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HOME / Undergraduate / Courses
ENGL3040 - Internship in English studies (capstone experience)
Instructor(s)
Dr Amanda Cheung (Semester 1)
Dr Anjuli Gunaratne (Semester 2)
Semester
2022-2023
Credits
6.00
Form of Assessment
100% coursework (graded on a pass/fail basis)
At least 120 hours of service in the host organization (students should complete the whole internship period)
Prerequisite
This course is only offered to final-year English Studies majors to complete the capstone experience. Students should have completed 30 credits of introductory courses (with at least 12 credits from both List A and List B) and 24 credits of advanced courses in the major (including transferred credits).

Important notes:

  1. Due to the unforeseen circumstances brought by the ongoing pandemic, students are advised to discuss with the host institution not only a plan for face-to-face internship, but also a contingency plan in case circumstances will require home office or a hybrid of face-to-face/ home office during the internship period. Students are also expected to keep the internship coordinators of HKU (Dr. Amanda Cheung (amanche@hku.hk) for semester 1 and Dr. Anjuli Gunaratne (ai1g@hku.hk) for semester 2) informed of any updated arrangements or difficulties promptly during the internship period.
  2. The contact hours of service will be increased from 36 hours to 120 hours from 2022-23 and thereafter.
Note on the application period

Students who wish to enroll in the internship course must identify and secure a suitable workplace and submit a completed form "Confirmation of acceptance" and a learning proposal to the course coordinator (via Ms Mandy Leung (mandyleung@hku.hk) of the School Office) at least two weeks before the proposed internship period starts, and no later than the end of the add/drop period of the designated semester, whichever is earlier. Retroactive requests cannot be considered.

Note on the enrollment procedures

Students are not allowed to enroll in the course by themselves on HKU Student Information System (SIS); only the School Office can do so after getting the Internship Coordinator's approval of the application. The School Office will inform students of the application result, and enroll successful applicants in the course on SIS.

This course offers students a capstone learning experience by allowing them to take their classroom knowledge into the community. Students will have an opportunity for experiential learning, earn credits toward their degree, and engage in a rich experience while working in an organization that demonstrates a real impact on society. Grasping this opportunity will be a challenge: students are responsible for identifying and securing a suitable internship opportunity, in consultation with the course coordinator, and they have to demonstrate their capability to turn a work placement into a learning experience for the major. The duration of the internship will depend on the arrangement between the student and the organization or company, but should involve at least 120 contact hours of service. Assessment will be made on a pass/fail basis, based on participation in coursework including written report, as well as feedback from the organization contact.

Organisation

The internship course can be taken in the first or second semester (or, exceptionally, in the summer semester only if there is a strong justificaion)* of the final year. The duration of the internship is to be determined by the host organization, but should involve at least 120 hours of service. Students will be required to meet with the course coordinator and fellow-students once or twice during the semester to share and reflect on their capstone experience. Students who wish to enroll in the internship course must identify and secure a suitable workplace and submit the following documents to the course coordinator (via Ms Mandy Leung (mandyleung@hku.hk) of the School Office) at least two weeks before the proposed internship period starts, and no later than the end of the add/drop period of the designated semester, whichever is earlier:

  1. a completed form "Confirmation of acceptance" signed by a representative from the host organization;
  2. a brief proposal (of approximately 500 words) [click here for the template] explaining the connections between their studies and the community at large that they expect to explore during their internship in the selected workplace. The proposal should be accompanied by a list of courses taken for the English studies major and make specific reference to these courses and to the programme learning outcomes of the English studies major.

* If the internship is completed in the summer semester of 2023, the honours classification for the BA Degree will be considered in September 2023.

Students are responsible for securing a placement with a suitable organization at least two weeks before the internship period starts. They may propose their own arrangements, to be approved by the course coordinator, or set up an internship with an organization listed below. In past semesters, students independently arranged internships with organisations such as the US Consulate General and the Irish Chamber of Commerce.

The following organizations are currently accepting applications for internships in connection with this course. Students are encouraged to write to the host organizations directly if they wish to present themselves for possible internship opportunities. Applications will be considered by the organizations in accordance with their selection process and requirements.

⇒ Note: Students may also refer to the “Career Activities & Internships” webpage of the Faculty of Arts for internship opportunities.

Students are encouraged to write to the host organizations directly if they wish to present themselves for possible internship opportunities. Applications will be considered by the organizations in accordance with their selection process and requirements.

Assessment

If admitted, students are required to meet with the course coordinator and fellow students twice to discuss their capstone experience and any readings assigned by the course coordinator in this connection. Upon completion of the internship, students will have to submit a written report of approximately 2,000 words, reflecting on their studies in the major in light of their workplace experience, and a letter from the host organization, confirming their completion of the internship according to the agreed schedule. We will also try to organize a poster session where students will share their experiences working at their host organization. The internship course will be assessed on a pass/fail basis and will not be counted in the calculation of CGPA.

Important Points
  1. The School Office will inform students of the application result, and enroll successful applicants in the course on SIS.
  2. With the mutual agreement from the host organization, a student can apply to drop an internship course via the School Office during the designated add/drop period of each semester, but he/she has to take the responsibility to enroll in another capstone course (subject to the number of seats available) to fulfill the major requirement.
  3. A student bears the responsibility to ensure that the working hours for the internship required by the host organization will not clash with the teaching and learning activities required by the course(s) enrolled at HKU.
  4. All full-time undergraduates of HKU are covered by the University’s insurance scheme during the internship period.
  5. The course coordinator or the School Office may contact the host organization in connection with the student’s performance during the internship on a need basis.

For further information or if you have any questions about the internship course, please contact Ms. Mandy Leung (mandyleung@hku.hk).


Instructor(s)
Dr Amanda Cheung (Semester 1)
Dr Anjuli Gunaratne (Semester 2)
Academic Year
2022-2023
Credits
6.00
Form of Assessment
100% coursework (graded on a pass/fail basis)
At least 120 hours of service in the host organization (students should complete the whole internship period)
Prerequisite
This course is only offered to final-year English Studies majors to complete the capstone experience. Students should have completed 30 credits of introductory courses (with at least 12 credits from both List A and List B) and 24 credits of advanced courses in the major (including transferred credits).