IN 397 - Global Internship Seminar

This course constitutes the academic compendium for an internship placement that is coordinated and supervised by IES Abroad. It is jointly offered by selected IES Centers that offer internships as part of their semester programs and employs a blended learning approach combining virtual online teaching and in-person sessions at the respective location. The course thus provides a global context for local internship placements at the participating centers by examining cross-cultural issues in the workplace, bringing together students from different centers in different locations with the aim of developing globally minded future leaders. The course introduces students to theoretical tools for identifying, examining, and effectively negotiating different professional environments. Local course-related trips and guest speakers help students to develop cultural intelligence about their host communities and different professional cultures. Readings, lectures, and activities aim to sharpen students’ critical capacities for cross-cultural analysis and enable them to build competencies related to communication, relationship development, leadership, collaboration, and conflict management in intercultural environments. Both synchronous and asynchronous class discussions provide students with opportunities to share their first-hand experiences, while the course’s instructor and cross-center framework encourages them to situate and contextualize different perspectives and work realities. Skill-building exercises and student presentations will train students to hone and effectively communicate the competencies they develop.