During an internship students

Students carry out agreed tasks within an organisation such as a company, an NGO, or any other organisation they wish to work for. The nature of the tasks may vary according to the host organisation’s needs, as long as there is a possibility for the student to reflect on the work carried out, since after completion of the internship the student must write a report that connects the practical work undertaken with his or her academic program. Depending on the nature of the task, the student either includes this reflection in their final report, or as an appendix to the report.

Role in the curriculum

An internship counts as a level 2 course. It consists of at least five weeks fulltime practical experience in an (external) organisation. It is taken as a P/F course, and counts as an elective.
 
Proceedings
A student wishing to do an internship must locate a host institution and local supervisor (to guide the work undertaken). Local sources such as fellows, the careers advisory officer, teachers and tutors may be consulted to offer advice on institutions and supervisors, but UCU cannot be asked to mediate formally in the process of finding an internship.
The task of the UCU coordinator is: a) guide and advise the student if necessary b) approve the grade and c) make sure the student uploads an electronic version of the report to the HandIn function of the Internship workspace.
Any student is at liberty to make their own arrangements; there is no GPA limit. Students may also compete for a limited number of internships arranged by UCU as part of specific programs. These may have specific selection criteria and/or prerequisites.
 
The consent of the UCU Career DEvelopment Officer is required for an internship to count as part of the student’s UCU curriculum. This consent should be given before the internship starts.  For this purpose, an internship agreement form should be signed by all parties involved. This agreement specifies the student’s tasks, prerequisites, supervision meetings, and the date the report will be handed in, as well as any physical, liability and financial constraints. As an appendix to the agreement, an internship proposal should be present,, specifying the content of the work.
Forms for the internship proposal and for the internship agreement can be found on the UCU's student website: http://students.uu.nl/en/university-college-utrecht/academics/internships .

The internship report must include an overview of the tasks completed during the internship which is to be verified by the host supervisor; a journal of activities, including summaries and conclusions of work-in-progress meetings.  The report should provide a contextualising introduction to the work undertaken; a description of that work; and a personal reflection connecting the work to the academic program. Any results of the tasks performed (for example written texts, interviews) should be included in the report as appendices. The student is responsible for completing the entire paperwork (Internship agreement and proposal signed by all parties involved) before submitting it to the college administration.1The deadline for submission can be found in the academic calendar.
The head/coordinator acts as an independent counsellor and may be consulted in case of problems in the course of the internship.

Internship Proposal (around 500-700 words)
1. Name of the host institution, name host supervisor
2. Title of project
3. Outline of envisioned tasks within the institution (50-100 words)
4. Indication of how the work will be carried out (50-100 words)
5. Indication of potential contribution to the institution (100-150 words)
6. Indication of how the practical work relates to the UCU curriculum (200-300 words)
7. timetable specifying the various stages of the internship, including the date for handing in the report

Scheduling
It is recommended that students carry out an internship in their second year at UCU, preferably during the summer break or during the winter break. Under certain circumstances, an internship may also be carried out as one of the courses taken during a regular semester.  Any such arrangements during the semester must be evaluated by the tutor in the context of the student’s total study plan.
The report must be handed in within 3 weeks after the internship ends, respecting the thesis deadline that can be found on the academic calendar. One copy must be submitted to the host institution; one to the UCU coordinator, and one to the Registrar. In addition, the student must submit an electronic version of the internship report, via Handin, to the Internships Workspace.

Grading
The final P/F grade is determined by the host institution supervisor and endorsed by the UCU coordinator.