SMU
Fundación José Ortega y Gasset
(FJOG)
Internships (Prácticas)
– General Description
Professional, Educational, and Personal Development: An internship in the study abroad context provides an excellent opportunity for the holistic development of the student. In addition to gaining practical experience in a professional work environment, the student is also engaged in intercultural and interpersonal situations that can immensely enhance his or her formation. For example, students have the opportunity to develop unique skills working with families in need such as children of mothers who are incarcerated or being released from jail. In this immersion activity students simultaneously develop job skills, improve their Spanish language proficiency, and deepen their cultural understanding as they establish additional relationships and contacts going beyond the basic Madrid Program environment.
Requirements: This is a preliminary overview of the actual requirements, which will vary depending on the circumstances of each individual internship. A detailed description of the sites and requirements will be provided by the FJOG. In addition, it is important to point out here that the actual number of on-site hours are fewer here than in a typical internship at SMU. This is due to the demands and circumstances of the study abroad context. The internship requirements are as follows:
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Work at Internship Site:
approximately 40-45 hours during the semester (The distribution of the
hours depends on a number of factors:
the site’s availability, the student’s class schedule, and the
program excursions, among others.)
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Meetings with Coordinator:
approximately 2 hours per week (There will be both individual and group
meetings.)
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Weekly Progress Reports: brief
written reports in Spanish
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Final Report
These requirements are based on an internship for three credits. The total number of contact hours, both on-site and in meetings with the Internship Coordinator, in addition to the written reports, constitutes the equivalent, more or less, of the average workload for a three-credit course in the Madrid Program. In any event, it is the student’s responsibility to submit any necessary paperwork at SMU and obtain the approval of her or his academic program. The SMU Study Abroad Office will assist the student in this process.
Commitment: A large amount of time and effort has been invested in establishing relationships with the different sites. The students need to be energetic, dedicated to their projects, adaptable to the site conditions, and very flexible with regard to their schedules. Applying for and accepting an internship, if offered one, is an excellent opportunity, but it requires a very serious commitment on the part of the student.
Criteria for Selection: There are a limited number of internships available. The selection of students will be made based on the following criteria, not necessarily in the order presented: class rank, GPA, major(s), level of Spanish, class schedule, purpose/goals, and hypothetical project description. The students will be assigned to their sites in order to make the best possible matches. (For more general information about internships at USD, students may consult the following link:
http://www.sandiego.edu/careers/internships/.)
Questions may be addressed to Olvalero@smu.edu or Vleon@smu.edu.
To apply please click here for applications:
