Internships
In the Innovation Sciences programme, you can do an internship as part of your Master’s thesis (e.g. at a consultancy or government agency) or as a Tailor-made course. In either case, you are required you to conduct independent research. The information below is about an internship as part of a Master’s thesis. If you have any questions about an internship as a Tailor-made course, please consult your programme leader.
An internship is not compulsory, but can definitely help you to get a feeling for actual professional practice. Many employers appreciate experience gained in an organisation.
You will have to arrange your internship yourself, but your thesis supervisor can help you find one. You could also check the Career Services Internship Listings to see if any of the internships interest you. Companies and organisations looking for interns from the university's various academic programmes often post their vacancies with us.
Talk to your Innovation Sciences programme leader to find out whether your intended internship could be completed as part of your academic programme (curriculum). Your thesis supervisor will decide in advance whether an internship meets certain requirements. In other words, whether your role is clear, whether the internship represents a challenge for you, and whether you will receive sufficient supervision by the organisation in question. Never accept an internship without prior approval by your thesis supervisor.
The assessment of your internship is included in your thesis assessment form. You will not receive a separate internship assessment or separate credits.
An internship contract between the host institution and the university is mandatory if you take the internship for credit (as part of your MSc thesis or as a Tailor-made course). Always let Jantien Minderhoud check it before you sign the contract. If You can use the UU internship contract which can be found in the Master Innovation Sciences BlackBoard community. If the host institution requires a NDA you can use the form to be found on the BlackBoard) community.
You can also do an internship abroad. This process must be started at an early stage (preferably at the end of the first year), since it usually takes some time before all arrangements are finalised.
If you go abroad for your internship/thesis it is mandatory to apply for it in Osiris.
- Go to Osiris Student
- Click on the ‘Stay Abroad’ tab*.
- Click on ‘New request’ (bottom left).
- Select the correct application request: 'Stay abroad other'.
- Fill out the form and upload your approval. In case of taking courses abroad (and being enrolled with a foreign university), request approval from the programme leader (who needs to sign the form). In case you go abroad to execute (part of) your thesis project (and you are not enrolled at a foreign university), ask formal approval from your thesis supervisor (in this case an email suffices).
- Click on ‘Submit’.
*A new window will open in the old OSIRIS student lay-out. In this window, please click on 'stay abroad' again. You may have to log in again in case your session has expired.