Connecting interdisciplinary learning with professional practice and real-world impact
At IIHS (Institution Deemed to be) University, career development is an integral part of the academic experience. Through the Career Development Office (CDO), students find opportunities to connect interdisciplinary learning with professional practice and real-world impact.
A key feature of the programmes at the University is a structured transition from classroom to practice in a student’s learning journey. In the final term of the Master’s programmes, students choose between external internships, IIHS live projects, or a dissertation—each offering opportunities to deepen their focus or explore new directions before graduation. These are designed as critical learning experiences through which students engage with the complexities of urbanisation and development.
The University partners with organisations across sectors, including government agencies, private enterprises, professional services, consulting firms, think tanks, development organisations, and civil society organisations. These collaborations provide students with an opportunity to work on real-world challenges, while faculty mentorship supports those pursuing live projects or independent work.
Through skill-building labs, expert talks, alumni mentorship, faculty engagement, in-house counselling, and career guidance, students are supported in aligning their career choices with individual goals and values.
As part of the Master’s programmes at IIHS University, students have the option to undertake a three-month (11–13 week) internship in Term 6, designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and the complex realities of professional practice. These internships are offered across a wide range of organisations, including government agencies, public institutions, private firms, planning and design practices, development organisations, think tanks, and NGOs.
The internship is an essential component of the curriculum, enabling students to apply the interdisciplinary skills, knowledge, and critical perspectives acquired during the programme in real-world contexts. Students are expected to produce a final output based on their internship work, which may take the form of a conceptual paper, policy brief, analytical report, spatial plan, business model, technical report, or audiovisual content. This output contributes directly to the student’s final grade for the internship module.
The internship selection process at IIHS University is student-centred and carefully structured to support professional development and career readiness.
Students begin by consulting with faculty during office hours and engaging with the Career Development Office (CDO) to explore their interests and identify potential career pathways.
The CDO curates a series of workshops and skill development programmes across Terms 3–5, focused on resume and portfolio building, soft skills, and technical and domain-specific training via labs, interview preparation and job search strategies, and networking and career planning. This holistic approach equips students with the skills required for jobs in the sector.
The CDO works closely with experts across the University to connect with a wide range of organisations operating in diverse thematic areas and sectors across the country. Partner organisations submit detailed project descriptions and role requirements to CDO, which are then shared with students.
Interested students apply to positions that align with their career goals and thematic interests. Applications include a tailored curriculum vitae, cover letter, portfolio, and relevant work samples.
The CDO facilitates interviews between the organisations and shortlisted candidates. Once internship offers are made, students review their options and select the opportunity that best aligns with their professional goals.
Upon completion of the internship, partner organisations submit formal evaluations of student performance, and students submit their final internship output, duly approved by their assigned supervisors. These components collectively form the basis for academic assessment of the internship module.
The University enables internships for all its students through a growing network of over 200 organisations willing to host our students, often crafting specific projects for them. This diversity across multiple sectors of research and practice demonstrates the possibilities of interdisciplinary urban practice.
The following are some organisations where Alumni from the IIHS Urban Fellows Programme have interned.
Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) | Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) | Centre for Community Knowledge, Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) | Azim Premji University (APU) | Centre for Equity Studies and Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) | CEPT University | French Institute in Pondicherry (IFP) | Institute of Public Health (IPH) | International Innovation Corps, University of Chicago | International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Bangalore | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhilai | George Institute for Global Health | Madras Institute for Development Studies (MIDS) | Mother Teresa Fellowship | National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) | National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) | National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) | National Law School of India University (NLSIU) | NSRCEL, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore | Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) | Ramalingaswami Centre on Equity and Social Determinants of Health – Public Health Foundation of India | School of Environment and Architecture (SEA) | Tacit Urban Research Network (TURN) | Tata Trusts | WELL Labs
Aapti institute | Anveshi | Centre for Policy Research (CPR) | Center for Study of Science Technology and Policy (CSTEP) | Fields of View | Godrej India Culture Lab | Hyderabad Urban Lab (HUL) | IDFC Institute, Mumbai | Indus Action | International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) | Keystone Foundation | Lakeer Foundation | MicroHome Solutions (mHS City Lab) | Nirantar | Public Affairs Centre (PAC) | Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) | Social Accountability Forum for Action and Research (SAFAR) | Safetipin | Sensing Local | Social Design Collaborative | Swaniti Initiative | Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI) | Urban Poverty Lab | Urbz | Urban Works | Vettiver Collective
Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) | Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) | Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) | EPIC / Revenue Department, Government of Karnataka | Karnataka Housing Board | Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) | National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) | Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA)
Aga Khan Foundation | Aajeevika Bureau | Adapt Consultancy Services | All India Disaster Mitigation Institute | Bamboo Research and Training Centre | Biome Environmental Trust | C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group | Canalpy | Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) | Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) | Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID) | Center for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES) | Centre for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE), India | CREA | Data Driven Governance – Tata Trusts | eGoverments Foundation | Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) | Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) | Gram Vikas | Habitat Forum India (INHAF) | Habitat for Humanity, India | Hasiru Dala | Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) | Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology | Indo–Global Social Service Society (IGSSS) | Institute for Transport & Development Policy (ITDP) | International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) | Mahila Housing Trust (SEWA-MHT) | Modern Architects of Rural India | Nagarika | North East Network (NEN) | Parisar | Population Foundation of India (PFI) | Pratham Education Foundation | Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN) | PRIA Society For Participatory Research In Asia | Public Policy in Action Praxis (PPIA) by Transform Rural India Foundation | QUEST Alliance | Rural India Foundation | Sakhi Trust | Sampark | Selco Foundation | Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Bharat | Sitara – Sewa Grih Rin | SEWA (Homenet) | Shelter Associates | Social Accountability Forum for Action and Research (SAFAR) | Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) | STS Global | Urban Land Institute | YP Foundation | Youth for Voluntary Action (YUVA) Global | Udhyam Learning Foundation | Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) | World Wide Fund for Nature, India (WWF) | Work Fair and Free
Artha Global | Biome Environmental Solutions | Boston Consulting Group (BCG) | Bridgespan Group | CBRE | Climate Trends | Dasra | Design and Planning Counsel (DPC) | Dunzo | Eka Cultural Resource Centre | GAME | Godrej DEI Lab | Global Development Incubator | IBI Group | IDinsight | IMAX Program | India School Leaders (ISLI) | Indicc Associates | Just Jobs Network | KPMG | New Text | NuSocia | People in Center | Pragma Development Advisory | Quicksand | ReCity | Sambodhi Research and Communications | SHiFT – Studio for Habitat Futures | Sofies Sustainability Leaders | Studio CAMP | TATA Power | UC (Universal Consulting India) | Urban Ethnographers | Urban Play | Vihara Innovation Network | World Resources Institute (WRI)
Agents of Ishq | Alternative Law Forum | Aruvu Collaboratory | Bengaluru Citizen Matters | Bengawalk | CNN International | Criminal Justice and Police Accountability Project | Godrej Archives | India Spend | 1G4T Production House | India Water Portal | Land Conflict Watch | MOD Foundation | Observer Research Foundation | Ooloi Labs | Question of Cities | Resetfest | Science Gallery Bengaluru | Scroll.in | Srivastava, Naved and Parashar Partners (SNP partners) | The Wire Science | Veditum India Foundation | Vidhi Legal
At IIHS University, interdisciplinarity is not just ingrained in our curriculum and pedagogy; it is also reflected in the diversity of our students and their career choices. Explore this interactive graphic to understand possible interdisciplinary career trajectories in the urban.
