Internship RMA Comparative Literary Studies

Important documents in the initial phase

Detailed HUM internship manual – (Research) Master’s (pdf)
Internship work plan guidelines – (Research) Master’s internship (docx)
Approval form internship work plan (pdf)
Standard HUM internship agreement (docx, English) / Standaard GW stageovereenkomst (docx, Dutch)
Internship agreement extension form (docx, Dutch)

Finding an internship

You are responsible for finding your own suitable internship. The internship contact person of your (Research) Master’s programme and the Coordinator careers orientation of your department can also help you if needed. In any case, you should start your search as early as possible and always check if the internship meets the requirements of your study programme. 

Useful tips for your internship search can be found in the detailed internship manual.

Internship supervision

You have two supervisors during your internship:

• Your internship supervisor (this is the supervisor at the internship organisation): this is the primary person responsible for providing supervision during the internship; this person is your first contact during your internship and supervises the content of your internship.
• Your supervising lecturer (this is a lecturer, usually from your own study programme): this is the person that decides whether the internship (assignment) meets the requirements and mainly supervises the internship process. In addition, the lecturer is the one who at the end assesses the internship.

The supervising lecturer is often assigned to you by your programme, however some programmes ask you to find a lecturer yourself. See the programme specific internship information for how it works at your (research) Master’s programme.

Internship work plan

Once you have secured an internship position, you will write an internship work plan in which you describe the internship assignment, your learning objectives and motivation, and agreements relating to supervision. The exact content of the plan depends on the specific internship you wish to complete:

• Internship work plan guidelines – (Research) Master’s internship (docx)

Approval internship work plan

Your supervising lecturer and internship supervisor approve your internship work plan by using the approval form internship work plan (pdf). You will fill out this form and then arrange a signature from both supervisors.

Internship agreement

Arranging an internship involves signing an agreement between the Faculty of Humanities, the host organisation and you as the student. This agreement sets out your internship allowance and your liability insurance, giving you greater legal security. You cannot start the internship without this agreement. Preferably you use the standard HUM internship agreement (docx, English) / standaard GW stageovereenkomst (docx, Dutch).

Exceptions

For some organisations, different arrangements apply:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mediastages: these organisations have their own internship agreements that you must sign and submit.
• Meertens Instituut: you must submit both the faculty agreement and the Meertens Institute’s own agreement.

Enrolment OSIRIS

Once you have signed your agreement and obtained a signature from your internship supervisor (not your supervising lecturer), you will email the following three documents to the Humanities Internship Office (stage.gw@uu.nl):

1. Final internship work plan
2. Approval form Internship work plan (signed by you, your internship supervisor and your supervising lecturer)
3. Original internship agreement (signed by you and your internship supervisor)

The Internship Office will check the submitted documents and then signs the agreement, providing the third and last signature. Please note that it is obligatory to hand in the three abovementioned documents at the Internship Office before you start your internship (abroad).

Subsequently you, your supervising lecturer and the internship supervisor receive a signed version of the internship agreement from the Internship Office. The Internship Office will then also register you in OSIRIS (you cannot do this yourself).

Now you are ready to start your internship!

Supervision

Two people will supervise you during your internship:

• the supervising lecturer, who will supervise the internship from the university side (focus on the learning process)
• an internship supervisor at the host organisation (focus on the content and daily activities)

Keeping a log

However not obligatory for every study programme, it is recommended to keep logs during your internship because it helps you to reflect on your activities and learning objectives. As well your logs form a rich source for your internship report. Check the document 'Appendix to the internship assessment form' of your own study programme (see above under 'internship assessment') to see if keeping a log is mandatory. 

Start writing your internship report

Your internship will be assessed based on your internship report. It is best to start writing the report early on in your internship. Tip: have a look at the 'Appendix to the internship assessment form' of your own study programme and the general guidelines for the internship report in the internship manual to see what is expected of you.

Extend the internship

If your internship goes on for longer than originally intended (and you have discussed this with both your supervising lecturer and internship supervisor), use the internship agreement extension form (pdf) (or in Dutch).

Important documents in the final phase

Internship assessment form – (Research) Master’s (see above, 'Internship products and assessment')
Appendix to internship assessment form - per study programme (see above, 'Internship products and assessment')
Feedback form internship supervisor (docx, English) / Feedbackformulier stagebegeleider (docx, Dutch)
Feedback form teaching internship (docx, English) / Feedbackformulier onderwijsstage (docx, Dutch)
Detailed HUM internship manual – (Research) Master’s including guidelines for the internship report (pdf)

Finishing your internship report

At the end of your internship you finish your internship report. Have a look at the document 'Appendix to the internship assessment form' of your own study programme and the general guidelines in the internship manual to see what is expected of you. 

Feedback internship supervisor

A few weeks before the end of your internship, you will ask your internship supervisor of the organisation for feedback on your internship by using the Feedback form internship supervisor. It is recommended to integrate this feedback into your internship report and reflect on it. 

Submitting your internship report

You submit your report (including all attachments) to your supervising lecturer and in some cases as well to the internship organisation.

Assessment of your internship

Your supervising lecturer is responsible for assessing your internship. The quality of your internship report will be the main determinant for your final grade. Assessment is conducted using a standard assessment form and formulated programme specific criteria. You can find these documents above under 'Internship products and assessment'.

Meeting supervising lecturer and internship supervisor

At the end of your internship your supervising lecturer will organise a conversation with your internship supervisor on your internship performance to come to a final assessment. Feedback from the feedback form will then be discussed.

Final grade

Although the internship report is the main determinant for your final grade, your study programme might have additional programme specific assessment criteria (see 'Appendix internship assesment form' of your own programme) to determine your final internship grade. Your lecturer will inform you of your final grade, and ensure that you receive (or have access to) copies of the completed assessment and feedback form. Your grade and the number of EC will be entered into OSIRIS by your supervising lecturer.

Archive internship report

Once you have received your grade, you email your final report (including all attachments) to the Humanities Internship Office: stage.gw@uu.nl

Finding an internship if you have a disability

Internships for students with disabilities are not always easy to find. If you run into any problems, please contact the internship coordinator of your (Research) Master’s programme or the study advisor. The following websites offer useful suggestions and/or internship vacancies:

• Expertise Centrum Inclusief Onderwijs (website in Dutch only)
  Information on completing an internship with a disability, including a useful Guidebook.
• Onbegrensd Talent (website in Dutch only)
  A recruitment and selection agency for highly-educated people with a disability.
• Onbeperkt aan de slag (website in Dutch only)
  A digital platform for employers and employees in the Utrecht region.

Student athletes

Student athletes may face more difficult challenges in finding an appropriate internship. Fortunately, a growing number of companies are aware of the needs of this group of student interns and are taking steps to make it easier for this target group to complete internships (e.g. flexible working hours and a longer internship duration). For more information on the possibilities within your own programme, please refer to the internship coordinator of your (Research) Master’s programme or Study Advisor.