Shanghai, one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world and the business center of China, is an exciting location to participate in an internship while learning or perfecting your Chinese. Shanghai is the perfect city for you to obtain internship experience in many possible fields with international and domestic companies, policy research at Chinese think tanks, public media organizations, and NGOs. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to witness and be a part of a city speeding through economic development and globalization!
This program is designed for students who want to spend eight weeks participating in an academic internship in Shanghai, while studying Chinese language.
Potential internship placement options include:
These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.
Enroll in the academic internship seminar (3 hours per week) and complete 28 hours per week at your internship placement for 3 credits.
Potential placement options include:
In addition, you will enroll in one 3-credit Chinese language course (eight hours per week), offered at three levels including beginning. Additional upper-level language courses will be made available for advanced students.
This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.
Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Shanghai, it will feel like home.
Homestays – Live in a home with a Chinese family. Breakfast and dinner are provided.
Hotel/Apartments – Live in a hotel with an IES Abroad roommate for two to three weeks, then spend the remainder of the Internship Program living in Tonghe International student apartments with two to three IES Abroad roommates. Meals are not provided.
Part of making you feel at home in Shanghai is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it’s the orientation program that prepares you for what’s ahead, your housing that is well located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
Upon arrival, participate in a two-day orientation designed to introduce you to Shanghai, the IES Abroad program, and Center staff, and cover important safety and security information.
An internship interview and placement is arranged, along with a language placement exam and a variety of cultural activities.
During the program, you have the opportunity to explore Tongli, the town often referred to as a “Chinese Venice.” Here, 15 small river lanes crisscross the town and are spanned by nearly 50 bridges regarded as sacred architecture by the local people.
Optional Tibet Field Trip An optional post-semester 10-day trip to Tibet is offered to all IES Shanghai students. IES staff and a team of professional Tibetan guides will take you from the markets and temples of Lhasa to high mountain passes and camping by the shores of alpine lakes. We will visit sites including the Potala Palace, once the home of the Dalai Lamas; Jokhang Temple, the holiest site in Tibetan Buddhism; and the Sera Monastery where we will watch the monks participate in their daily debate ritual. Lodging will be in local hostels or sometimes camping in tents under the stars. Most meals and all local transportation is provided. Contact IES staff for information on pricing and schedule. The itinerary is subject to change or cancellation depending upon the political situation in Tibet.
The IES Abroad Shanghai Center is located within walking distance of the Fudan University campus, and accessible by public transportation to the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE). You can easily access all parts of Shanghai from the Center, via an extensive subway and bus system.
Features include: • Offices • Small library with projector and screen • High-speed Internet and printer access • Small classroom • Meeting lounge
Dr. Xiaojun LIIES Abroad Director Xiaojun Li grew up in Inner Mongolia, China. He has worked with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as the Senior Scientist and Chief Scientist of TNC’s International Programs for over 11 years, conducting conservation projects and training programs in the U.S., the Latin American region, the Pacific region, and in China. He started and ran TN C’s Beijing Office for three years. Dr. Li joins IES Abroad from The Mountain Institute, where he was the in-country manager for their work at three field sites. He received his undergraduate degree from Inner Mongolia University, his Master’s degree of Ecology from Lanzhou University in China, and his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Michigan Technical University. He taught undergraduate courses in Beijing Forestry University before he went to Michigan Technological University in the U.S. for his Ph.D. research that focused on Forestry Ecology. Dr. Li’s interests include biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, and sustainable development in developing countries.
IES Abroad Staff Shuo HANChinese Language Coordinator
Lihong YANGStudent Affairs Coordinator
Xi ZHOUCenter Assistant
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