International Internship Program: Berlin

Internships are crucial to success in today’s competitive job market. The International Internship Program (IIP) gives you a competitive advantage through the experience of a summer-long, full-time internship abroad. Full - time means anywhere from 35 to 40 hours a week, so you will have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to your organization as well as develop professional relationships with your coworkers. You'll have an unparalleled opportunity to develop technical and transferable skills in a global context, and learn how to articulate your experience toward your professional and personal development.

This program will challenge you to become globally competent and add value to a company from day one. You will be pushed to be resourceful in a professional environment, put your coursework to practice, and build an international network.

The IIP is an 8-week summer program, and you'll be enrolled in a 6 credit internship for credit course. This program is designed for students who have successfully completed three semesters of coursework at Pitt or a transfer university as a degree-seeking student. Internships are customized to your professional interest area, based on your past experiences and qualifications, and placements are guaranteed for those accepted to the program. Keep in mind that, due to visa regulations, internships are available for credit only.

What You'll Accomplish:

As an engaged and active participant in this program, you will have the opportunity to:

Develop in-demand professional skills and articulate them toward your future career development
Apply knowledge you’ve learned in the classroom and make a positive impact in your organization
build a network of international colleagues to help support your professional goals

Berlin is a cultural and economic powerhouse of Europe. With a wide range of positions available, including creative industries, media corporations, and more traditional companies, there is an internship perfect for you.

Berlin’s state-of-the-art public transportation system includes a subway, buses, trams, and ferries, and will serve as your gateway to your internship as well as the museums, squares, and historical landmarks.

Where You'll Live:

You'll be housed in shared, apartment-style housing with other IIP Berlin students. Your housing will be centrally located near public transportation, restaurants, and the Intrax office, but you should expect a commute of at least one hour to your internship. You can expect your housing to include:

Shared rooms (2 students per room)
Shared bathroom and living space
Shared kitchen
linens and towels included
Wifi and internet access
Laundry service (additional fee)
Breakfast (additional fee)

We do our best to provide the most accurate information about housing and amenities but due to the nature of the locations in which we offer programs and limited availability, these items are subject to change. Contact your program manager with any questions.

What You'll Study:

You will earn six credits through the Pitt Business Internship for Credit Program (BUS 1910). Your coursework will include reflective essays, a midterm internship supervisor evaluation, and a final internship supervisor evaluation. All assignments will be posted online through a course website, and students will submit assignments electronically. BUS1910 is graded pass/fail, and only students who successfully pass the internship course will be considered as having studied abroad for any degree, certificate, or major requirements.

BUS1910 fulfills both foreign culture requirements for Pitt Business students. Non-business students, including dual degree students, should work directly with their academic advisors to determine if the course can be applied to any degree requirements.

IIP International Internship (BUS1910)

This six-credit international experience is for students wishing to gain valuable experience and exposure in an international professional work environment. The course purpose is to enhance the students’ internship experience in the field making it more valuable by providing the opportunity to analyze, discuss, and contextualize their work and evaluate personal experience and accomplishments. The course is divided into two different thematic sections:
1) The course helps students understand issues related to their internship placements business environment and the peculiarities of local contemporary socio-economic trends.
2) The course actively engages in an experiential learning journey towards personal development and career empowerment, by examining critical strategies for personal and career success in a global marketplace and evaluating personal attitudes, skills, interests and knowledge.
3) The course directly addresses professional development by engaging participants in formal career readiness exercises. The goal is for participants to understand transferrable skills, cross-cultural skills and global competence and articulate these elements in the form of cover letters, resumes and interviews in order to better prepare for entering today’s job market.
The course helps students make the necessary connections between intercultural learning and personal employability so that they better understand and articulate study abroad experiences in ways meaningful for personal and professional advancement, enhancement of global competence and intercultural awareness.
Overall Course Objectives:

Discuss and describe the main features and issues relevant to contemporary labor market in the destination country, business environment, and socio-economic developments.
Critically reflect on personal attributes and assess strengths and skills necessary for success in your field and career ambitions.
Examine 21st century job skills, employment trends and their relation to the global marketplace of careers and professional development.
Explore and identify international career opportunities in your field of interest
Develop a “tool kit” of concepts and information regarding the cultural and business climate of the country in focus.
Recognize, observe, and describe cultural differences and their impact on people’s behaviors, attitudes and values through active and targeted engagement with host culture, people, and city.
Recognize and describe how your professional competences, global competence, and intercultural awareness have improved during the internship and apply the acquired knowledge, attitudes and skills to personal and professional goals.
Develop and articulate a personal employment narrative both verbally and in writing that integrates study abroad experience with career professionalism and global competence.

Experiential Learning Description:

Pitt's partner in Berlin, Intrax, will work with you after your acceptance to find you an internship. Internships in Berlin are available in a variety of fields, and Intrax always takes your academic focus and career goals into account when pairing you with a host company.

Internships are in English, but students with advanced German skills can be placed into German-speaking companies.

Intrax will work with you throughout the placement process to perfect your resume, prepare you for your interviews, and find out what your internship goals are. For more information about the placement process, see Intrax’s placement process flowchart.

Resume content and formatting is different in an international setting. For more information about how to perfect your resume for an international internship, see Intrax’s resume instructions and resume template.

Sample Internship Placements

For students interested in any of the following internship areas, check out Intrax's sample placements:

*Note that the above sample placements are only examples of possible positions, and placement options are not limited to these industries/fields.

Your academic course will be instructed by Pitt faculty. While a Pitt faculty member will not accompany you to Berlin, Intrax, Pitt's partner in Berlin, has a full-time support staff there to help you with whatever you might need during your stay. Whether it’s housing, internship advice, or just recommendations on where to take your parents when they visit, the Intrax staff is there for you.

Your Pitt Study Abroad Contacts:

Steph Spirk

Hola, hallo, hi! I'm Steph Spirk, and I am an International Programs Manager for Pitt Business. I am a yinzer, very proud to call Pittsburgh my home, yet my love for cultural exchange has always led me to new places, even ones I never thought I'd go to before. I was a Pitt student myself, becoming an expert on study abroad by participating in three programs: Global Service Learning in Bolivia, the International Internship Program in Madrid, and an exchange program at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. I speak fluent Spanish and German at an advanced level. In my free time you'll find me practicing yoga in the square, hiking through the many parks, painting, and capturing the beauty of Pittsburgh and beyond through the lens of my camera.
Looking forward to chatting with yinz!

E-mail:

stephspirk@pitt.edu

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Your In-Country Contacts:

Hillary Koller

Hello! I’m Hillary, Director of Pitt Global Experiences. I originally hail from New Jersey, but became a member of the Pitt community as an undergraduate student in 2002 and I have been here pretty much ever since. During my time at Pitt I’ve had the opportunity to accompany students abroad, and I’m excited to work with you to make your international experience a valuable one! When I’m not in the office, you can find me spending time in the great outdoors, reading, cooking, and taking a yoga or ballet class. Get in touch with me at hkoller@pitt.edu.

E-mail:

hkoller@pitt.edu

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Items Billed by Pitt
	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition	$5514	$5714
Program Fee	$1986	$1986
Study Abroad Fee	$300	$300
Total Billed by Pitt	$7800	$8000

Estimated Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs
Airfare		$1,200 - $1,500
Personal Expenses		$1,500 - $3,000
Public Transportation		$200 - $400

What's Included:

As a part of your IIP: Berlin fee, the following are included:

In-country orientation
Tuition for six credits
Housing
International health insurance

Remember that your lifestyle and spending choices can greatly affect the amount of money you'll need while abroad. Visit our Budgeting page for more information.

When You'll Go:

The program dates for summer 2023 are May 23 through July 22, 2023.

What Else You Need to Know:

All students are required to attend the mandatory Program Agreement Meeting. This afternoon long event will cover important topics relevant to study abroad like health, safety, security, and more. Plus, it will give you the chance to meet other students studying abroad on your programs! Alumni and staff will also be present to help you start thinking about your goals for the program. More information will be provided by your program manager.

Pitt Business students may apply for additional scholarships through the Pitt Business International Scholarship application. Please note that the application deadline for the Pitt Business International Scholarship is the same date as the program application deadline. For other scholarship opportunities, be sure to check out the Pitt Global Experiences funding page.