Beyond the Classroom
Take your Liberal Arts education outside the classroom.
Out-of-classroom experiences—internships, education abroad, research, student organizations, and other professional development—provide you with the opportunity to use the knowledge you learn in the classroom in real-world settings. In addition to getting you career-ready—one of Dean Lang’s top priorities—these experiences allow you to step out of your comfort zones, cultivate intangible skills, and find your passions.
In the College of the Liberal Arts, our Student Services offices don’t just help you prepare for and find out-of-classroom opportunities; we also support you every step of the way, including financially. Enrichment funding through the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network is available to fund internships, education abroad, and research.
Meet with a career coach in the Career Enrichment Network to learn more about out-of-classroom opportunities.
In this section
Internships
Internships may be obtained through the initiative of the student or by pursuing one of the school’s growing list of standing internships.
Finding the Right Fit
The field assignments should represent productive tasks of importance to the host organization and reflect an active relationship with employment relations, human resources, labor relations, pre law or leadership functions, including the opportunity to become acquainted with the total organization effort.
Upon completion of the internship, the student will be required to prepare a written critical analysis (not merely a description) of the field experience in terms of the course learning objectives and overall experiences. Thus, it is important that the internship tasks reflect meaningful professional responsibilities wherever possible. Internship experiences give students an advantage in the job market.
When
Students may schedule an internship, preferably between the sixth and seventh semesters (including the summer session, before, between, or after these semesters) to improve their job prospects while also enriching their classroom learning with a planned experience in the real world of employee relations, human resources, labor relations, or law. This helps students derive meaningful insights into possible career opportunities. Many students choose to do more than one internship to continue their ability to learn outside the classroom.
Next Steps
If you are interested in securing a credit internship, the first step is to read over the Rules and Procedures for internships and contact Mark Gough so he can answer any of your questions. You may also want to review the Sample Learning Objectives. Students should note that the College of the Liberal Arts may have enrichment funds available to support the cost of an unpaid internship. You can apply for funding support through the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network.
Education Abroad
Many education abroad programs are open to students in the School of Labor and Employment Relations. Imagine spending a semester “down under” at a university in Australia, or in Dublin, Ireland, one of the most dynamic and historic cities in Europe, or in South Africa, one of the most beautiful and exciting parts of the world.
Study abroad can help you to:
- Find great LHR coursework and curriculum
- Understand the field of LHR from an international perspective
- Expand your cross-cultural communication and problem-solving skills
- Prepare you to work in an increasingly diverse and international workplace
- Broaden your academic horizons
- Globalize your worldview
Globalization has changed the fields of labor studies, human resources, and employment relations. More and more, companies operate outside the United States, and unions work with labor organizations around the world. Education abroad exposes students to other cultures and helps them to gain experience living and working abroad, something employers are increasingly looking for in prospective employees.
In recent years, LHR students have studied at:
- University College, Dublin, Ireland
- University of Melbourne, Australia
- City University of London, United Kingdom
- University of Barcelona, Spain
- University of Costa Rica
- Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary
- University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- Umbra Institute Perugia, Italy
YES! Early planning for education abroad helps you to make cost-effective program decisions and to prepare your finances through savings, scholarships, and financial aid. You may apply most types of financial aid that you have at Penn State to your education abroad program.
Penn State offers scholarships for education abroad, and the College of the Liberal Arts has enrichment funds that can be applied to education abroad. The School of Labor and Employment Relations also has small grants available. Furthermore, scholarships for particular geographical areas or particular groups of students are available. Global Penn State provides resources on financial aid for students looking to study abroad.
- LHR students can study abroad at almost any time during their four years. The process of selecting a study abroad program is similar to selecting your major or minor.
- Begin your planning right away. It is never too early to start planning.
- Set some goals. There is no one program best suited for LHR students; there are many good study abroad programs, and the best one for you depends on what you want.
- Prioritize your goals. Consider your long-term academic and professional goals, as well as your on-campus degree requirements.
- Consider both short-term and long-term programs. Embedded programs are great for students who do not want to be away for an entire semester!
- Prepare academically. You may need to take a language or other prerequisite courses for your chosen program.
- Give yourself time to research and talk to advisers and students who have studied abroad.
- With proper planning, studying abroad can help you to prepare for your professional life in today’s global context.
Next Steps
Attend a session of Education Abroad 101 on the first Wednesday of every month from 4:30–5:15 p.m. in 410 Boucke Building, or meet with a peer adviser in 412 Boucke Building, Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Also, set up an appointment with LER’s Study Abroad Coordinator Dorothea Roumpi.
Find a program that fits your goals by browsing the Education Abroad webpage, by attending information sessions on specific subjects or geographical areas, or by looking at the catalogs available in the Education Abroad Resource Room, 412 Boucke Building.
Discuss studying abroad with your academic adviser to determine which kinds of courses would best fit your academic program. If courses taken abroad are to be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, get prior approval from the academic adviser in that subject.
Research
A great way to enhance your undergraduate experience and develop skills that will be attractive to future employers is through undergraduate research. By participating in a research project, you may find a field you are interested in pursuing in graduate school—or even confirm what you are not interested in—and you will get to know your professors on a different level, in a different setting. There are many opportunities for Liberal Arts students to earn credits and/or wages by becoming a research assistant; some research assistants choose to volunteer their time and effort simply to gain experience.
There are a variety of roles available, ranging from conducting literature searches, setting up webpages, administering questionnaires, coordinating experiments, analyzing data, and more. Each of these activities requires different skill sets. The key is finding a fit between your interests and capabilities, as well as the needs of the faculty in the School of Labor and Employment Relations who are engaged in cutting-edge research related to employment relations, human resource management, and leadership. We encourage students to reach out to faculty to explore opportunities to become involved in research projects.
Think about what you’re interested in, and then start doing some research to identify faculty whose interests match yours. View the school’s faculty directory to get a sense of the types of projects on which faculty are working.
Next, go to scholar.google.com and enter the name of the faculty member(s) for whom you would like to gather more information. Each faculty member will have a profile page on scholar.google.com, and there you can find links to their publications. After you read several of their publications, you will have the information necessary to have a productive conversation with faculty.
Student Organizations
There are three student organizations housed within the School of Labor and Employment Relations.
Society for Human Resource Management/Society of Labor and Employment Relations (SHRM-SLER)
SHRM-SLER has a strong affiliation with both the School of Labor and Employment Relations and the National Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Because of these two affiliations, SHRM-SLER’s activities focus on both professional opportunities through SHRM and also opportunities to engage and network with the School of Labor and Employment Relations’ alumni and faculty through different events and activities.
SHRM-SLER’s major goal is to increase member’s professional development in the fields of human resources and employment relations. We do this through a number of events, including:
- Professional development workshops
- Biweekly member meetings and alumni conversations
- SHRM case competition each fall
- Networking with employers, alumni, and current Labor and Human Resources students
We also have activities geared toward networking and engaging with fellow club members and the school’s alumni, faculty, and staff. These activities include our fall hayride, our student-faculty bowling event, IM volleyball, and much more!
SHRM-SLER Officers for the 2024–2025 Academic Year
President – Abigail Gerak
Vice-President – Lindsay Conrad
Secretary – Kayla Duma
Treasurer – Matthew Bronstein
Recruitment Chair – Maddalyn DiMichele
Recruitment Chair – Sam Stanell
Event Planner – Chrisanne Schilling
Event Planner – Tiyana Gill
Student Works at Penn State
Student Works at Penn State (SWAPS) is an official Penn State student organization sponsored by Penn State’s School of Labor and Employment Relations. SWAPS is a student group focused on labor rights, fair workplaces, and understanding how improving workers’ rights also helps to improve our communities. Our student members have educated themselves about issues such as support for unions, voting rights, student debt, and the minimum wage. They have also advocated for these issues, and others, by conducting research, organizing teach-ins, and collecting petition signatures. SWAPS helps connect students with unions and other justice organizations in the labor movement. SWAPS student members have also secured paid internships with Pennsylvania unions, and SWAPS has provided many networking opportunities for students interested in a career in labor or in other social justice organizations.
Contact SWAPS
United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS)
United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) is a student-run organization focused on improving labor rights both in the United States and globally. USAS has over 150 chapters across the country. We are committed to holding our University and the brands that produce our University’s licensed apparel responsible for ethical business practices. USAS has successfully won campaigns against Adidas, Nike, and Russell, as well as campaigns in support of local campus workers.
Contact USAS
Professional Development
Career Enrichment Network
The Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network provides an array of professional development opportunities for students to learn more about how a Penn State Liberal Arts education can prepare you for any career you choose. Schedule a meeting with a career coach to talk about how to explore these resources and develop a plan for your next steps.
- Watch career webinars
- Learn how to assess your strengths, get ready to apply for jobs, prepare for interviews, negotiate offers
- Join the Liberal Arts Alumni Mentor Program
- Prepare for Liberal Arts Career Week
Leadership Readiness Initiative
The Leadership Readiness Initiative is a resource specifically for students in the School of Labor and Employment Relations. The Leadership Readiness Initiative offers three key services:
- Career coaching
- Professional development webinars
- Alumni mentoring
Mock Interview Program
Our alumni provide mock interviews on a by-request basis for LHR students. After filling out an interest form to help us match you with a volunteer based on your major and/or career interests, you will be asked to contact the volunteer to arrange the Zoom or phone interview.
Useful Links
- https://www.thebalancecareers.com/guidelines-for-what-to-include-in-a-resume-2061035
- https://www.thebalancecareers.com/action-verbs-and-power-words-for-your-resume-2063179
- https://www.hloom.com/resumes/internship-templates/
- https://la.psu.edu/beyond-the-classroom/professional-development/applying-for-jobs/
Career Paths
A Labor and Human Resources major equips students with a diverse set of transferrable skills, such as communication and listening, decisionmaking and analytical thinking, attention to detail, computer and technology skills, and interpersonal and social skills. These skills prepare graduates for a wide range of careers with various employers, including multinational corporations, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies at all levels, unions, hospitals, and medical centers. Our alumni apply these skills across almost any industry or organization.
Through hard work, networking, and involvement in student groups, our students have successfully pursued careers and secured internships with employers of their choice.
- Training and Development Specialist
- Compensation and Benefits Administrator
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist
- HR Generalist
- HRIS Analyst
- Recruiter
- Business Analysis
- Consulting
- Human Resources
- Management
- Organizational Leadership
- Sales
- Service (Teach for America)
- Amazon
- Deloitte
- PNC
- Comcast
- Caterpillar
- Lockheed Martin
- International Paper
- U.S. Military