Internships in London: Program
In a competitive world, practical experience is an invaluable addition to classroom learning. Richmond's internship program provides vital insights into a career field, experience in the global workplace, practical exposure to demands of specific jobs and development of professional and personal skills.
International work experience helps students test a potential career path while exploring interests and abilities in new ways.Working side by side with Londoners is the best way to gain insight into another culture, understand different approaches and prepare for the realities of working in a multicultural and interdependent world.
Richmond has specifically designed the International Internship Program to combine an academic program and individual attention with a unique opportunity to spend 11 weeks working in London-based organizations.
The program benefits students by enabling them to:
- apply academic training to practical situations in business and other organizations
- work alongside professionals and managers to observe different work-styles and techniques
- relate work experience to classroom situations
- enrich employment opportunities and establish a work record for their CV (resume)
- acquire skills and strengths essential to the development of personal confidence
- gain insight into a career area and contacts
The internship program is offered during fall and spring semesters as well as mid-May to mid-August. Students participating in the program earn up to 15 credits. It consists of intensive study of Contemporary British Culture, the internship seminars throughout the semester and 11 weeks on a full-time, unpaid internship.
In addition, students can choose one or two semester-long, 3-credit courses taught weekday evenings by Richmond faculty, many of whom are practicing experts in their fields.
Interns are full members of the Richmond community and benefit from all facilities and services. They can use University libraries, computer labs, studios and other facilities and take part in the active community life of the diverse student body through travel, performances, sports and social programs.
The ideal internship placement is a coordination between the skills and personality that an organization is seeking and those which a student presents. Each student should approach the program with cultural awareness and flexibility. This will enable the internship office to identify suitable organizations at which the student may intern. Placements are made with both small and large organizations, and selection is based on a number of criteria. Please note: Students must attend interviews with suitable organizations and understand that this is a competitive process. Final selection is always at the discretion of the organization, and the internship program is not able to honor specific requests to join a particular organization or guarantee that students will be successful at interviewing.
Interns use public transportation to get to work. London’s extensive bus and subway network allows easy and quick travel throughout the city, and students should budget around $170 per month for this.
Internship schedule at a glance
Your first four weeks- Contemporary British Culture course for four days a week, 3 credits
- Internship seminars
Internship 4 or 5 days a week plus Contemporary British Culture and Internship seminars on selected evenings throughout the semester
Optional
One or two courses offered on one day per week or evenings for three credits each. Due to the intensive nature of the internship program, we recommend that students take only one additional evening course. Only students prepared to take a heavy academic load should take an additional two courses. (Check the course schedule online at www.richmond.ac.uk to see what courses are offered in the evenings.)
Total minimum credits 9
Total maximum credits 15
