International Internships

Introduction

Professional internships in the Residential Programs abroad (Rennes, Berlin, Pescara, Valencia) are conducted according to guidelines established for students at Nazareth College. Internships run for one semester, and students who successfully complete their program earn three semester credits, which may be applied as a free elective or as credit toward a major or minor (concentration).

The range of internships available at a study abroad location depends on the size of the metropolitan area and its industrial base. Usually, there is no problem in finding a good match for each interested, qualified student. Internships are available in businesses, some governmental agencies, international agencies, service organizations, clinics, schools, etc.

Students from the U.S. are not eligible for pay for internship work, whereas students from the country are paid for their work, however little it may be. These two different practices are controlled by national and international legislation, not by an employer's personal decision.

To view a listing of international internship opportunities, please click here.

Eligibility

Juniors and seniors in all majors with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better are eligible. In some cases in programs abroad, sophomores may be accepted into the program (Berlin). These students will be screened closely for their abilities to complete the internship.

Students should consult with their academic or major advisor for proper credit. Also, all students must prepare a resume for the future internship employer. It is best that the resume be written in both English and in the target language.

Work and Academic Requirements

Applicants must have satisfied all college and major requirements commensurate with their class standing. Additional coursework or skill levels may be required by specific employers. This is especially true in a setting abroad, where the internship employer may require good functional ability in the target language. However, in some cases, employers are interested in the internship student's good English speaking and writing skills. Additionally, the student should expect to show abilities in Informational Technology and possibly rudimentary knowledge of the business. In all cases, any knowledge of the business world (marketing, accounting, economics, etc.) are highly desirable.

Internships are graded on a pass/fail basis. In order to satisfy program requirements, the following must be accomplished:

• Submission of a project at the end of the internship; this project could be: a summary of a project completed during the internship; a portfolio of work done during the internship; a written evaluation of skills learned during the internship; or other work decided by the student and the faculty sponsor.
  
• Completion by the employer of a performance appraisal at the end of the internship period.
  
• Attendance at monthly internship seminars and submission of a short written assignment for each seminar (for programs abroad, the resident director will arrange to interview internship students at regular intervals).

Intercultural Preparation

All students should prepare themselves for an internship abroad by reviewing one of the many books available on business etiquette and cultural expectations in the target culture. Once in the internship, a student might find that the large firm he/she is working in also employs internship students from the universities in the country. Frequently, these students will be able to function more efficiently and more easily understand the expectations for the work. This should not be a discouraging factor. U.S. based students can have some quantifiable and non-quantifiable skills that are valuable to the business or agency.

Students in the Nazareth College Residential Programs abroad should observe that they represent their own culture/s in a setting where they must honor another culture and another work ethic. It is particularly important for internship students abroad to observe customs regarding: punctuality at work; reliability; thoroughness; the dress code; ways of addressing peers and superiors; manner and pitch of one's speech; relative directness or indirectness of a work superior's comments; what constitutes "work" for an internship student; common courtesies. All students should remember that whatever they learn, it will become invaluable in a career, particularly in the international setting.