Admission Requirements
Only students who are enrolled in the MA Religious Studies are eligible for the Internship or Fieldwork in Religious Studies. Those enrolled in this programme have an option in the second semester to either continue with their specialised pathway by choosing an elective or to do an internship or fieldwork project.
Description
There are two internship options.
External Internship
The first is an internship with an external organisation. In this type of internship, you spend some time working for a company or organisation, all while under the supervision of one of the Faculty’s lecturers (the internship lecturer) and a staff member from your internship organisation (the internship supervisor). The work you perform there should be in line with what you have learned as part of the MA Religious Studies programme and it should contribute to the work of the internship organisation. In addition, you are required to spend some of your time at the internship organisation conducting your own internship assignment, the results of which are expressed in the final product you agree on beforehand. This type of internship is facilitated through the Humanities Career Service. They regularly hold internship information meetings and you can also reach out to their internship coordinators to help you find an internship position and coach you through the job application procedure. They read the first version of your internship plan before it is sent to the Board of Examiners and sign the internship agreement on behalf of the Faculty, and review the internship report and evaluation at the end of your internship.
At the end of your internship, you write an internship report. One of the appendices to this report is the final product of the internship assignment you completed during your internship. Every internship must also include an internship assignment on academic level, for example a research component or an independently conducted project. You should have complete ownership over this assignment. The internship assignment is formulated in consultation with the internship organisation.
Before an internship can start, it must first be approved by the Religious Studies Board of Examiners. The Board of Examiners assesses the suitability of the internship on the basis of an internship plan that is approved and signed by the internship lecturer (from one of the Faculty of Humanities study programmes), and the internship supervisor (from the internship organisation). This internship plan is formulated according to the faculty template. The Faculty’s Internship Coordinator is to be asked for advice. Within two weeks of receiving the internship plan, the Board of Examiners will reach a decision regarding approval of the internship plan.
What about deadlines? The deadlines for internships that start during or after the vacation periods are as follows:
For internships that start in July, August and September: the internship plan should be submitted to the Board of Examiners before 1 July.
For internships that start in January: the internship plan should be submitted to the Board of Examiners before 1 December.
In exceptional cases, permission may be granted to deviate from these deadlines. Additional information about internships and assignment templates, including a step-by-step guide is available on the student website for the MA Religious Studies. There are also very helpful ‘flow models’ that chart the process of looking for an internship and what needs to happen after you have found an internship. For more about the services of the Humanities Career Service, check out the Career Zone website.
Internal Research Internship
The second internship option is known as an internal research internship, which is offered exclusively to MA Religious Studies students and is supervised by a LUCSoR staff member. While the research internship is supervised, this is a project that is largely conducted independently. All projects must be the equivalent of 10 EC’s (280 hours) and must result in a research report and an internship report, both of which are to be examined by the research internship supervisor. For the 2020-2021 academic year, LUCSoR is offering 3 research internship opportunities:
The Islamic Utopia, Supervisor: Prof. dr. Maurits Berger
Incurably Religious? Atheism and Humanism in Contemporary Africa, Supervisor: Dr. Corey Williams
Doopsgezinden als cultuurdragers in Haarlem, ca 1600-1800, Supervisor: Prof. dr. Eric Jorink
In order to be eligible for a LUCSoR research internship, students must be enrolled in the MA Religious Studies programme and must submit an application to the Chair of the Religious Studies programmes, Dr. Corey Williams. The full details of each internship, how many spots are available, and the application form are available here. The deadline for applications is 11 December 2020. Students will be notified about the outcome of their applications by 18 December 2020. If you have any questions about the specifics of the internship projects, feel free to contact the internship supervisors directly. If you have general questions about the research internships, please contact Dr. Williams.
Course Objectives
Gain work and/or research experience related to the MA Religious Studies programme.
Develop the capacity for independent learning and research.
Develop transferable skills related to communication, project management, and writing reports.
Process and reflect upon how the internship connects with academic goals and job market possibilities.
Timetable
Visit MyTimetable.
Mode of Instruction
Not applicable.
Assessment Method
For Internships at External Organisations:
Internship Assignment: 70%
Internship Report: 30%
*The Internship Plan is a completion only assignment.
For Internal Research Internships:
Research Report: 70%
Internship Report: 30%
*The Research Plan is a completion only assignment.
Reading List
For Internships at External Organisations: to be agreed with the internship lecturer and internship supervisor.
For Internal Research Internships: to be agreed with the research internship supervisor.
Registration
Consult the Application Form for more information regarding the Research Internships.