Internships in London: Courses

Contemporary British Culture SSC 323 (3 credits)
This required course is taught intensively during the first four weeks and continues on selected evenings throughout the placement. It is designed to support integration of internship students into the United Kingdom and the workplace. It equips students with a general understanding of salient features of contemporary British society and culture. Institutions and practices covered include education, ethnicity, social class, politics, the monarchy, attitudes about business and welfare and British perceptions of the U.S. Field trips support the preparation for contact with British colleagues.

International Internship 486 (6 credits)
Students intern with companies based in London and work on a full-time basis, four or five days a week over 11 weeks. Many organizations now require students to work for five days per week; therefore, students who want to take additional classes should look for classes offered in the evenings. Students taking the internship are also required to attend specially designed evening seminars during the semester. Credit is awarded only after successful completion of all aspects of the program. Internships are unpaid and monitored by the workplace supervisor and a Richmond faculty member.

In addition to working and attending the internship seminars, students are required to submit a journal recording duties and learning, as well as an analysis of specified aspects of the work experience. They must also submit an essay on their intercultural experience and complete a final research paper describing and analyzing the workplace, the industry and goals achieved. Finally, students must make a presentation on their paper.