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ARE YOU AN ENROLLED STUDENT?
YOU ARE A LECTURER OR STAFF MEMBER
IT

Faculty of: POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

International cooperation policies for development

Milan

Domestic applicants
International applicants
Duration
2 Years
Language
Italian
Degree Classes
LM-81 (Development co-operation)

What is the internship
The curricular internship with ECTS is a training experience carried out within an organisation that operates in development cooperation or in a related field (e.g. reception of migrants and refugees, social inclusion, environmental sustainability) that involves the student in the performance of tasks of a technical nature. The internship represents a unique experience for the student through which to acquire fundamental professional skills for access to the world of work. The internship can take place in Italy or abroad.

Internship Tutor References
We inform you that for the A.Y. 2023/24 the internship tutors will be:

For general information on the internships and vacancies available, please contact dr. Toso for interviews via skype by appointment via email. At the moment, in-person office hours remain suspended.

Internship Specific Details

  • Duration: minimum 160 hours to be carried out in a minimum of 2 months for internships in Italy; minimum 160 hours to be carried out in at least 1 month for internships abroad.
  • Compulsory: the internship is compulsory, however there are alternative ways to obtain the relevant credits (see FAQ)
  • N° of credits assigned to the internship: 3
  • Method of awarding ECTS: within 1 month after the end of the internship, the student is required to send a report on the experience to the tutor. If the report is approved, the tutor will ask the secretariat to credit the ECTS. The instructions for the preparation of the report are contained in the attached file: Internship end report
  • Internship application forms: to apply for an internship proposal, you must send your CV and motivational letter to the tutor

Internship activation procedure
Procedure for the activation of curricular internships with ECTS

 

Faq

Where can I consult the internship proposals made available by the Faculty?
All information on internship offers and how to apply for internships is available on the Blackboard Community (http://blackboard.unicatt.it) "CURRICULAR INTERNSHIPS COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT". All students automatically have access to the area. In case of problems, it is possible to access it by writing to the internship tutor.

If I have already accredited an internship, can I do a second one?
The opportunity to compete for the various internship offers is given to all students and in a priority way to those who have yet to obtain the 3 ECTS. Only if there are no other candidates for the same position will access be given to students who have already obtained the 3 credits related to the curricular internship and who intend to carry out a further experience.

Is it possible to find an internship independently outside of those offered by the faculty?
Yes, it is possible as long as the internship complies with the minimum duration and involves the performance of technical-professional tasks and related to the training course.
It is always necessary to contact the tutor who will establish an initial judgment on the suitability of the tasks. In case of uncertainty, the tutor will inform the coordinating professor of the degree programme who will issue a final judgment.
The internship will be credited after the approval by the tutor of the report on the internship carried out to be sent to the tutor within 1 month after the end of the experience.
The internship must not take place in the employ of parents or a relative and must take place regularly at the headquarters of the institution or company.

Is it possible to replace the internship with an elective exam?
Yes. The student can replace the internship by attending and passing the relevant exam in one of the following laboratories:

  • Workshop "Financing Cooperation: Marketing and Strategic Philanthropy"
  • Workshop "Theory of Change and Impact Assessment in International Cooperation."  

In this case, the student will not interface with the internship tutor. The chosen laboratory will be included in the study plan, which will be validated by the secretariat instead of the internship with the accreditation of the relevant 3 ECTS.

Please note: in order to count as an internship, the laboratory must be in addition to those already previously included in the study plan. 

Is it possible to recognise work experience instead of an internship?
Yes, it is possible as long as the work activity for which the request for recognition is submitted, which entitles you to acquire 3 ECTS, has the following characteristics:

  • Must have taken place for at least 2 months, for a minimum number of 160 hours
  • It must include tasks related to the educational path undertaken by the student
  • Must be carried out during the period of university studies
  • Must not have been subject to previous applications for recognition
  • It must not be carried out in the employ of parents or a relative

For the recognition of credits, the student is required to send the following documents to the tutor:

  • written report by the student about the experience
  • Letter on the company's letterhead (signed by the owner) indicating the duration of the work experience and the tasks performed

Is it possible to replace the internship with the extension of a study abroad experience?
Students who have participated in the Erasmus/Overseas International Mobility programmes, in one of the locations affiliated with the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, can accrue 3 ECTS through the attendance of professional courses and seminars organised by the foreign host university (language courses are excluded) and in addition to the courses to be attended compulsorily.
Interested students are required to inform the tutor by e-mail, preferably before departure for the foreign location and in any case at the beginning of attendance, of the seminars and/or courses they intend to attend and the relative number of hours, in order to assess their suitability in advance. This evaluation will be given by the Erasmus tutor together with prof. Caselli. 
For the accreditation of ECTS, the student is required to deliver to the internship tutor a document on the letterhead of the host university, which shows that the student has attended the course, seminar or workshop as well as a report on the course attended.

Is it possible to replace the internship with participation in one of the international programs offered by the University?
The 3 ECTS can also be obtained through participation in one of the international programmes offered by other University structures (International Service, University Centre for International Solidarity and Pastoral Centre) provided that:

  • have some relevance to the study plan
  • provide for the performance of tasks of a technical nature
  • last at least 1 month

The student is required to communicate in time and before departure to the internship tutor the details of the program in which he/she will take part. An initial assessment of the suitability of the tasks is given by the tutor. In case of uncertainty, the tutor will inform the coordinating professor of the degree programme who will issue a final judgment.
In order to be credited, students must send the following documents to the internship tutor within 1 month of their return:

  • report written by the student about the experience carried out (see Attachment End of Internship Report)
  • a letter from the person in charge of the University structure that manages the programme certifying the student's participation, the period and the tasks performed.