Internships

It is important to co-create research together with one or more organizations interested in your research. Research positions can range from formally organized and publicly announced positions (traditional ‘internships’, though research-based), to more informally arranged positions. Types of organizations: research organizations & universities; NGOs; community-based organizations; local / national government organizations; international organizations; private companies & consultancy companies; political/lobby organizations; etc.

The research-oriented internship allows you to gain experience in intercultural communication and teamwork, in addition to gaining fieldwork research experience. International Development Studies has an extensive global network of partner organisations that work on a wide range of topics.

Within the first course module Development Themes you will be informed about research internship possibilities that IDS staff helps to arrange. The IDS staff will point you to possibilities of interesting research and partner organizations related to the topics they lecture on in Development Themes (e.g. research options within their research projects; positions or connections through their network).

You can also find your own organizations, topics and positions, if they connect well with these broader themes and staff expertise. You can discuss these options with the IDS staff.

The theme and location are determined in October/November, before you start the research design and methodology course. This gives you sufficient time to prepare properly.

Talk to the programme coordinator to find out whether this internship could be completed as part of your study programme. The internship must be approved in advance by the programme coordinator and your supervisor. 

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 from Master coordinator.
• 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.

The research-oriented internship is structured research topics related to global flows of capital, people, ideas etc. and their implications for people/human development (see the topics discussed in the course Development Themes).

Based on your research-oriented internship, you will write an interim research report and you will develop a creative communication product for a non-academic audience. You are also required to make a short oral presentation of your preliminary results at our annual Return Day in June. The Master's thesis is your final and main product, which you’ll write upon return to Utrecht.

To find out about the learning objectives and assessment of your internship, please see the course description of the Master's thesis / Internship and the Study Guide.