Extended Professional Internship

The extended professional internship is a unique feature of the Bard CEP program. In the second year of study, all students complete a four-to-six month, high-level internship in locations ranging from Washington DC, to New York City,  Texas, Oregon, and Alaska; across the world in Thailand, South Africa, Geneva; and close to home, in the Hudson Valley. Some recent internship experiences are captured in this video.

The internship typically forms the basis for the students' Master's Capstone Projects. Between 30% and 50% of internships turn directly into jobs. The internship is a major item on our graduates' resumes, and supports development of their career networks. About half the internships are paid, and Bard CEP also offers limited scholarship support. 
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In their own words . . .
—Rachel Savain ’12
Photo for In their own words . . .
“My internship experience through Bard CEP was a unique life and career experience. I was a project assistant for WASTE, a Dutch NGO (nongovernmental organization), working on implementing an integrated solid waste management system in Haiti. Being engaged in fieldwork for six months helped me to truly understand the realities while allowing me to perform to my highest capabilities. The opportunity launched my international development career and helped me grow as a young professional. I am currently working at VNG International as a policy advisor.”
Placement Options
Bard CEP helps students find internship opportunities with a variety of institutions, and is continuously expanding its list of internship sponsors. The internship allows students to follow their preferred areas of specialization locally, elsewhere in the United States, or abroad. The internship gives students an applied focus to their degree and an opportunity to learn in a professional setting the job-specific skills they will use upon graduation. Internships also expand professional networks, often leading directly or indirectly to employment. 
Peace Corps and Dual Degree Students
Students in the Master's International program complete the internship through their Peace Corps service. Students in the joint degree program with Pace complete two internships/externships during their summer months at Pace to satisfy the Bard CEP internship requirement. Students in the dual M.S./MAT program satisfy the requirement through student teaching. Students in the M.S./MBA program fulfill their internship through the NYCLab course in the MBA program.
Where We've Interned
Bard CEP students undertake internships locally, nationally, or internationally. Past internship locations include Catskill Rail to Trail Conservancy in the Hudson Valley, Resources for the Future in Washington, D.C, and the World Health Organization in Germany. Read our graduates' internship stories here. 
  Expand for Where We've Interned Click here for a select list of organizations where our students have spent their internships: