World Opportunities

WPI students make a difference by applying their academic knowledge to practical problems.  Students learn the value of a global perspective by working in teams on interdisciplinary projects sponsored by professional, educational, or governmental organizations.  During these projects, undergraduates accept significant responsibility. They become colleagues, not simply students. WPI's unique approach to global studies provides an experience that is like being a professional on overseas assignment rather than being a student in a study-abroad program. These projects offer an excellent opportunity for International Studies majors and minors to develop their international expertise. 

Personal Choices

Every year WPI sends student teams to work in London, Venice, Bangkok, Puerto Rico, Washington, DC, and other sites around the world. Project teams have worked throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Latin America, and the United States.  After courses at WPI, you will be well prepared for the challenge of working with colleagues in a foreign country. Consider the following possibilities:

• Examine public policy, work in a museum, study the theatre, music, or history in a project in London.
• Analyze urban redevelopment in Venice, Boston, or Worcester. 
• Study eco-tourism in Costa Rica, Mexico, or Puerto Rico.
• Work with slum-dwellers to create a laundry facility in Cape Town or improve fire-safety in Bangkok.
• Evaluate the transportation system in Hong Kong or London.
• Study socio-economic conditions in Denmark or fire-safety in Australia.
• Improve management practices on Wall Street or human-computer interactions in Silicon Valley.
• Assess the use of sustainable and appropriate technology in Costa Rica, Namibia, or Thailand.
• See other stories from around the world, or search through the completed projects. 

Innovative Solutions

Award-winning projects at WPI are frequently on international topics. Recent examples include the construction of a communal wash station in Cape Town, South Africa, or studies of erosion and flood control in Namibia, bicycle safety in Denmark, micro-hydroelectric power or solar power to improve hill-tribe education in Thailand, re-engineering the cargo system in Venice, fish farming in Costa Rica, a reassessment of the wheelchair prescription process in London, the social impact of the building code in New Zealand, and the use of biogas in Botswana. International Studies offers the opportunity not only to complete some of the highest quality projects at WPI, but also to offer solutions to some of the most challenging problems in the world.

Many students choose to pursue a major or minor in International Studies to build on their experience at a global project center. International Studies graduates often pursue careers in international business, law, science and technology, medicine, public health, government, and public affairs.