Professional Service Semester
Gain hands-on experience working in an organization in your field.
The Professional Service Semester (PSS) helps students secure graduate-level internships, jobs, or consultancies in international organizations in the U.S. and abroad. The program is designed for graduate students in the International Environmental Policy (IEP) and Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies (NPTS) graduate programs.
Students can earn up to 4 units of workshop credits in January and 6 units for the field course during the regular spring, summer or fall semesters. Students should consult their academic advisor regarding additional credits if needed.
PSS Pre-Registration Deadlines: Students should pre-register three months in advance of the start of their practicum.
- Summer 2023: Pre-registration
- Fall 2023: Pre-registration
- Spring 2024: Pre-registration
Estimated registration form completion time: 30 minutes (students are asked to indicate some of the places they would like to work)
Get a Head Start on Your International Career
For many students, the practicum experience acts as a stepping stone to a future career. The program’s networking possibilities and international exposure are just a few of the benefits students receive through their participation. An practicum assignment complements a student’s degree focus by providing an applied learning environment for students to develop skills and knowledge not covered in traditional classes.
For more information and help planning for your Professional Service Semester, visit the Center for Advising and Career Services and meet with the Director of Immersive Professional Learning.
Past Participants and Participating Organizations
View a complete list of past PSS participants and where they served from 2002–2023.
Since 2002, more than 300 Professional Service Fellows have served in more than 200 international organizations. Because of our continued partnerships with these organizations, many practicum students are offered exceptional opportunities that are unavailable to anyone else. Recent opportunities include the following organizations:
United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)
Conventional Arms Branch (New York City)
Food and Agriculture Organization (Rome, Italy)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Romania)
Marine Conservation Institute (Washington, D.C.)
International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna, Austria)
U.S. Dept. of Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (Washington, D.C.)
Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development (Calca, Peru)
International Organization for Migration (Bangkok, Thailand)
California Coastal Commission (various CA locations)
Where PSS Alumni Find Careers
U.S. State Department
State of California
Teach for America
American Red Cross
Catholic Relief Services
United Nations
International Organization for Migration
International Labor Organization
The World Bank
International Atomic Energy Agency
Inter-American Development Bank
Eligibility
PSS is open to all IEP and NPTS students in their third or fourth semester. Students should complete the PSS pre-program survey, register for the 6-unit course, and confirm their position one month before the start of their practicum semester.
January Workshops
PSS fellows and other students can take up to 4 units in applied professional workshops during the January term. Other January courses are also available. Workshops will be announced in October.
Contact
Carolyn Taylor Meyer, PhD
Director of Immersive Professional Learning
cmeyer@middlebury.edu/831-647-6417