Internships | Independent Studies
Internships Abroad
Students in Weinberg College who wish to participate in internships while they study abroad are encouraged to do so on a voluntary, not-for-credit basis. Becoming involved in the community in which you are living and studying as a volunteer can be an excellent way to get to know people and the culture, and students are urged to take advantage of such opportunities.
It is possible to earn credit for academic work undertaken in connection with an internship abroad. Students interested in this option should note that the College awards credit not for the work experience itself, but rather for a formal research paper inspired by the experience. Although this research paper may be supervised on site by a faculty member associated with the study abroad program, Northwestern credit will be awarded only in cases in which the paper is also overseen by a member of our faculty who ultimately judges it to be on par with academic work submitted as an independent study. Students should be advised that this is not an easy standard to meet; successful papers generally require at least as much effort as a regular one-unit course in addition to the time devoted to the internship itself. Since no credit is awarded for the research paper prior to the evaluation by the Northwestern faculty member (which may turn out to be negative), students must be aware that they may receive no credit in connection with the internship and be prepared to accept the consequences of this.
Students interested in pursuing an internship abroad can find out more about the policy and procedure through the Study Abroad Office, and they should consult with a Study Abroad adviser and their College Adviser prior to applying to study abroad. Students should speak with these advisers again, when they return from abroad, about the details of the credit evaluation process.
Another, potentially more workable avenue exists for students who wish to earn credit for research projects linked to internships overseas. This would involve doing an internship on a voluntary, not-for-credit basis while abroad in addition to a normal load of regular courses. Later, after returning to campus, the student would set up an independent study focusing on a topic related to the internship experience according to the normal rules. While 399 credit is not granted for internships per se, it is acceptable for students to enroll for independent study courses that develop ideas, data, and field notes drawn from an internship. Of course, this path would still require special initiative on the part of the student to define a research topic that illuminated some significant aspect of the internship and to enlist the support of a Northwestern faculty member willing to supervise the project. However, this approach would have the advantage of not requiring planning prior to the internship.
Some programs, such as those sponsored by the School for International Training, include an independent study course as part of the curriculum; independent studies are also available as options in many other programs. Typically independent studies culminate in a research paper or extended essay. In order to receive credit for an independent study abroad, the paper or essay must be evaluated by a Northwestern faculty member who has the expertise to make a judgment on its content and overall quality.
Students who know in advance that they are going to do an independent study while abroad (for example, those participating in SIT programs), should identify a faculty sponsor prior to leaving campus and consult with that professor before and during the project, by e-mail, if necessary. Upon returning to campus, the research paper or essay should be presented to the faculty sponsor as part of the petition process for study abroad credit. Students should speak with their College Adviser about the details of this process.
For further information about internships and independent studies abroad, see the Study Abroad Office's handout. Be sure to also consult with a Study Abroad adviser and a College Adviser prior to departure.
