Internships
An internship in Queer and Trans Studies offers students the opportunity to engage with and contribute to organizations who focus on queer and trans issues, work, and advocacy outside of a classroom.
Any Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder undergraduate student with a 2.0 GPA and 30 hours of credit may apply for the Queer and Trans Studies Internships. Preference will be given to students enrolled in the Queer and Trans studies (QTS) major track in WGST and the QTS minor but all students are welcome to apply. Please note that you must be enrolled at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder the semester that the internship takes place.
ÌýÌýDepartment-Sponsored Paid Internship Opportunity - Spring 2026
Submit an application for the spring 2026 department-sponsored paid internship program in QTS by October 15, 2025. Applicants will be notified by mid-November. Please see below for information regarding each internship site and submit associated application (you may submit multiple applications if you are interested in more than one site).
Provided by the generous support of the Thomas R. Stephens SupportÌýFund
This is a stipend-supportedÌýinternship for Spring 2026. Students will also have the option to receiveÌýcredit for the internship. Students will be expected to intern 10 hours per week throughout the semester. They will receive a $2400 stipend upon completing their hours, paid in monthly installments from January through April 2026. Students must apply for select stipend-supported internship opportunities.
See below for the Stipend-SupportedÌýInternship descriptions and applications:
BConnected Colorado focuses on hosting events, building connections, and creating spaces where LGBTQ+ folks thrive. Interns will have the opportunity to create local culture for Bi/Queer people through marketing, social media management, and community outreach.
Please review the full for more information
The supports the development of education and advocacy events for youth and offer resources to school GSAs (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) through Boulder County Public Health. Interns will develop events and share resources to support positive identity development for youth and trusted adult relationships with LGBTQ+ community members.ÌýInternsÌýwill gain trainingÌýinÌýsocial justice youth development, anti-oppressive philosophy, and methods for facilitating conversations with young people, such as skills in community education and program development and operation.
Please review the full for more information
The Political, Organizing, and PolicyÌýinternship offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in LGBTQ+ advocacy and policy work at One Colorado, a leading organization dedicated to advancing equality in Colorado. Interns will have the chance to contribute to various aspects of One Colorado’s programs, including policy research, community organizing, and advocacy.
Please review the full for more information
ÌýÌýÌýInterested in other internships? Follow theÌýprocess below:
- Find an Internship Site
- The majority of your internship work should be related to the field of Queer and Trans studies. However, the organization itself might not be Queer/Trans-focused. For example, you might intern at a school to develop an initiative for queer and trans teens or you might intern for a local congress member looking to outreach to queer and trans constituents. You might intern at a theater company producing a play that engages with queer and trans themes. If you need help finding an eligible internship, email QTS@Colorado.EDU.
- Meet with site supervisor to establish weekly schedule and time commitmentÌý Ìý
- We recommend sharing with your site supervisor theÌýInternship Supervisor Evaluation Form (updated form coming soon),Ìýso your supervisor is clear on what is expected of them and of you by the end of the semester.
- As a reminder, students are expected to work 10 hours per week at their internship site.
- Find a faculty sponsor Ìý
- Search for QTS faculty whose research aligns with your internship interests and/or a faculty member whose class you’ve taken (contact QTS@Colorado.EDUÌýif you need guidance)
- Work with faculty sponsor to determine semester check points and final portfolio materials to be submitted for a gradeÌý Ìý
- Typically, students are required to maintain weekly time sheets, produce monthly reports, create a portfolio, and write a summary essay based on their internship experience that contextualizes their work in a larger historical and sociological perspective.
- Complete Internship Application forms and submit to Queer and Trans StudiesÌý​program coordinator
- Fill out theÌýQueer and Trans Studies Student-Organization Internship Application and Learning Plan (updated plan coming soon) with the faculty sponsor and list assignments you will complete and the due dates and sendÌýtoÌýQTS@Colorado.EDU
- Queer and Trans Studies program coordinator will follow up with you to confirm your internship and and help register you for credits.
Queer and Trans Studies Internship FAQs
Any Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder undergraduate student with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and 30 hours of credit may apply for the Queer and Trans Studies (QTS) Internships. Preference will be given to students enrolled in the QTS Minor and Major track. Please note that you must be enrolled at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder the semester that the internship takes place.
QTS offers three paid internships through the generous support of the Thomas R. Stephens Support Fund.
Students are responsible for finding an internship site that can offerÌýa minimum of 40 hours for each hour of academic creditÌýthey register for (a 3-credit internship would require 120 hours of work, roughly ten hours/week over the semester).ÌýPlease note, students can earn up to six credits for internships overall.
The department-sponsored paid internship for Spring 2026, students will be expected to intern 10 hours per week throughout the semester. You will also have the option to receive credit for the internship through QTS.
Yes!ÌýStudents must find aÌýfaculty sponsor from the QTS Studies faculty affiliate page.ÌýWe recommend contacting faculty early in the planning process.
For department-sponsored paid internships the QTS Director, Dr. Kristie Soares, will be your Faculty Supervisor.
In agreement with the faculty sponsor, the student will determine the academic deliverables they will submit by the end of the semester for a grade.ÌýTypically, students are required to maintain weekly time sheets, produce monthly reports, create a portfolio, and write a summary essay based on their internship experience, putting their work into a larger historical and sociological perspective. The student’s final grade will be based onÌýthe evaluation by the internship supervisor andÌýon the materials that the student will turn in to the faculty sponsor.ÌýCompletion of materials the student submits to the faculty sponsor does not count toward the internship credit hours.