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.
Arrange it yourself
You will have to arrange your internship yourself, but your Track Coordinator or 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 Sustainable Development track coordinator 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 track coordinator.
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 the host does not provide you with a contract you can use the UU internship contract (EN/NL) which can be found in the Master Sustainable Development BlackBoard community. If the host institution requires a NDA you can use the form to be found on Master Sustainable Development BlackBoard community.
