The Lauder Difference – International, Immersive And Interdisciplinary Travel

The Lauder Institute’s MA degree program in International Studies offered jointly with the Wharton MBA or the Penn Carey Law School JD provides numerous international travel opportunities for students to engage in immersive intercultural experiences. These experiences are a unique and integrated component of our International Studies curriculum. Our summer immersions, short-term Lauder Intercultural Ventures, master’s research fieldwork, and annual Lauder Culture Quest allow students to develop a global mindset and cross-cultural leadership skills through real-world engagement. They also strengthen the collaborative spirit of teamwork and lifelong friendships that Lauder students and alumni highly value.     

Summer Immersions

The Lauder Program begins with an intensive four-week academic program in Philadelphia. Students complete coursework in Philadelphia and prepare for a 4-5 week long international immersion to a region of the world related to the students’ Program of Concentration. Each Program’s immersion is carefully designed and led by a faculty member. Immersions involve academic coursework that allows students to deepen their knowledge of cultures and contemporary economic, political, and social issues in countries around the world. For Programs of Concentration with an emphasis on language instruction, immersions aim to develop superior-level language proficiency through formal language instruction and through visits to local businesses and organizations. For students in the Global or Africa-General Programs of Concentration, the summer immersion is a multi-country introduction to leading issues in global business, international politics, cross-border transactions, and intercultural communication. Examples of organizations visited during these immersions include NATO headquarters in Brussels, Hyundai in Seoul, Mandela House in Soweto, PepsiCo in Cape Town, and the French Parliament in Paris. 

Lauder Intercultural Ventures 

Lauder Intercultural Ventures (LIVs) are week-long immersions that take place during Spring and Fall Breaks in selected countries throughout the world. Each LIV, led by a faculty member, focuses on a theme related to the location’s historical, social, political, economic, and/or cultural context. For our most recent LIVS, student groups traveled to Tunisia to explore insights into the Arab Spring, to Thailand to understand Buddhist Material Culture, to Kenya to learn about transformative educational initiatives, and to Peru to examine global heritage and archaeology. Students are required to complete two LIVs as part of their International Studies degree. Through academic assignments related to the LIV’s theme, students reflect on the sites visited as well as their meetings with local experts and leaders to develop intercultural awareness. Our graduates frequently refer to their LIV experiences as a highlight of the Lauder program.

Master’s Research Fieldwork 

For their master’s research project, students often complete international fieldwork alongside students from different Programs of Concentration. This facilitates and encourages comparative cross-regional analysis. In preparation for research, the Lauder Institute provides training to students in comparative analysis and research design, as well as secondary and primary research methodology. Student fieldwork projects have taken place all over the world. Some recent examples include fieldwork in Singapore and Finland to explore how these countries use nature therapy to promote wellness; fieldwork in South Korea and Germany to investigate data privacy policy across two advanced tech economies; and fieldwork in Indonesia and Kenya for a comparative study on startup ecosystems. Although international fieldwork is not required for completion of the master’s research project, it is a meaningful opportunity for students to apply research methodologies to real-world issues in a specific regional context, as well as further language competency in their target language.

Lauder Culture Quest 

Unlike summer immersions and Lauder Intercultural ventures, Culture Quest is an optional noncredit-bearing travel program that takes place over winter break each year. Culture Quest is a student-led “amazing-race” style adventure, open to students and their partners, where teams race through a region of the world accumulating points along the way. The more teams interact with local residents and discover aspects of local culture firsthand, the higher their scores. Culture Quest begins and ends with all the teams coming together for a community activity, such as a dinner or concert. Recent Culture Quest locations include Oman, Egypt, Ghana, and Cote d’Ivoire. Culture Quest is both an immersive learning and bonding experience for Lauder students.  

The Lauder Difference 

The unique experiential travel experiences at the Lauder Institute are integrated into the International Studies curriculum and provide students with the contemporary cultural insights and awareness needed to become business leaders who look globally, engage locally, and act responsibly. Through the numerous opportunities to engage firsthand with the culture, history, politics, economy, social customs, and business practices of other countries, students receive a holistic international education and develop an ability to recognize and navigate cultural differences with skill and sensitivity. Lauder alumni cite Lauder travel experiences as the foundation where lifelong bonds and connections are forged, often referring to these trips as ‘the best part’ of their entire joint-degree program. We invite you to start your Lauder journey now!

Learn more at: https://lauder.wharton.upenn.edu/immersion/

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Reach out to lauderinfo@wharton.upenn.edu or call 215-898-1215 if you have any questions. We look forward to meeting you and being part of your journey to becoming a global business leader.

 

 

READ MORE FROM THE LAUDER INSTITUTE:  Look Globally. Engage Locally. Act Responsibly. , Global Career Advising At The Lauder Institute