Villanova Semester: Sophomore Arts and Internship in London (SAIL)
Villanova's Sophomore Arts and Internship Program (SAIL) offers an unforgettable semester in one of the world’s most vibrant cities! Tailored for CLAS students, this program combines rigorous academic courses, with a hands-on internship experience that immerses you in London’s dynamic professional culture. Explore the city’s rich history and iconic landmarks, engage with world-class faculty, and collaborate with fellow students while developing real-world skills in a global setting. From the bustling streets of South Kensington to the academic heart of Bloomsbury, the city becomes your classroom in this unique opportunity to live, learn, and grow in one of Europe’s most exciting capitals.
2025 DATES
August 26 - December 13
London is a multicultural city that attracts people from around the world yet retains its distinctive "Britishness."
Heading to your internship each day on the Tube, you’ll live like a Londoner, experiencing this modern capital of business, finance, art, and science first-hand. Going beyond the usual tourist experience, you’ll learn to recognize and appreciate subtle cultural and linguistic differences – we might speak the same language but there is lots to learn while in this vibrant city!
Watch our London video above!
Academics
The Villanova SAIL Program is designed to meet the academic needs of sophomore students in Villanova’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), with coursework tailored to fulfill CLAS Core requirements. Over the course of 10 weeks, students will engage in classes that focus on foundational liberal arts disciplines. In addition to traditional coursework, students will immerse themselves in London’s vibrant cultural scene. By exploring museums, galleries, theaters, and historical landmarks, students will jumpstart their curiosity and lay the foundation for future cultural and humanistic engagement.
2025 Course Offerings
HIS XXXX 18th-Century Europe and the World (CLAS Core HIS)
ENG 1975 Family Matters: Stories of Home, Conflict, and Belonging (CLAS Core Literature and Writing Seminar)
MSE 2508 Environmental Resiliance and Sustainability: London as a Lab (CLAS Core MSE)
HIS XXXX London: Histories of a Global City (History Major/Minor Elective or Free Elective)
LA 1904 International Internship (Free Elective)
Housing
Students will be housed in residence-hall-style buildings located in either South Kensington or Bloomsbury, offering safe, comfortable, and centrally located accommodations in the heart of London. These thoughtfully chosen locations provide easy access to classrooms, internship sites, and the city’s endless cultural, historical, and social opportunities.
The housing includes WiFi throughout all buildings, ensuring students stay connected during their time abroad. Bed linens (sheets, pillow, and comforter) are provided, but students must bring their own towels. Fully equipped kitchens are available, complete with necessary cookware, dishes, and cutlery, making it easy to prepare meals and settle into life in one of the world’s most exciting cities. These accommodations are designed to foster a sense of community while providing the independence students need to explore and thrive.
Cultural Activities
In addition to courses and internship, students will have a number of group cultural activities throughout their time in London. Past activities include visit to the London EYE, Day trips to Brighton, night at the theatre in the historic West End.
Management and safety
EUSA’s London office, located near student housing, provides management and support to students for the duration of the program. A EUSA program director will be the principal contact for students on issues of housing, safety, culture and social life in the city. The program director will also serve as the principal contact with the Villanova University campus.
The program director will be available via regular office hours, outside the students’ normal work schedules, to answer questions and resolve problems and will also be available to students 24 hours per day via cell phone for medical, legal or other emergencies.
The internship experience
Villanova University partners with EUSA for student internship experience. EUSA is a not-for-profit international education organization that implements academically-directed internship programs on behalf of colleges and universities.
EUSA has partnered with the Villanova University since 2001 and the organization has placed over 500 Villanova students in academic internships throughout Europe. Students will participate in a 6-week professional practice internship, working 40 hours a week, Monday-Friday (240 contact hours)
Villanova University students will have access to professional practice internship opportunities spanning a wide variety of industry sectors in London. The internship services include:
Instructions on preparation of a placement essay and a resume appropriate to the England
Individual interview with an internship director on the Villanova University campus approximately two months prior to the program start date
Group orientation on the Villanova University campus and on-site in London
Placement of student in a professional practice internship
Follow-up and any required trouble-shooting
Coordination with each internship supervisor and obtaining the supervisor’s and the student’s written evaluations
Placements: Internship placements are based on the skills, interests and professional goals of the student and the project needs and work cycles of the internship sponsors. Students are placed in internships that directly reflect or relate to their courses of study to ensure quality and academic relevance of the placement.
Professional Development: Internships provide practical skills, networking opportunities, and hands-on experience in a global setting.
This unique blend of academic coursework, cultural exploration, and professional development makes the SAIL Program a transformative semester for Villanova CLAS students.
The internship process
No two students and no two internships are exactly alike. The EUSA placement teams take the time through individual internship consultation meetings to understand your personal, academic, and professional needs and match you with the internship that gives you the best opportunity to achieve your goals.
Watch the video below to learn more about the EUSA placement process.
Internship industries
Below students can find information on possible internship fields in London. If there is a industry or field you are interested in that is not listed here, please contact EUSA at boston@eusainternships.org to discuss the possibilities available.
EUSA guarantees an internship placement for every participant on the program, but please keep in mind that while we make every effort to accommodate student preferences, we cannot guarantee any field, organization or type of organization.
*Indicate limited placements due to Covid or industry trends
“Most days I invigilate the gallery. Those mornings I open the gallery and open the exhibit which includes making sure all media aspects of the show are properly on. Recently I have been working with the curator on setting up the schedule for the coming year's exhibition. Six shows have been chosen and I am currently in contact with the artists about the details of their shows.”
Arts, Media & Culture
⦾ Galleries & museums
⦾ Theatres
⦾ Journalism
⦾ Publishing*
⦾ Arts-related charities/NGOs
⦾ Film/TV
“My placement has significantly enhanced my professional knowledge and skills in graphic design, video production, marketing analysis, and product development, providing me with hands-on experience that is directly applicable to my field of study and valuable in the broader industry.”
Communications
⦾ Advertising*
⦾ Digital agencies
⦾ Marketing
⦾ Public relations
⦾ Event companies
“At my non profit, I have gotten exposure to brain injury first hand which has been amazing. It really
helps to connect my learning from class about brain functions with a real life example of
what an injury to the brain can look like. This placement has cemented the fact that I want to work with brain injury patients
when I become a physical therapist and has given me further insight into how I can help
them further.”
Healthcare*
⦾ Advocacy, NGO, & research
⦾ Hospitals
⦾ Healthcare related start ups
⦾ Social charities
"My daily routine includes working on the computer making salesforce updates and improvements. Some days I focus my attention more on building an inventory management system using Access.
I am getting a wide range of projects from creating spreadsheets to track
income/expenses to exploring options on how to improve website performance while cutting costs. I am digesting a lot of general knowledge on business which is very valuable in my opinion.”
Business
⦾ Accounting*
⦾ Business Operations (including HR)
⦾ Entrepreneurship
⦾ Economics
⦾ Financial Services
⦾ Hospitality
"I conduct comprehensive research on a wide range of topics such as cyber security, maritime, and finance/banking institutions- Present findings and insights during internal meetings- Stay up-to-date with the latest developments on security affairs in the Commonwealth- Produce written reports under the guidance of our ED that will be published on the website and distributed through our network"
Politics, Law & NGOs
⦾ Law firms
⦾ Non-profit organizations
⦾ Political parties
⦾ Think tanks
Interested in more placement examples? Visit our placement portraits here!
For more information or to apply visit the Passport Villanova portal today!