Yuri combines studies and internship in a semester abroad
Waking up in the city that never sleeps - Yuri has made this dream come true. The business administration master's student spent a whole six months in the largest city in the USA. First studying for a semester, then a three-month internship - and discovering one of the coolest metropolises in the world along the way.
Going really far away - that was Yuri's goal. The Paderborn native had already completed his A-levels and Bachelor's degree in his home town and had also started his Master's degree here, so he needed a change of scenery. But where should he go and what should he do there? A semester of study or an internship abroad?
The Brooklyn Bridge between theory and practice
Yuri decided to do both. He went to Columbia University for three months as a freemover1 and then did an internship at the auditing and tax consulting firm KPMG in New York. He had already completed an internship at KPMG in Germany, which gave him the opportunity to gain international practical experience. KPMG is a partner company of the Faculty of Economics at Paderborn University and a regular cooperation partner for practical seminars and projects in order to build a bridge between theory and practice. Yuri became aware of the company through a guest lecture in a course and successfully applied for an internship following the departmental cooperation.
As the semester in the USA starts earlier and ends earlier, he was able to schedule the three-month internship within one semester. For a longer internship abroad, however, a semester off would also have been possible. Due to the great freedom in course selection, this does not necessarily mean that you have to study longer.
Nightlife, Broadway and friends for life
In Manhattan, the Paderborn student lived in a hall of residence for internationals on the Upper East Side, just four blocks from Central Park. "There was one communal meal a day, and then everyone came back to the dorm. You quickly got to know people who became real friends," reports Yuri.
He had six months with them to explore the city and try out the nightlife. He spent New Year's Eve in Central Park, his evenings in Broadway shows, clubs and bars and at the weekend he went partying in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx or Queens. As a result, he now knows that the whole city is littered with hidden "speakeasy" bars. These small bars and pubs were established during the Prohibition era and served alcohol illegally. Due to prohibition, they always had to be well hidden and you only knew where they were if you knew someone who knew the bar. "One of the coolest bars was a mini ice cream parlor out the front. If you went through a hidden door, you walked into a bar set up like it was the 1920s."
"Doing something different opens up new perspectives."
Yuri sees taxation as the focus of his Master's degree in Business Administration. "What interests me about taxes is that they are an incredibly important topic not only in national but also in international politics, especially in the area of harmonizing laws and combating tax evasion. I am also fascinated by the incentive effect that tax policy can have, for example corona measures or research & development. I also enjoy the fact that it's not just a blunt application of legal texts, but is always about interpreting the existing context." If the Master's in Taxation, Accounting and Finance at Paderborn University had already existed at the beginning of his Master's degree, he would probably have opted for it, especially because of the cooperation modules. "You combine what you've learned with practical issues and make contacts with regional companies."
But he also really likes business studies, as it allows him to pursue other topics: "My favorite course during my semester abroad was Environmental Economics. I found the course particularly exciting because it deals with current environmental problems from an economic perspective. That's why I incorporated it into the topic of my Master's thesis. Doing something different opens up new perspectives."
Networking at Harvard
One of the highlights of his stay was the trip to the famous Harvard University for the German American Conference. The largest student-organized conference focuses on transatlantic relations in the fields of politics, business and education. In 2019, it was held under the motto "Breaking Barriers" and was opened by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Topics such as climate change and social policy were also present, as were many companies, start-ups and personalities. "There were even members of the Bundestag there. The conference was really interesting and a good opportunity to ask questions and network."
Yuri sees his job prospects after graduation as good. "I'll look around and choose the best one."
1 "Freemovers" are students who have completed a semester abroad at any university and not at a partner university.
Are you looking for that too?
Discover the diversity of economics in our Bachelor's degree programs. Each course usually lasts six semesters and prepares you for a career start or a Master's degree.
Information on the Taxation, Accounting and Finance specialization.
