International student professional opportunities

The Ilitch School helps bridge the gap between education and the global workforce by connecting international students to Detroit's top industries.

Detroit: A Global Automotive Hub

Located in The District Detroit, the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University offers both graduate and undergraduate students unparalleled access to top automotive companies like Ford, Fiat Chrysler, and GM. Graduating international students can interview for internships and Optional Practical Training (OPT) positions with major manufacturers and tier one suppliers.

Internships and training opportunities

Ilitch business students can gain real-world experience through internships and OPT programs, working with U.S. employers in roles related to their degrees. Internships are supervised by both the employer and a faculty member, while OPT offers eligible graduates up to one year of paid work experience in their field. 

Internships

Open to both graduate and undergraduate business students, internships are unpaid opportunities for international students to work for a U.S. employer in a position related to their degree objective. Internships are jointly supervised by the employer and faculty member. Once an employer has been secured, the student will register for the three-credit hour internship to begin the semester long experience, with the work schedule agreed upon by the employer and student.

Optional Professional Training (OPT)

Eligible international student graduates may have the opportunity to interview to work in their field of study in a paid OPT program for up to one-year following graduation. Students can apply for 12 months of OPT at each education level: A student may have 12 months of OPT at the bachelor's level and another 12 months of OPT at the master's level.

Employers include automotive manufacturers and tier one suppliers. As the global economy grows, so do the opportunities for qualified business school graduates, and WSU business school graduates hired into an OPT position can look forward to up to a year-long professional work experience in the U.S.