Information and Application
Program Information and Expectations
Students will be selected to participate in this short-term course through a competitive application process. Applicants must be in good academic standing. All undergraduates are eligible to apply for this course. Preference will be given to first and second year students who are beginning their career exploration. This course must be taken for a letter grade.
Professor Marissa Sharif will serve as the faculty director for the course and will be in residence with the students throughout the program.
This class will focus on the business behind entertainment, the arts, and media. There will be approximately 8 site visits to various companies in LA. Attendance to all visits is a requirement for this course. Site visits for past iterations of this course have included Disney, Spotify, Paramount, Netflix, Sony Pictures, Amazon Music, and United Talent Agency. In addition to these visits, there will be required networking events (e.g., dinners with your classmates).
To make the most of the site visits in LA, participants will be required to attend 2-3, pre-travel classes. In these classes, students will (1) engage in icebreakers, (2) research and present on the companies that they will visit in LA (3) learn about the relevant academic research on entertainment science, including topics such as consumers’ consumption of hedonic experience and creativity in the workplace. Attendance and participation in these classes are part of the grade for the course. Required readings and a final group project will be assigned. The project will be due approximately one month after travel is completed.
While on the travel portion of the course, students must attend all scheduled lectures, business-site visits, and networking events and will be subject to Penn’s disciplinary guidelines.
Program Deadlines, Fees, and Logistics
Program Dates and Deadlines
| Completed Application Due | October 5 |
| Notification of Students | October 24 |
| Payment Due | Spring 2026 bursar bill |
| Pre-Travel Classes (2-3) | Spring semester/TBD (accepted students will be notified of dates and times via email) |
| Travel Dates | March 8-13, 2026 |
Program Fees
The program fee for the course is $1,414. There is financial aid allocated to this program based on student need.
This fee covers airfare, lodging for the duration of the program, most meals, course supplies, ground transportation, business site visits, cultural excursions, and fees for services.
The fee does not include:
- Some meals
- Incidental expenses such as snacks, laundry, outside entertainment, etc.
Payment will be due on the spring 2026 bursar bill.
Financial Assistance
Thanks to generous support from alumni, financial assistance is available for WIEP. Please check the box on the application if you would like to be considered for financial assistance. To determine your expected aid should you be accepted into the program, please use the Penn Abroad Short Program Calculator. We will notify you about your financial assistance upon admittance to the program.
Travel Logistics
Airline Tickets: All airfare to and from Los Angeles will be arranged by the program. Students must meet on campus at the designated time/location on Sunday, March 8th and will return to campus on Friday, March 13th.
Accommodations: Hotel arrangements in Los Angeles will be made for all participants. Rooms will be double occupancy.
Insurance: All participants must show proof of current health insurance coverage before departing on the program.
Ground Transportation: Participants will travel by private coach to all business and cultural sites.
Cancellation Policy
The Wharton School reserves the right to cancel the course for any reason before the departure date. Participants will be notified as soon as possible in the case of trip cancellation.
If the Wharton School cancels the program for any reason before the date of departure, all monies received will be refunded.
Please note: If a participant cancels prior to January 27, 2026, 50 percent of the payment will be refunded. On or after January 27, the entire payment is non-refundable.
Program Contact Information
Leann Curley, Associate Director, Signature Events & Programs
Wharton Undergraduate Division
Email: lcurley@wharton.upenn.edu