Real-World Experience

Students in global studies connect ideas and action, classroom learning, and real world experience to foster more profound intellectual growth and professional development.  All of our students fulfill an experiential learning requirement by either studying abroad for at least six weeks or completing an internship of at least 100 hours—most students do both. Many students also engage in substantial undergraduate research, either at home or abroad, under the guidance of faculty.

Experiential Learning

All global studies students must complete a study abroad experience (at least six weeks) or an internship in their field (at least 100 hours) in order to complete their degree requirements. For more information about study abroad in global studies, please visit our study abroad page.  Experiential learning internships must be relevant to the student’s theme and/or region of study and must be approved ahead of time by the global studies advisor.

Students are encouraged to use HandshakeCLA Career Services, and other on-campus resources to find internships. Global studies advisors and peer advisors also have a list of common internship organizations for global studies students and non-campus affiliated resources that they are happy to share with students via email. To join our listserv and get weekly updates on internships and other real world opportunities, email a request to our peer advisors at igspeer@umn.edu.     

Internships in Human Rights

Each spring, the Institute for Global Studies is proud to offer GLOS 3402: Human Rights Internship. This three-credit course for students with a focus on human rights and justice pairs students with a local advocacy group and over the course of the semester students complete 100 hours of internship work with a leading local human rights organization. Students in GLOS 3402 have interned with organizations such as Human Rights Advocates, Center for Victims of Torture, American Civil Liberties Union, and the Immigrant Law Center.

Research Opportunities

Students in global studies are encouraged to partner with faculty to pursue independent research on global issues at home and abroad. Funding for undergraduate research is available through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and the International Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (International UROP).  

Each spring, students in global studies have the opportunity to present their research at the Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Conference. This conference, co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Studies and the Departments of Spanish and Portuguese studies, Asian languages and literatures, French and Italian, and German, Scandinavian & Dutch, features student panels in a variety of target languages and on a range of interdisciplinary topics in the liberal arts.