International Studies Track

Once the major hub of colonial trade, Boston continues to thrive today as a center for international commerce and services, and as a gateway city for immigrants from around the world.

The International Studies track is designed to give students a global perspective, with courses in economics, international relations, political science, and international management, and with internships that have an international dimension.

Summer 1: The Academic Phase (May 22 - June 29, 2012)

You'll spend your first six weeks of the Summer Study Internship Program taking two 4-credit courses chosen from the following offerings in international studies. The course section has descriptions and schedules.

Select Two:

Note: A modern foreign language course may be taken as one of the two courses in the International Studies track. Students may pick from Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, or any of the African languages that are being offered.

Summer 2: The Internship Phase (July 9 - August 17, 2012)

For the second six weeks of the program, you'll be placed as an intern in a Boston-area organization or business that matches your interests and experience. You should expect to work five days a week for a minimum of 35 hours.

International Studies Internship Opportunities

Internship placement opportunities are available at international non-governmental organizations; international development; state and federal agencies; foreign policy think tanks; commercial import/export firms; and cultural exchange and education institutions.

Internship Placement

  • Guaranteed internship placement for 35 hours a week
  • Internship matches are based on your interests, abilities, and experience
  • All internship sites are accessible by public transportation
  • Visit our Placement Process page for additional information

Summer Study Internship Course (May 25 - August 17, 2012)

The Summer Study Internship Program's 2-credit Internship Course meets on Fridays throughout Summer 1 and on three evenings in Summer 2. The primary emphasis of this course is to explore links between your academic track and your on-site professional experience, and to provide support and guidance as you prepare for your placement.

Internship Profile

Student: Daniel Eng

Career Track: International Studies Track

Courses: American Foreign Relations Since 1898, Total War: 1914-1945

Internship Site: Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis

On the job: Since I worked at a think tank, I performed a lot of research on a lot of different topics, including catalytic warfare and U.S.-Iranian policy, containment and deterrence strategies with applicability to a nuclear Iran, the effect of domestic American politics on U.S.-Asia strategy, and missile defense. I really gained knowledge about the civilian side of national defense and security planning, and also insight into the function of think tanks.

Perspectives: My courses were great, and my internship placement has been terrific—it was a very good fit for my experience and interests.