Students majoring in IECA are encouraged to improve their linguistic fluency and cultural familiarity by studying in another country and participating in an internship or cooperative education experience while there. Potential employers seeking individuals who can function abroad are more apt to give preference to those who have already had study or work experience overseas.

• Study-abroad opportunities for VU students exist in:
Hangzhou, China
Paris, France
Reutlingen or Tubingen, Germany
Osaka or Kansai Gaidai, Japan
Puebla, Mexico
Granada, Spain

• Internships
Students doing an internship, while generally not paid for their work, can earn between one and four academic credits. Any IECA student seeking credit toward the major for such work experience should consult in advance with the IECA program chair. While some students participate in internationally-focused internships while enrolled at the VU campus, they do so more often while studying abroad. Availability of internships and the process by which they are arranged varies from one study-abroad center to another and students seeking this kind of work experience as part of their overseas program should consult in advance with the International Studies Office. More about internships

• Cooperative Education
Cooperative Education for IECA students is usually full-time paid work experience abroad for which some academic credit may be earned. Sometimes a student will take a cooperative education placement during the summer (for one academic credit). Others will leave campus for a full semester (for three academic credits), then return to campus the following semester. Several placements are regularly available in Germany; other sites require that a placement be located with the assistance of the Director of Cooperative Educaton.