INTERNSHIP WITH THE THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA MUSEUM IN MADRID
VWM Program offers an internship with the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. This is a chance to work with native speakers and gain unique knowledge and work experience inside a Spanish cultural institution. A detailed description of the position is included below, along with instructions to apply. Volunteering options, including a work-related position, are described under the Life in Madrid program link.
Práctica en el Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (http://www.museothyssen.org/thyssen/home)
1. Tipología general de prácticas: Conservación (si el estudiante cursó Historia del Arte), Comunicación, Marketing, Restauración, Registro (movimiento de obras de arte), Tecnología (web), Tienda y Publicaciones (diseño gráfico… ), etc.
2. Proyectos específicos de prácticas: Los proyectos se decidirán según la preparación de cada estudiante.
Los estudiantes trabajarán 12-15 horas semanales (normalmente 9-12am) cuatro o cinco días de la semana.
Application process: Interested students must submit a copy of their curriculum vitae and a letter (it can be attached to an email) directed to the current (rather than in-coming) resident director of the VWM Program. The letter, in Spanish, should indicate (1) the name of the internship, (2) the student’s pertinent experience and qualifications, (3) what aspect of the internship interests the student most (the internship provides for different possibilities depending on skills and experience), and (4) why the student is interested in this internship (instead of the equivalent in coursework). We strongly recommend students be in touch with current holders of the internship to discuss pros and cons, if possible. Applicants will be contacted for an initial interview before the end of the semester. Although a c.v. in English will be acceptable for the preliminary communication with the resident director, applicants should their application letter and c.v.s into Spanish as correctly as possible so they can be read by the internship manager at the Thyssen. Once applicants arrive in Madrid, they will have a second interview with a representative of the Museum. Since we cannot guarantee a mutual fit, it is crucial that students applying for internships line up sufficient alternative credits to meet the program requirements and register for and attend the corresponding class(es) until the internship is confirmed definitively.
Application deadline: Applications to the current (rather than in-coming) resident director must be received by May 5th for the fall semester and by December 8th for the spring semester.
Time commitment: Before applying students should understand that this internship requires a commitment of between 140-160 hours for the semester. In addition, interns are required to keep a journal with weekly entries in Spanish, publish a blog, or write the equivalent in short papers. The purpose of the writing is either to reflect on the internship or analyze some aspect of the work pursued in it. At the end of the semester, interns are required to submit their journal, blog link, or the (5-10pp.) paper(s) to the VWM resident director.
Additional information: The internship is the equivalent of one Curso de Grado (six credits) to be taken on a Pass/Fail – S/U basis and will start immediately upon acceptance of the position. If a student-intern does not complete the required hours or submit the required written work (outlined under Time commitment above), s/he will fail the course. If the internship starts late in the term because of the Thyssen, the student and resident director will agree on an independent study project to complement the internship (e.g., a 10-page paper with bibliography on Museum Studies). Interns should understand that acceptance of the position is likely to generate many more potential course conflicts (and therefore reduce course access). Because the Thyssen schedules internships 9am-Noon at least 4 days a week, this will likely mean taking classes only in the afternoon.
Typical Dates for the Fall
Duration: 12 weeks
Week of August 31-September 1 (following the Santiago orientation): interview with the Thyssen
Week of September 7: start internship
Typical Dates for the Spring
Duration: 12 weeks
Week of January 18 (following the Granada orientation): interview with the Thyssen
Week of January 29: start internship
Vassar-Wesleyan Program in Madrid 