Study + Internship in Madrid

For your CEA CAPA Study + Internship program, you will simultaneously intern at your host organization, take our mandatory Global Internship Course, and take additional elective courses. Your internship work schedule will be established once you arrive. It will be structured around your course schedule and may vary depending on your career field and host organization. 

Internship Placement Duration and Hours:
You will intern at your host organization for a total of 12 weeks, not including any agreed upon break-week periods. Throughout your program, you will work 20 hours per week (240 hours total) and will likely intern during standard business hours Mondays-Fridays. Your placement may include in-person, remote, and hybrid work depending on the needs of your host organization.

Global Internship Course:
You will take the Global Internship Course alongside your internship placement. This professional development course is designed to accompany your placement so you can make the most of your internship abroad. You will learn how to understand and articulate the value of your internship through the lens of NACE Career Readiness Competencies that employers crave, which will help you stand out to future employers and graduate schools. You will also engage in live cultural discussions that will enhance your global perspective and intercultural awareness between your program location and the U.S. The course comprises of reading, writing, and verbal assignments, including building an e-portfolio, completing mock interviews, developing your online professional presence, giving a final presentation, conducting industry field research work, and more. You can also take advantage of additional CEA CAPA mentoring and career preparation workshops to complement what you learn in the course. 

Credit Options:
You will receive academic credit for your internship abroad via the Global Internship Course and your performance at your internship placement. You can enroll in the course for 3 or 6 credits based on your unique needs and preferences. Whether you enroll in 3 or 6 credits, you will complete 20 hours per week (240 hours total) at your internship placement. The differentiation in the number of credits you choose will come from the amount of coursework and contact hours in the Global Internship Course. Unlike the 3-credit course, for the 6-credit course you will complete an additional robust industry field research project. 

• 3 credits: minimum 240 placement hours (20 hours per week) + Global Internship Course (meets for 1.5 hours for 8 sessions)
• 6 credits: minimum 240 placement hours (20 hours per week) + Global Internship Course (meets for 1.5 hours for 13 sessions)

You will choose the number of credits you would like to enroll in for the Global Internship Course during the Internship Placement Process. 

Additional Elective Courses
In addition to taking the Global Internship Course and completing your internship placement, you will choose 1-3 CEA CAPA courses and 0-2 UAN courses from the catalog of course options available to you. If you choose the early start semester, you'll enroll in an additional language course at UAN. By taking elective courses to complement the internship portion of your program, you will be able to make progress toward your degree and graduation requirements, maximize your learning, and gain a richer cultural experience while you are abroad. 

CEA CAPA and UAN courses meet for 45 contact hours/3 credits. In spring semester, early start UAN language courses meet for 90 contact hours/6 credits. UAN courses may meet in the morning or afternoon, Monday-Friday. CEA CAPA elective courses meet twice per week, Monday-Thursday; however required active learning components may be scheduled on Fridays. Please keep this in mind, as you will be expected to prioritize your courses over any personal travel on Fridays.

You may earn a total of 12-15 credits during your program. Given the demands of your internship, the Global Internship Course, and your elective courses, we recommend enrolling in a total of 12 credits. We also encourage you to discuss the total credits you plan to take with your home institution. If you choose the Early Start option, you may earn up to 18 credits.

NACE-Certified Career Coaching & Internship Placement Process
Once you’ve submitted your application and required documents for your internship program, your career development adventure will begin! You will be assigned your very own NACE-Certified Career Development & Internship Specialist, who will work with you one-on-one throughout pre-departure to guide you through the steps and deadlines of our Internship Placement Process. Your Specialist will be your main point of contact for your internship prior to your departure. They will be happy to answer any questions you might have, and will also provide you with personalized career coaching, as needed, so you are set up for success for your internship abroad.

In addition to working with your Career Development & Internship Specialist, during the Internship Placement Process you will engage with your In-Country International Internship Coordinator in your location and your potential host site supervisor. Your International Internship Coordinator will draw from your application materials to source and match you with a personalized internship placement that best aligns with your unique experience, skills, career interests, and goals for your internship abroad. Please also note, your host site supervisor will retain the final decision on the finalization of your placement, so it’s important to approach your interview with your host site supervisor with maturity, adaptability, curiosity, and commitment to both your career interests and the host organization.