Admission requirements
Only students of the Advanced MSc International Relations and Diplomacy programme can take this course.
Description
Students in the MSc International Relations and Diplomacy (MIRD) do an internship in an organisation such as an international governmental or non-governmental organisation, a think tank, company, embassy or another body in the domain of international relations and diplomacy. The internship research paper (IRP) is an independent piece of research conducted during the internship and finalised immediately after the internship. By means of academic research, students explore a theme related to the activities of their host organisation. After consultation with the course supervisor, students may opt for a research paper with a structure and approach that is similar to the final thesis or the less familiar format of a policy paper. Both types of papers are based on equally rigorous analysis.
Course objectives
The internship aims to familiarise students with the work of an international organisation, think tank, governmental or non-governmental organisation that is conducting activities in the domain of international relations or diplomacy. With the internship research paper, students reflect on, and evaluate, relevant themes or developments related to the organisation in which they conduct their internship.
Timetable
On the right-hand side of the programme front page of the studyguide you will find a link to the online timetables.
Mode of instruction
Students actively engage with the work of an organization by conducting an internship. In the course of the internship, students write an internship research paper (3,500 words) or policy brief (3,000 words).
Assessment method
Internship research proposal: 30%
Internship research paper: 70%
Details for submitting papers (deadlines) are posted on Brightspace.
Failed partial grades or components should be compensated by passed partial grades or components. The calculated grade must be at least 5.50 to pass the course. It is not possible to re-sit a partial grade or component once you have passed the course.
If you fail to submit all of the required internship research paper documents, you will fail the course.
If you fail the course in the academic year of 2022-23, you can re-submit your documents by 23 February 2024.
If you fail the course in the academic year of 2023-24, you can re-submit your documents by 23 February 2025.
Reading list
N/A
Registration
Register yourself via uSis for each course, workgroup and exam (not all courses have workgroups and/or exams). Do so on time, before the start of the course; some courses and workgroups have limited spaces. You can view your personal schedule in MyTimetable after logging in.
Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in uSis you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Jan Melissen j.melissen@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
Based on the (alternative) internship module, the students can also also write an internship research paper, which will be graded (5 EC). The normal study load for this block is 15 ects, which can be achieved through either
10 EC internship + 5 EC Internship Research Paper or
10 EC internship alternative module + 5 EC Internship Research Paper or
15 EC internship
The Internship Research Paper is an elective course. This means that it is possible to replace it with another elective course in the programme, but please note that this will result in a higher workload in the block that elective takes place and involves a higher risk of a study delay.