Who Are We?

Since 1970, Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York has been offering American undergraduates the chance to spend a term studying in its London Centre in Kensington. The London academic programme offers professional courses in a wide range of disciplines from the information sciences to business studies, from public communications to the liberal arts. Syracuse has majors and minors in fields as diverse as management, retailing and fashion design, child and family studies, theatre arts and many others.

Increasingly, students have been seeking the chance to prepare for their careers in a global marketplace by taking on internships in London alongside their formal ses to gain insight into the international workplace. Internships provide interaction and hands-on experience with the host culture, as well as direct professional experience related to students’ academic studies and their long-term career goals. Internships are simply the best way for international students to experience London life first-hand as well as to develop their career skills.

What is an Internship?

Internships are work-learning arrangements. These arrangements are supervised, career-related work experiences combined with reflective, academic study that help students “learn by doing.”

Typically, students will spend a day or two a week as an extra pair of hands in a workplace. Ideally they will receive a mix of routine and more challenging assignments, with opportunities for both observation and participation in the life and work of the host organisation. Interns receive academic credit for their work and reflection, determined by a member of the University’s London faculty.

A member of the host company’s staff undertakes day-to-day supervision of the intern and gives feedback on the student’s performance during the internship.

Internships are unpaid.

Rewards

• an enthusiastic extra worker
• a fresh perspective
• the chance to tackle a special project
• freedom for professional staff to pursue more creative projects
• links with a respected academic institution

Syracuse interns receive continuing support from the internship office in both establishing and maintaining the placement to best effect for all parties concerned.

And finally, many supervisors simply enjoy sharing their expertise and savvy in their roles as professional mentors.

Responsibilities

Companies taking on Syracuse interns are expected:

• To find for the student a workplace supervisor who will guide the intern in a variety of engaged and realistic jobs in the workplace. Ideally, the workplace supervisor will act as a role model for the intern, providing feedback on the intern’s performance.
• To inform the internship office of any difficulties in or changes to the intern’s placement.
• To fill out a final assessment form evaluating the student’s performance.
• To have a valid Employer's Liability Insurance Certificate

The Students

The students are typically juniors or seniors and reaching the end of their academic career. They have a solid theoretical grounding in their discipline and are computer literate and can therefore make a good contribution to the workplace. As the students are close to completing their degrees, they are more focused on their career options and internships can help them to make the right choices once they graduate.

Interns get the chance to:

• relate theory to practice
• acquire knowledge related to the workplace
• develop their functional skills, such as problem-solving
• enhance their personal attributes, such as self-discipline and creativity
• earn academic credit

Contact Us

If you have any questions or would like to discuss further the internship programme at Syracuse University in London, please contact the internship coordinator, Dr. Melissa Willby, on 0207 400- 9315 or email me. I look forward to hearing from you.