Take your skills beyond the classroom with an internationally focused internship or by joining the international studies honor society.
Internships
An internship is a great opportunity to enhance your academic career with practical experience that can serve as a bridge to future employment or study. Students who are completing the secondary major (declared before Fall 2018) are required to complete an internship.
- ISTD 4910: Internship in International Studies Syllabus, Fall2020 PDF
- ISTD 4910: Internship in International Studies Syllabus, Fall 2019 PDF
- ISTD 4910: Internship in International Studies Syllabus, Spring 2021 PDF
- ISTD 4910: Internship in International Studies Syllabus, Spring 2022 PDF
Freshmen and sophomore students are only allowed to register for the internship under special circumstances. Juniors may be allowed to register for the internship, particularly if they have already studied abroad and have completed a majority of their degree requirements. Interns should bring their academic, study abroad and language experiences to the project, which usually can only be accomplished in the senior year.
You must secure an internship before the beginning of the semester in which you register for the internship course. You must also fill out the College of Arts and Sciences internship protocols, both the learning agreement and the risk acknowledgment, and have the internship approved by an international studies advisor prior to starting the internship.
You may not switch internships mid-semester and are not allowed to complete the requirements of the internship by working at two sites for half the time. If you think that your internship is not providing the experience you were hoping for, you can take an incomplete for the semester and secure a new internship within the following two semesters. You are expected to work at your internship for 140 hours throughout the semester.
Local Internship Sites
Internships can be local as long as they are internationally based and off-campus. Some opportunities are available at the following locations:
- Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma
- Gitana Productions, Inc.
- International Welcome Center
- Mustard Seed Peace Project
- Ripples Foundation
- St. Louis Interfaith Committee on Latin America
- St. Pius V Immigrant Refugee Program
Sigma Iota Rho
We believe that your work should be rewarded. That’s why a campus chapter of Sigma Iota Rho, the honor society for international studies, was founded at Saint Louis University in 2013.
SLU’s chapter of Sigma Iota Rho, Epsilon Lambda, joins over 110 chapters worldwide to "promote and reward scholarship and service among students and practitioners of international studies" and "to foster integrity and creative performance in the conduct of world affairs," according to the society's mission. The founding eight students and six faculty members were inducted on March 21, 2013.
As a member of Sigma Iota Rho, you will have the chance to meet other students interested in internationalization and learn about international scholarships, internships, study abroad opportunities, international programs and international research.
Sigma Iota Rho inducts students, faculty and honorary members into the ranks of the national honor society on an annual basis.
Requirements
To become a member of Sigma Iota Rho, you must meet the following requirements:
- Complete at least 21 credit hours of coursework in international studies and relevant subject areas of anthropology, economics, foreign languages, geography, history, political science, and other related disciplines, including at least two courses at the 3000- or 4000- level.
- Be at least a junior/third-year student.
- Hold a 3.3 overall GPA or higher and a 3.4 GPA or higher in international studies courses.
You must be a full-time student with a status of at least 12 hours to be a voting member or hold an office.