Admission requirements
MIRD students.
Description
Each student in the MSc International Relations and Diplomacy (MIRD) programme will conduct an internship in an organization such as an international governmental or non-governmental organization, a think tank or another institute working in the domain of international relations, international organisation or diplomacy. The internship will largely be conducted during the fourth block of the first year of the MIRD programme; the minimum requirement is 10 weeks (full time).
Course objectives
The internship aims to familiarize students with the work of an international organisation, think tank, governmental, non-governmental or other organisation that is conducting activities in the domain of international relations or diplomacy.
The internship is an opportunity for the students to apply their academic knowledge in practice, learn how to operate in a professional environment, and the practical challenges faced by the organization. This knowledge and practical experiences strengthens the basis for their further academic work, and their understanding of the job market.
The students gets an opportunity to build their professional networks, learn more about possible career paths, skills required to get into the job market, test drive possible jobs and explore different career options.
The Hague is a particularly fascinating area for students to be placed in such an organisation, due to the dense network of institutions operating in the ‘International City of Peace and Justice’. However, students are also welcome to search for internships in other locations, including Geneva or New York.
Timetable
On the Public Administration front page of the E-guide you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Blackboard.
Mode of instruction
Students actively engage with the work of an organization by conducting an internship. For the practical part of the MIRD internship, the following documents have to be drawn up:
Internship agreement between the student, University and the receiving organization
Internship plan between the student and the University
Internship research plan
Internship report
Assessment form by the internship supervisor.
The MIRD internship coordinator will offer group and individual preparatory sessions on available openings, scholarships, setting up applications and CVs, provide tailor-made advice on finding the right opening, and offer individual guidance throughout the internship. The students get an opportunity to present their experiences to their fellow students after completing the internships.
Course Load
10 EC (pass/fail)
Assessment method
The internship (10ECTs) is graded as pass/fail, based on an assessment of the internship organisation supervisor (pass/fail) and your internship report (pass/fail).
The following documents need to be submitted:
1. Assessment form: written by the internship supervisor of the internship organisation.
2. Internship report: This report, approximately 1500 words in length, consists of two elements:
a) Description of the internship, i.e. the type and aims of the organisation worked for, the various activities the internship entailed, and the relevance of these activities for the work of the organisation at large;
b) Reflection on the internship in light of the academic study of international relations and diplomacy.
You can find more information about assessments and the timetable exams on the website.
Details for submitting papers (deadlines) are posted on Blackboard.
On the Public Administration front page of the E-guide you will find links to the website, uSis and Blackboard.
Resit
Students will be permitted to resit an examination if they have taken the first sit and have a mark lower than 5.5 or with permission of the Board of Examiners.
Resit written exam
Students that want to take part in a resit for a written exam, are required to register via uSis. Use the activity number that can be found on the ‘timetable exams’.
Blackboard
Relevant information on the MIRD internship is available on the Blackboard internship course site, including internship vacancies and procedures.
Reading list
n/a.
Registration
Use both uSis and Blackboard to register for every course.
Register for every course and workgroup via uSis. Some courses and workgroups have a limited number of participants, so register on time (before the course starts). In uSis you can access your personal schedule and view your results. Registration in uSis is possible from four weeks before the start of the course.
Also register for every course in Blackboard. Important information about the course is posted here.
Contact
Ragnhild Drange, internship coordinator.
Contact hours: Fridays 900-1730 on appointment.
r.drange@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
Based on this internship, the students will write an internship paper, which will be graded (5ec). This is set up as a separate course in the e-study guide.