The Office of Experiential Learning answers some FAQs from students who visit their office
Q: Where can I intern?
We often have to ask for a bit of clarification when a prospective intern asks this question. Often, they are either asking about the geographic placement or the industry field in which they will intern.
To begin with, Berklee interns can intern, geographically, anywhere. We have three summer-specific programs, The Summer Internship Programs in New York, LA and London that are specific to those areas and include an internship, workshops with local industry leaders and furnished housing with other Berklee interns.
However, we also have a major-specific internship that earns two general electives in your major and an Internship Certificate Program that does not count towards graduation but lets you get your foot in the door of an internship without taking on too many extra academic assignments. Both of these programs are offered year-round and can be fulfilled in any city, anywhere. Just keep in mind that you are on your own for housing, transportation and other logistics.
For example, you might know an acquaintance in Paris who runs a studio and is willing to give you an internship. You could take that internship as a major-specific internship or an internship certificate.
In terms of what sort of work setting you can intern in, your imagination is the limit! Once you sign up for any of our internship programs (except London, which has it’s own special placement process), you receive access to our internship database, which has more than 150 employers who have approached us looking for interns. They span all realms of the music industry including venues, artist management, production, major and minor labels, composers, non-profits, entrepreneurs and everything in between. Check out this list for an example of just some of the companies we’ve worked with in the past.
Just as important, we encourage students to go beyond the database. What is your dream internship? Who would you love to learn from? Don’t hesitate to write an email to the company, producer, or mentor that you would die to work for. Go ahead and take that half-court shot – because it doesn’t cost you a thing and the payoff could be huge. As long as they agree and meet our minimum requirements for an internship, you might end up living your dream. It just takes a little ambition and tenacity.
We’ve just started signing up students to begin the search for summer internships. Feel free to stop in and see your internship coordinator (walk-in hours below) to get in on the action!
Joe Burke is the Office Manager for the Office of Experiential Learning
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Keith
Looking back on getting out of college, the best place for me to intern would not have been where I thought the money was, but the wisdom. You can always make more money later, but wisdom at a young age exponentially improves your career.