Individual think tank - Internship at company or organisation

You can opt for an individual internship at a company or organisation instead of a think tank. During that internship, you will work on the same learning objectives as during the think tank and will therefore work on a social issue of the organisation or company that is related to the theme of your minor or - if you opt for the elective minor from 2024 onwards - to your major.

Entry requirement

For the think tanks in semester 2, an entry requirement no longer applies with effect of the academic year 2024-2025.

For the think tank in semester 1 (LET-LETMI-DT00), there is still an entry condition and therefore also if you want to complete this individually. The entry criterion for (the individual completion of) the think tank in semester 1 is that you have passed a thematic course (LET-LETMI-TH%) or the course Study Abroad: Academia and Society (LET-LETMI-RF12).

In case you do not meet these requirements, but you want to do (an individual completion of) the think tank in semester 1, please apply to the examination board for an exception to the sequentiality. 

Time schedule

Please note: If you are considering an individual fulfilment, keep in mind the timeframe. Arranging an individual fulfilment takes at least 2-3 months and requires submitting a request to the examination board. This request must be submitted by 15 July for an internship in the first semester internship and by 15 December for an internship in the second semester.

Requirements

You spend 280 hours on the individual internship - just as you would on the think tank. This includes drawing up and working on the project plan, the portfolio and the final product. The ratio of working in the company or organisation vs. working on the societal project may vary per student, but when talking to the company make sure that you get to spend at least 70% of the time on the societal issue. Our advice: ask your contact what issue is on their mind; this will increase their willingness to give you time to work on it.

Keep the checklist below in mind while finding an internship:

  • With my intended internship, can I achieve all the learning objectives listed in the table below?
  • Does the societal issue that I will be working on during my internship fit with the theme of my minor or - if you are going to do an elective minor in 2024 - with with my major?
  • Does the scope of my internship (including completion) amount to 280 hours? majoropleiding?
  • Bedraagt de omvang van mijn stage (incl. de afronding) 280 uur?

Learning objectives

After your internship you can:

  • offer insights and solutions to a societal issue within your internship company or organisation by applying your knowledge and skills in a (research) project;
  • draw up a project plan for a (research) project in which you define and delineate the project and describe and plan the project activities;
  • divide and carry out duties with your colleagues, working together constructively;
  • present the outcomes of the (research) project in a clear and societally relevant way;
  • reflect on your own qualities and your development in working in a team and executing the project.

Completion and assessment

  1. Project plan & portfolio (ca. 4800 words)
    Just as in the think tank, you work on a complex issue during the internship. Use a project plan to provide insight into which steps the project consists of: what needs to be done and when?
    When working on a project basis, it is important that the objectives of each subproject are agreed upon, when they are to be achieved (time schedule) and what is needed for this. Keep in mind that the project plan is a dynamic document, which will need to be adjusted and adapted while working on it.
    Formats are available for both the project plan and the time schedule (see below). The documentation that shows that you have taken a step or completed a product/subproject is bundled in a portfolio, which you work on during your internship and which forms the basis for consultation with your university supervisor. More information about the content of the portfolio can be found in the Factsheet (pdf).
    Format project plan (pdf)Format time schedule (pdf)

     

  2. Final product
    With the help of the project plan and the subprojects, you will ultimately come up with an answer to the current societal issue your company or organisation is struggeling with. The final product is the answer you give the company or organisation. Which form this final product will have, depends on the issue you looked into and the wishes of the company or organisation with regard to how they would like to have the results presented (e.g. proposal, advice, plan of approach).

Because in the individual internship (just like in the think tank), the process of cooperation, problem exploration and development of a final product is at least as important as the result itself, the internship will be assessed with a pass/fail. You will not get a grade.