Italy Padua Business Internship

BU’s Padua programs take place in a lively town that’s home to one of the oldest universities in the world. Classes are taught both at the BU Padua Academic Center and the Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD). Open to BU students only, the spring-semester Padua Business Internship Program consists of management courses, an Italian language and culture course, and an academic internship for credit. Students directly enroll in the University of Padua Department of Business and Economics and have access to all University of Padua facilities and services.

Requirements & Considerations

All students must enroll according to, and remain in compliance with, the Boston University Study Abroad Course Load Policy.
Boston University students only
Open to students with all levels of Italian
Admissions requirements for all programs

Curriculum

The Padua Business Internship Program oﬀers a spring-semester internship program consisting of four courses. All students will enroll two electives in the area of management, economics and hospitality and in one four-credit internship course. Students with no prior knowledge in Italian must enroll in an Italian language and culture course. Those with some prior knowledge will enroll in a third elective in management, economics, or hospitality. Students have the option of taking their elective courses at the BU Padua Center or at the University of Padua. Upon successful completion of the program, students earn 16 Boston University Credits.

Required Courses

Required Course List

Study Abroad will enroll students in a non-credit Hub co-curricular and in a four-credit internship course, which includes a classroom component. Internship placements are determined by the University of Padua and take place the final eight weeks of the program after the conclusion of UNIPD courses. Students intern full-time Monday through Thursday in the greater Padua area. Those students with no previous knowledge of Italian will also be enrolled in the Italian language and culture course, taught at the BU Padua Center.

QST IM 430 Internship in Management (4 credits)
- The internship course provides students with a thorough understanding of the working environment in Italy as well as cultural and social knowledge of the community in which they will live and work. Throughout the course, students will discuss a variety of topics related to workplace dynamics and will gain familiarity with several cultural, political, social, and economic aspects of modern Italian society.
- Internship Components:
  - The internship itself, including supervisor’s evaluation
  - Participation in the internship seminar
  - A highly structured, mid-term oral briefing
  - Assigned readings
  - A final research paper relating to the professional field of the internship placement
CAS LI 130 Introduction to Italian Language and Culture (4)Effective
Spring '25
- This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area:
  - Individual in Community
- The course is designed for students who participate in the Padua Business Internship Program and have no prior knowledge of Italian. The course is an introduction to Italian language and culture with emphasis on oral comprehension, writing and intercultural communication. Readings on contemporary Italian culture and classwork are designed to prepare students for professional internship while studying in Padua, Italy.
- Syllabus

Elective Courses

BU Padua Elective Courses in English

QST FE 449 Corporate Financial Management (4 credits)
- This is an introductory course in corporate finance, that introduces students to the most important concepts and principles in corporate finance. It provides students with the knowledge and the basic skills that allow them to deal with many aspects of a company’s finances and capital. Specifically, the course covers four main topics: Financial Statement Analysis; Value and Capital Budgeting; Capital Structure and Financing Decisions; Options. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to critically evaluate what long-term investments a firm should take, what mixture of debt and equity should use to fund its operations and they are expected to be able to read, interpret and analyze companies’ financial statements in order to evaluate their current and future performance.
- Syllabus
QST IM 471 Made in Italy: Excellence of Bello, Buono e Ben Fatto (4)
- This course will introduce students to the famous Made in Italy, a complex system of entrepreneurs and companies embodying the spirit of Italian excellence, proposing a variegated selection of products and services in which Italy ranks among the best, thanks to a historical tradition, a strong degree of specialization, continuous improvements and innovation, outstanding quality, and a high level of customization. The course will focus on business models, unique competitive advantages, domestic and international growth, creativity and innovation strategies, economic and financial drivers. The course has a strong experiential component, as it offers students the opportunity to have company visits.
- Syllabus

University of Padua Elective Courses in English

Please refer to Questrom’s lists of pre-approved courses. School of Hospitality Administration students, please refer to Questrom’s lists of pre-approved courses and consult with your academic advisor.

Housing & Student Services

University Dormitory

The Collegio Don Mazza Residence is a private college and has 3 main residence halls in close proximity to each other.

All students live in furnished double rooms with en suite bathroom
Students will room with another student from the program
Partial board included: 5 dinner meals a week (Monday – Friday)
Communal coffee rooms and possibility to use communal kitchen for breakfast preparation
Weekly cleaning service
Wi-Fi, study halls with air conditioning, library, conference room, information center, music room, newspaper and TV room, gym for residents only.
Irons and coin operated laundry facilities
Limited single rooms may be available, for an additional charge.

Program Dates

Spring Semester: Early-January to late May

Application Timeline

This program follows rolling admissions and may fill before the official deadline.

Spring Semester

Applications Open June 1*
Applications Deadline October 1

This program is rolling admissions; applications are reviewed once all application materials are received, prior to all deadlines. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials are received by the BU Study Abroad office. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible as some programs and internship tracks have limited space and may fill up before the deadline. Submitting a complete application prior to the application deadline, does not guarantee acceptance. Students will be emailed an admissions decision within three weeks of a completed application.

Information for BU Students Awaiting an Admissions Decision and exceptions to the standard admission calendar for all students can be found here.

Cost & Financial Considerations

2025/2026 Tuition & Fees: $43,934
Cost includes tuition, housing, partial board, program related activities, administrative fee, overseas medical insurance, and emergency evacuation coverage.
Estimated program budget, including cost of living expenses.
Grants and Scholarships available
Special Padua Research Scholarship is available for Boston University students.

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