Preparing students for
international internships
Presenters:
Jana Čemusová, Resident Director, CIEE Center, Prague, Czech Republic
Katie Saur, Assistant Director, Office of Overseas Study, Indiana University
Lauren Worth, Study Abroad Advisor, International Academic Programs,
University of Wisconsin-Madison
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• Internships:
An internship is an opportunity to integrate career
related experience into an undergraduate education
by participating in planned, supervised work.
• The International Internship Program (IIP)
identifies, cultivates and promotes high-quality
internship opportunities that:
advance the professional training of UW-Madison
undergraduate students;
o foster global competency; and
o reinforce academic learning through practical application
o
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Case Study: Indiana University
◦ Large decentralized campus, multiple study abroad
offices and Career Services offices
◦ Different types of internships:
 Offered through the Office of Overseas Study through
an existing study abroad program
 Organized by IU school/college/department
 Campus-wide approval process facilitated by the Office of
Overseas Study (Overseas Study Advisory Council)
 Non-IU internships, selected independently by
students
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Indiana University
◦ Office of Overseas Study
 Largest study abroad unit
 Serves approximately 2200 students each year
 Offers variety of traditional study abroad programs as
well as experiential learning opportunities
 Internship with additional coursework
 Study abroad program with internship option
 All programs are for academic credit
 In 2009-10, 409 students participated on an academic
internship
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Multiple schools and colleges—many that require
internships for some of their majors. Each school or
college has a Career Services office. Some examples:
◦ Kelley School of Business Career Services
 https://ucso.indiana.edu/cgibin/students/brochures/InternshipReportingbrochure.cfm
◦ School of Public and Environmental Affairs
 http://www.indiana.edu/~spea/career_development/about_us/ex
periential_education/index.shtml
◦ School of Public Health
 http://www.publichealth.indiana.edu/careers/internshipportal.sht
ml
◦ School of Informatics and Computing
 http://www.soic.indiana.edu/career/internships/courses/index.sh
tml
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Multiple schools and colleges—many that
require internships for some of their majors.
Each school or college has a Career Services
office. Some examples:
◦ Maurer School of Law:
 http://globalprofession.law.indiana.edu/studentopportunities/
◦ School of Education
 http://education.indiana.edu/undergraduate/immersio
n/overseas.html
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Indiana University
◦ Students can go to the Office of Overseas Study or to
their Career Services office within their school or college
◦ Example:
 Career Development Center: Arts and Sciences Career
Services
 Offers an internship course: Internship—Theory Into Practice
 Resources for finding an internship:
 MyIUcareers
 Web Link library (online listings)
 Career Interests
 International Web Link Library (Going Global)
 Job listings by Geographic Location
 Drop-in Advising
 Career Events (Global Careers events)
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Case Study: University of Wisconsin-Madison
◦ Two Offices
 International Academic Programs (IAP)
 International Internship Program (IIP)
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
◦ International Academic Programs
 Largest study abroad unit
 Serves approximately 1300 students each year
 Offers variety of traditional study abroad programs as
well as experiential learning opportunities
 Intensive internships
 Internship with additional coursework
 Study abroad program with internship option
 All programs are for academic credit

University of Wisconsin-Madison
◦ International Academic Programs 2010-11 Data
 Number of students participating in an internship was
147, a 42.72% increase from 2009-10
 IAP offered 53 programs on which students could do
internships for academic credit
 The top five countries in which students participated in
an internship were the United Kingdom (40), Ecuador
(20), Germany (16), Australia (14), and Kenya (14).
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
◦ International Internship Program
 Newly founded office (2010)
 “Identifies, cultivates, and promotes high-quality
internship opportunities” for academic credit or not for
credit
 Builds partnerships with organization overseas or with
domestic organizations with an international focus
 Advises students on credit, visas, resources, etc.
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
◦ How do IAP and IIP work together?
Share information on internship opportunities
Co-advise students
Joint orientation
IIP does the bulk of initial advising and works with the
organization on application
 IAP maintains student record, academic information,
and serves as emergency contact
 Worldwide Internship Program
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Indiana University
◦ Office of Overseas Study
 Generally, students receive FRST-F 400 as the IU equivalency for the
internship course on Office of Overseas Study coursework.
 Students may also arrange for their academic department to evaluate
the course to see if different credit can be awarded.
◦ Career Development Center: Arts and Sciences Career Services
 If students find an internship independently and cannot earn credit
through their academic department, they can apply to take ASCS-Q398
 Must meet minimum number of hours associated with credit hour enrollment
(1 credit hour = at least 50 hours worked; 2 credit hours = at least 100
hours worked; 3 credit hours = at least 150 hours worked).
 On-line system to keep track of weekly hours worked
 Write weekly blogs
 Final paper—longer reflection piece
 Evaluation of site supervisor and evaluation of student
 W498/W499: Non-credit courses to maintain half-time or full-time
status
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
◦ Worldwide Internship Program
 Online 3-credit course offered spring, fall & summer
 Includes tuition, insurance, and emergency support
 Focus on internship reflection with focus on crosscultural work environment
 Internship must be at least 4 weeks long, 96 hours
of work on site
 Additional 3-credit directed study with a UWMadison professor also possible
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CIEE Center Prague
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3-credit course offered in spring & fall
Home institution approval before coming to Prague
70 - 100 hours on site with an internship sponsor
Weekly classes
Individual meetings with the Academic Advisor
Meetings with the Mentors
Working on academic assignments
Research project (of 15 – 20 pages)
 Key players: CIEE Internship Supervisor,The On-Site
Course Instructor or Academic Advisor for a specific
internship assignment, The Internship Sponsor, The
Mentor
• Other study abroad offices/coordinators oncampus if you are decentralized
• Career Services
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Involve early on
Work with career services to include international
internships
Listservs
Joint information sessions
• Student Groups
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Internationally-themed groups
Service focused groups
• Providers
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Office of Overseas Study
◦ Assistance with application process (Resume/CV,
crafting internship statement)
◦ Advising process with the Office of Overseas Study and
student’s academic advisor
◦ Visa advising
◦ General and program-specific orientation
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Career Services offices
◦ Varies from school/college, students can meet with
faculty member or career advisor
◦ Many schools/colleges have on-line application process
◦ Campus-wide Study Abroad Working group looking at
student services for international internships
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
◦ IAP General handbook and IIP Handbook
◦ Joint in-person orientation
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Course information
Technology overview
Health and Safety
Finances
Working in different cultures
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What are on-site staff and internship
supervisors looking for when students apply?
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Flexibility
Skills
Previous experience
Major/minor
 Personal interview on-site
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To be able to observe Czech working environment and
report on its characteristics.
To describe the institution/organization position, its role
and impact on the context of other institutions in the field.
To demonstrate in-depth intellectual pursuit of the topic
of choice related to applied knowledge in the area of
expertise of internship placement.
To compare and contrast team work and working style
differences between US and CR.
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Academic Subject Areas
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Human rights
International relations
Political sciences
PR
Education
Film
Research
Editing
Teaching
Presentations
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Work experience
Intercultural cooperation
Communication skills
Resume enhancement
Professional contacts abroad
Amplifying independency
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CIEE Center Prague
 Pre-departure:
 Home institution approval
 Position pre-selection (on-line list of positions,
descriptions, requirements) – cover letter
 Resume
• On-site:
• Intro session with Internship Supervisor
• Interview with site supervisors – final placement
Work, Internships and Volunteering Abroad group
http://www.nafsa.org/resourcelibrary/default.aspx?id=8336
Office of Overseas Study Internships (Indiana University)
http://www.overseas.iu.edu/programs/iuprograms/internship.shtml
Career Development Center Internship courses (Indiana University)
http://www.indiana.edu/~career/services/courses/q398_w499.php
International Internship Program
http://internships.international.wisc.edu/
International Academic Programs internships page:
http://www.studyabroad.wisc.edu/Internships.html
Sample internship course descriptions/syllabi:
http://internships.international.wisc.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2011/10/S320_syllabusFall2011_sample.pdf
http://www.indiana.edu/~career/services/courses/q398_w499.php