London Internship Program

Interns at the Tower Bridge

Purdue students with majors in the above listed departments are eligible if they have attained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0, reached at least junior standing (four semesters of study) by the start of the program, and have the prerequisites for the internship course for their major. Students who have switched majors need to have taken some classes from the new major to qualify for participation.

In order to determine eligibility, check with your academic advisor about prerequisites for the following courses: A&D 47800, AGEC 49800, ANTH 39000, AT 43300, BIOL 49500, CHM 49000, CGT 31600, COM 49000, CS 49000, CSR 39800, EAS 41900, ENGL 49000, F&N 35000 (Dietetics), F&N 59000, HDFS 39000, HIST 49900, HK 49000, HSCI 39000, HTM 39000, IT 19100, MET 49900, MFET 49900, MGMT 39000, OLS 49100, PHYS 39000, POL 40300, PSY 49200, SOC 39000, STAT 49000, and THTR 39000.

Successful candidates will demonstrate academic success, maturity, and a desire to experience another culture.

Only Purdue students physically on the West Lafayette campus during the spring semester are eligible to participate in this program.

Non-US citizens should click here for crucial, additional information regarding the UK visa process.

Internship placements are available in a variety of sites, including small businesses, corporations, art facilities, government agencies, brokerage houses, publishing companies, museums, radio stations, and many others. Internships offer students a learning experience which integrates formal academic preparation and the culture of the work place, furthering the development of professional values, attitudes, and skills.

CAPA, the internship/program coordinator in London, will locate an internship in the student's major and general area of interest usually prior to departure. Placements depend on the major, background, training, interests, and talents of the student, as well as success in securing the internship at the time of the interview (by phone prior to departure or in person after arriving in London) with the potential internship site.

By working approximately 24 hours per week, students should easily be able to fit in the total required 140 hours. However students should not plan to have Fridays or weekends free, and commute time, which can easily be an hour each way, does not count towards internship hours.

Students will attend a weekly Internship Focus Session as well as enroll in one three-credit course, taught by Purdue or British faculty. Internship hours will be arranged around students' class schedules. Students should note that, just like on campus, there must be a minimum or maximum number of students in a class to be able to enroll in it. While students will be asked during the application process to select one of the courses below, it does not guarantee them a spot in that class. Following admission into the program, courses will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Students must take one of the two courses listed under Time Block A and should check with their academic advisor as soon as possible regarding the best class for their plan of study:

Courses for Summer 2013

Time Block: A

IDIS 49000: Post-War British Popular Culture
3 credits
- Instructor: British Adjunct Instructor
This course will look at some key theories of popular culture, and include case studies of selected examples from the British Isles since 1945. The main aim will be to enable students to think independently about this topic, to draw in the students’ previous educational and life experiences of culture & history, including oral cultures, popular & ethnic cultures, and social & religious movements. It will compare British and American experiences of popular culture, the differences, similarities, and cross-influences. The course will include study visits to galleries, museums, and other sites as an important learning experience.

OLS 39900: Global Leadership Strategies and Behaviors
3 credits
- Instructor: Professor Rodney Vandeveer
Today, an organization’s survival and success – and your own – depend on one word: Leadership. Leadership is the skill that matters most in today’s business climate. The executives and companies that do the right things and do things right will prosper. Others will fail. With new management and leadership ideas and techniques appearing every day, how do you know what works and what does not? Global Leadership Strategies and Behaviors blends insightful new knowledge about high potential leaders with hands-on, practical steps providing new lessons for global leadership. This study of leadership also explores the techniques, behaviors, traits, skills and strategies that may be adapted to elevate the leader toward achieving world-class status. Students will be challenged to examine a wide literature base, analyze and debate diverse perspectives, research various global leadership strategies, and share their discoveries. This will be accomplished through a highly interactive, action-oriented agenda engaging students in individual and team-based, cooperative learning activities.

Time Block: B

London Internship Experience/Internship Focus Session (REQUIRED)
3 credits
- Instructor: evaluated by the student's Departmental Internship Supervisor

In order to receive credit for the internship, students must successfully complete ALL of the tasks listed below.

Prior to departure:
-- attend the mandatory advising session in February as well as the pre-departure orientation in March or April
-- compile a resume, cover letter, and internship questionnaire according to the instructions and standards discussed at February's mandatory advising session
-- be interviewed via telephone by the potential internship site in London(students who are not placed in an internship prior to departure will be interviewed in person in London)
-- based on the internship site and expected duties, develop a list of goals and objectives

While in London:
-- attend a one-hour-per-week Internship Focus Session designed to increase awareness and understanding of the culture, people, and work environment in which they are training
-- keep a daily journal to reflect on and analyze internship experiences
-- intern/work 140 hours (approximately 20 hours per week)

Upon return to the USA:
-- write an Internship Analysis Paper that includes 1.) a description of the internship work setting, the purpose and structure of the host organization, and the student’s responsibilities; 2.) a description of one or more experiences which relate the student’s academic program; 3.) a review and evaluation of the student’s learning objectives; and 4.) a discussion of how the internship experience relates to concepts or theories learned in academic courses at Purdue and what was learned from the internship

Interns will also be evaluated by the on-site internship supervisor toward the end of the internship. Evaluations will be mailed to Purdue by CAPA when completed.

NOTE: Some academic departments may have additional academic requirements for their students. The internship experience will be awarded a letter grade or grade of pass/no pass, depending on the department’s policies. It is the student’s responsibility to discuss these details and requirements with his/her academic advisor and/or departmental internship supervisor!

The program fee includes a half-day guided tour of London and a guided day trip to Bath and Stonehenge.

Any student who chooses not to participate in the excursions will not receive any refund of the program fee. Additional inexpensive and subsidized excursions and cultural events will be available at the student's expense.

Purdue students will be housed in self-catered flats in central London (zone one or two). Housing in London is extremely expensive, and accommodations are not spacious, so students should adjust their expectations accordingly. Depending on size, there will be three to eight students in each flat with two to three students per bedroom. 

Each flat’s layout will vary greatly, but all have a living area with sofa, TV, and dining table with chairs, and the bedrooms will have bunk beds or single beds and small closets (storage space will be very limited!). The kitchen will be equipped with basic cooking/eating utensils, a small washing machine, and a microwave, and the bathroom will have either a shower or bath and shower.

Each flat will have a phone to receive incoming calls, and students will be able to make outgoing calls with a calling card. Wireless access will be available for web searches and email only; downloading TV shows, movies, music, etc., will not be allowed.

The program costs are estimates. They are useful for planning purposes, but are subject to change due to currency exchange rate fluctuation and inflation. Students should regard these figures as approximate amounts. London is an expensive city and extensive travel on weekends will increase students' costs.

Note: The program fee covers tuition and fees for six credits, housing, internship placements, a public transportation pass, and excursions.

Costs for this program are estimated and subject to change. The cost figures listed below are for: Summer 2013

Purdue University financial aid may be applied to the costs of studying abroad. Students interested in receiving financial aid should

• direct financial aid inquiries to the Division of Financial Aid on the West Lafayette campus; 
• consult website Study Abroad Financial Aid Process;
• complete and submit the FAFSA by the appropriate deadline.

NOTE:  Recipients of certain tuition remission and scholarship programs should pay careful attention to the regulations for using those benefits for study abroad.  Ask your financial aid advisor about any limitations.

Click here for a list of scholarships and grants available to assist with the costs of studying overseas.

For full consideration, students must submit all supporting documents by the application deadline.  Popular programs fill quickly, often before the deadline.  To insure a place in a program, apply early.

As soon as a student submits an on-line application, a My Study Abroad account is created. Applicants should consult this page often to check on the status of the application.

Application Process for Purdue’s Summer Internship Programs: 

The preliminary application includes: the online study abroad application, a transcript, essay, two recommendations (one academic recommendation on the form that you can download from your MyStudyAbroad page and one work-related recommendation on company letterhead from any current or previous job or internship supervisor), and a copy of your passport or proof of passport application.

The preliminary application must be submitted to Programs for Study Abroad by February 1, 2013.

**We will begin reviewing completed applications in early January; the program could potentially fill up before the deadline. It is imperative, however, that the preliminary application is complete by the deadline at the very latest!**

Once students are conditionally accepted into the program, they must attend one of the two mandatory advising sessions on February 6th from 6:00 until 8:00 in KRAN G016 or on February 7th from 3:30 until 5:30 in WTHR 320. Students must remain present for the entire session.

During the advising session students will receive further instructions on completing the rest of the internship application, including resume, cover letter, and other additional paperwork. 

Upon full acceptance into the program, students are expected to pay a non-refundable confirmation deposit to ensure their participation in the program and course choice.

A student hard at work.

Click below to search for Purdue students who have participated in this program and are willing to be contacted.  If you get no results, you can use the search form to find people who studied in the country you are interested in.

The websites listed below contain information about this program. The accuracy of information at external sites cannot be guaranteed.

• Search Google(tm)*
• Department of State Consular Information
  (You must find United Kingdom in list)
• CDC Travel Information (You must find United Kingdom in list)