Lehigh University operates credit-bearing, experiential learning programs on the West Coast, designed to provide students with hands-on immersion in the Bay Area innovation ecosystem. These programs have served 1800+ students from more than 78 disciplines across Lehigh and have led to more than 1,300 students securing internships and full-time roles with startups and major technology firms such as Netflix, Salesforce, Google, Meta, and Accenture. By bridging Lehigh's interdisciplinary excellence with the pace, ingenuity, and ethos of Silicon Valley and the Western U.S., these academic experiences cultivate globally minded leaders who innovate with purpose-and act with impact.
Silicon Valley Immersion Programs
Startup Academy
Take a deep dive into entrepreneurship and experience the vibrant innovation ecosystem of San Francisco through a 10-week startup internship and academic experience.
Open to: All Majors; Soph - Grad
Term: Summer
Course: BUS 273; BUS 492
SV Social Impact Fellowship
Drive meaningful change by addressing critical social and economic issues in one of the world’s most dynamic tech ecosystems - Silicon Valley.
Open to: All majors and grades
Term: Spring, Summer, Fall
Course: CINQ 387, 388, 389
LehighSiliconValley
Earn 3 credits over winter break and spend one immersive week connecting with founders, CEOs, investors, and alumni who are helping to shape the world - winter - See website for criteria
Remote Courses
Innovation Internship
Gain-real world skills and develop your entrepreneurial mindset through a part-time, virtual internship with a startup or innovation-focused organization.
Open to: All majors; Soph - Grad
Term: Fall, Spring
Course: BUS 178 / BUS 478
Women in Technology & Innovation
Open to all majors and all grade levels, undergraduate - graduate - Come and have a conversation with some of the leading female voices in Silicon Valley - Hosted by author Samantha Walravens - ENGR 075 - spring
Graduate Programs
TE Entrepreneurial Startup Projects
Lehigh’s Technical Entrepreneurship program, offered through the College of Engineering, provides graduate students with opportunities to engage directly with the Silicon Valley ecosystem TE 406 - spring
Startup Academy
Graduate edition - Take a deep dive into entrepreneurship and experience the vibrant innovation ecosystem of San Francisco through a 10-week startup internship - GBUS 492: Special Topics - summers
Societal Shifts II
Offered through Lehigh’s One-Year Full-Time MBA (1-MBA) program for graduate students enrolled in the program, this course explores eight major societal shifts that are reshaping business and society. As part of the course, students participate in a weeklong immersion in Silicon Valley, gaining real-world insights and industry perspectives from one of the world’s leading centers of innovation - MBA 443 - winter
Lehigh360
Lehigh 360
For a comprehensive overview of Lehigh's signature experiences, see Lehigh 360 website