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Course Credit and Academic Requirements

Our Experiential Learning Curriculum

Whether you are interning abroad or remotely with Intern Abroad HQ, our Experiential Learning Curriculum is included on all internships. This established learning model is based on tried and tested educational methods, which takes your international internship to the next level. Through using proactive experiential learning exercises, we provide interns with tangible tools to support personal and professional development.

What is Experiential Learning?

Our experiential learning approach provides a structured and guided platform for you to think critically about your experiences on your internship. It accelerates and deepens your learning by asking self-reflective questions around the contexts, actions, and outcomes of your placement.

  1. Experience: You apply your current abilities and learn through doing.
  2. Reflect: You reflect on your experiences to critically assess what you did well, what outcomes were achieved, and what you might do differently next time.
  3. Conceptualize: You use your reflections to proactively identify opportunities for improvement and growth.
  4. Apply: You apply these learnings to enhance future experiences!
What is Experiential Learning?

Why is our Experiential Learning Curriculum important?

At Intern Abroad HQ, we believe that experiential learning will help you to build the broader sense of self-awareness, cultural intelligence, and comprehensive soft skills that employers look for.

Employers want to hear about what you have learnt on your internship and how you will apply your skills and experiences to handle diverse situations or solve problems in the future. The ability to articulate yourself in this manner is more impactful than just listing off a series of tasks or roles which you have done.

Our interns say that our focused reflective exercises really help them to articulate their values, goals, competencies, and strengths on their resumes and in job or college interviews.

Why is our Experiential Learning Curriculum important

How does the Experiential Learning Curriculum work?

Our Experiential Learning Curriculum involves completing regular written reflection exercises during your placement.
Weekly Reflection Topics

Weekly Reflection Topics

Once a week, you’ll receive a reflection exercise to complete, which will be focused on a specific topic. Each will provide an introduction to the topic, the learning objectives, and a series of thought-provoking questions for both personal and professional development considerations.

Journal Entries & Feedback

Journal Entries & Feedback

You’ll document your reflections on each topic and submit them as online journal entries. Your Internship Program Manager will review your submissions for each exercise and can provide feedback and guidance to maximize your self-development.

Completed Portfolio

Completed Portfolio

At the completion of your internship, you’ll receive a consolidated compilation of your experiential learning reflections. This document serves as a permanent record of your experience, which you can draw upon in the future when preparing for college or job interviews. This may also contribute to Course Credit and Academic Requirements. Interns additionally receive a certificate of internship completion, which can accompany a letter of reference from your internship host organization.

Samuel John from New Zealand - Environmental Internship Abroad in Guatemala

“While in Guatemala for 6 weeks, Intern Abroad HQ allowed me to combine my placement with their experiential learning program. The guidance provided fresh structure and insight and the reflections on things like culture, communication, problem-solving and expectations really helped with my adjustment period and ability to think outside the box.”

Samuel John from New Zealand
Environmental Internship Abroad in Guatemala

What reflection topics are included?

Each weekly reflection topic is connected to universally recognized skills that are core to career-readiness, such as resilience, communication, and cultural intelligence.

Weekly themes include:

  • Culture Shock & Settling In
  • Am I Making a Difference? Managing Expectations
  • Cultural Diversity
  • Approaches to Problem Solving
  • Communication & Information Literacy
  • Perceptions of Time and Time Management
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Professional Identity
  • Priming for Success
  • Professional Resilience
  • Ownership & Accountability
  • Commercial Awareness
  • Re-Entry Phase

Get more out of your internship by gaining additional personal and professional development

”I would recommend Intern Abroad HQ to anyone. They were so incredibly helpful throughout the whole process of applying, interning, and reflecting post-internship. With this experience, I was able to learn and grow an immense amount and build relationships with some of the most welcoming people in the world!”

Get more out of your internship by gaining additional personal and professional development