or Winter internships. Students need to work 40 hours for each credit earned (1 credit = 40 hours). For any semester-long internships, the total number of hours worked divided by 40 determines the number of credits earned. For example, 3 credits equal 9 hours a week, or 120 hours a semester.
What documentation do I need to provide for the program?
The Academic Internship Contract is an agreement between the student, the MFA Program, and the company/organization providing the internship that clearly states the academic content and expectations of the internship placement.
What about grading?
All internships will be graded as Pass/Fail. Students determine how many credits they will earn when they register for the internship.
Who supervises the internship?
There must be a supervisor from the organization for all internships. Please see below for the supervisor's responsibilities.
If this is the first time an internship with this organization has been proposed, the MFA’s Associate Director, or an MFA faculty member must approve the project.
What is the responsibility of the intern supervisor?
- The supervisor provides the internship description or signs off on the description once the internship has been determined.
- Documents hours.
- Alerts the MFA if there are any concerns.
- Recommends a grade at the end of the semester.
- Provides a brief final evaluation of the intern discussing how the intern met the goals and learning outcomes provided in the job description.
How can I register my internship for graduate credit?
Students must submit the Academic Internship Contract and have their internships approved at the start of each semester of the internship. Students will not be registered for the Applied Literary Arts credits until the form has been submitted and approved.
To apply for Literary Arts Credit students must complete and submit the Academic Internship Contract prior to the Add/Drop deadline:
- Description of the organization.
- Description of the internship to be undertaken during the semester, including hours expected to be worked, goals and learning outcomes.
- Contact information email and phone for the intern supervisor.
- How many credits to be earned.
What internships have MFA candidates done in the past?
The following organizations, along with a rich array of local and regional presses, journals, schools, and arts organizations offer accredited internships through the MFA’s Applied Literary Arts program:
Slope, Paperbark Magazine, The Common, The Massachusetts Review, UMass Press, Peach Magazine, Drizzle, Clarion West Writers Workshop, VONA (Voices of Our Nations Art Foundation), The Edith Wharton/Straw Dog Writers Guild Writing Residency.
Students may also seek internships in other geographic locations.
For more information about internships, please visit the pages for the HFA Advising and Career Center or the UMass Career Center.