Practicum: International Trade

Overview

Your final semester includes an immersive semester-long practicum, where you will work for organizations like the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. International Trade Commission, Deloitte, World Economic Forum, or a diverse array of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and private enterprises boosting growth through trade.

Become an agent of meaningful change at a global or local scale and begin your career with the practicum experience at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

Funding Your Practicum

The majority of practicum positions are paid positions. Students in unpaid or low-paid positions can apply for experiential learning grants from the Institute.

Each year, the Institute supports more than 250 students with grant awards—an investment of more than $400,000 for fieldwork each year.

Practicum Options 

A web of support, including the director of experiential learning, your career and academic advisor, faculty, alumni working in a similar field or on a similar project, and an on-site practicum mentor, help practicum students as they spend four months working full-time on applied projects across a broad range of topics. The practicum can be based in the U.S. or internationally, in-person or remote.

Choose from three options to develop the most meaningful platform for your career.

Work Project 

In this internship, you will work a minimum of 25 hours per week and develop an applied project to benefit their host organization. You can either work with our advisors to find this internship or secure an opportunity independently. The Work Project can be completed via a full time paid position or via an internship or fellowship.
Example: Intern with Prosper Africa, a U.S. Congressional Initiative to promote two-way trade and investment between Africa and the U.S.

Client Project

Select partner organizations request Middlebury Institute students for applied projects or you can propose your own client project. You will work in a team or independently for 20 hours per week. 
Example: Complete an analysis for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations Trade Transparency Unit.

Research Project

Structured like a traditional thesis, you will explore a topic for 20 hours per week. Professor Wei Liang guides students through empirical qualitative and quantitative research methods as they work independently or in groups.
Example: Conduct research in Thailand and Vietnam to analyze the trade impacts of hydropower projects. 

Finding Your Practicum

Practicum planning starts in your first semester. Our faculty are all engaged professionals with active networks. You will meet influential guest speakers from various organizations and work on client projects that can evolve into practicum placements. We also have an extensive alumni network, and many alumni offer placement in their current workplaces and act as mentors. You will attend conferences, and faculty members will connect you to leaders in your field of interest. 

Carolyn Meyer, director of experiential learning, will work closely with you to secure an opportunity that best fits your professional goals and makes the most of the experience. You may also secure an opportunity through your own network. One hundred percent of our students receive placements, most of which are their top choices.

Launch Your Career

Many of our students secure their first job after graduate school through the network developed at their practicum. Your advisor in the Center for Advising and Career Services is available to help you clarify your professional goals and career readiness. Scott Webb’s customized approach will help you develop or strengthen your résumé, cover letters, online presence, networking, interviewing, and negotiation skills.

Practicum Sites

Practicum placements reflect the range of organizations where our graduates make their careers, including nonprofits, consultancies, federal, state, and local governments, the private sector, international organizations, and think tanks.

Select Practicum Organizations

• U.S. Department of Commerce
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• World Economic Forum
• World Trade Organization
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• UNCTAD (United Nations Trade and Development)
• International Trade Centre
• International Telecommunications Union
• FAO
• Kuli Kuli
• Nike
• International Economic Development Council
• CARE
• CATO Institute Center for Trade Policy
• Chatham House
• CSIS