ROME – LANGUAGE & AREA STUDIES
INTERNSHIPS About Our Internships Why is Rome an ideal city in which to have this type of experience? The people are friendly, interested, and cooperative, and the business environment is one of the most exciting in the world. IES Abroad Rome offers three different types of internships:
Traditional Internship Social Action/Service Learning Internship Archaeology Internship IES Abroad Rome arranges internships for credit which consists of both practical work experience and an academic seminar. Internship placements include positions in public offices, educational institutions, private enterprises, and non-profit organizations. To put the work experience in perspective, students participate in an academic seminar that focuses not only on day-to-day experiences but on the adaptation to a different cultural and work environment. The on-site Internship Coordinator helps students understand the “techniques” of cultural adaptation and how they can be used throughout the world. Internship Options Traditional Internship Option Students who wish to participate in an internship during their time in Rome are encouraged to do so by completing the Internship Application. Internships are available in a variety of professional settings and the IES Abroad Rome staff will work with you to find an internship placement that suits your academic and professional goals. Students with an internship also participate in an internship seminar which helps students adjust to and understand the Italian work culture and how Italian organizations are managed.
One IES Abroad Rome blogger, describes her traditional internship experience in her post, "Busy Days." Another blogger describes her delicious "Internship with Cooking Classes in Rome" placement in her blog post.
Social Action/Service Learning Option Students interested in social action can apply to participate in a special social action/service learning opportunity and accompanying seminar. The social action/service learning option is particularly relevant to students whose academic and professional interests relate to understanding some of the major social issues in the areas of education, human rights, development and microfinance, environment and food policies, public health, immigration and social inclusion.
Student Shannon Boley talks about her Social Action placement in our news story "Student Voices Reflections on Teaching English to Refugees in Rome." And get an in-depth look at this Service Learning placement in our article "Making a Difference in Rome: Our Students Teach English to Refugees" to learn more. In the blog post "Learning to be Present," a former Rome student describes her experiences in a social action/service learning placement.
Archaeology Option Students who select the archaeology option will also participate in a complimentary seminar on the theory and practice of archaeological excavations. This option is designed to give an introduction to best field practices in stratigraphy, documentation, ancient building techniques and cataloging finds. Internship placements for this option include local excavations or museum work on archaeological materials.
A past blogger describes her experience with the American Academy in Rome in her post "The AAR." Want to know more about the archaeology option?! Check out the video about the archaeology digs in Rome! https://youtu.be/1BxPET1qhpE?list=PL5ADCBABEE980B21F Language Levels at Placements Prior language study is not required to be placed in an internship. Internship placements are available to students who are at the beginning level of Italian language study, though students must be flexible in what types of placements are available to them as beginning level students. Students with more advanced language background generally have a wider array of internship possibilities available to them. Below is a basic guide to languages needed for certain placement fields, however this is not an exhaustive list and not all placements will follow these rules. The Internship Coordinator will work with you to determine the best fit for your background and language level.
Placements available to students with no Italian background
Placements available in English/Italian combination
English teaching assistants and local schools Communications
Business Media and Communications IT Visual Arts
Placements requiring advanced Italian language
Science and Research Certain Fine Arts organizations Social Justice & Inclusion Certain Archaeology placements
Application Requirements Because matching IES Abroad student interns with host organizations takes time, internships in Rome are only available to students who complete the Internship Application during the predeparture process. If you are interested in an internship, we encourage you to apply to be eligible for an internship. The application is not binding but if you are at all interested in an internship placement, you should apply by the stated deadline. Due to the requisite time commitment, it can be difficult for students to participate simultaneously in an internship or social action option and enroll in a course at an outside institution. If you apply for an internship or social action option, it is your responsibility to complete all pieces of the internship/social action application before the deadline. Applications that are not completed or are missing the appropriate signatures will not be considered. Completed applications received after the deadline will be reviewed at the discretion of the program director and will be given low priority for placement. Selection IES Abroad does not guarantee placement in an internship. Final selection cannot be made until students have arrived in Rome and have been interviewed by the Internship Coordinator and the organization offering the placement. The Internship Coordinator will contact you once your application has been submitted to discuss your qualifications and potential placement options. Time & Work Involved Students are expected to work ten hours each week throughout the semester. Interns also participate in the accompanying seminar, which meets for one and a half hours each week during the semester. As part of the seminar work, students prepare weekly journal entries, write summaries on guest lecturers, and give presentations on your experience to your classmates. Credit Preference is given to students whose home university approves credit for the internship program. Students receive three semester hours credit for the internship subject to prior approval of the home institution and satisfactory completion of assignments. The internship will be listed on the IES Abroad transcript with a letter grade and the recommended number of credit hours. It is your responsibility to research and understand your current college or university's policy with regard to credit for internships before you apply. You can only participate in the IES Abroad Rome Internship program if you have the approval of your current college or university advisor. If your home university does not accept credit for an internship, you may still participate in the internship program based on the following conditions:
You will be required to attend the Internship seminar as an ongoing monitoring device.
Given the above described commitment, IES Abroad will award you three credits that will apply to your overall course load of 15 credits.
Internship Attire Most internship sites do not require professional dress and business casual attire is acceptable. However, there are a few internships that require more professional dress. If you think you may be interested in a more corporate or political internship, then you could bring dress slacks and a dress shirt for men or a suit or a dress appropriate for office wear for women. Remember that in all internship placements, your attire should be appropriate and respectful as you are a representative of IES Abroad, your current college or university and American students in general.