MA in Faculty of Humanities

Internship Guidelines

Representing a perfect chance to put academic theory into working practice, an internship not only serves as a vital link between academic study and the labor market, it is also the perfect opportunity to better come to grips with your talents, skills and abilities and to explore the practical value of your university education. Internships offer many other advantages, including: • Invaluable practical experience, gained, for instance, from taking part in an actual selection procedure or the daily operations of a company • Increased appeal of your CV – previous working experience is a great way to draw the eye of prospective employers • Better employment prospects – after graduation, many students work for their former internship provider • New networking contacts of benefit both during your studies and after graduation.

The American Studies internship course (GKMVD08009) enables you to acquire practical experience in a variety of professional settings that draw on the academic skills that the program develops. You can participate in internships both in the or the United States.

You are responsible for approaching internship institutions and must present an internship work program for approval to the Program Coordinator . Approval will depend on the general suitability of the host institution in question, the fit with the academic skills that students have acquired in the program, the availability of an on-site supervisor, and the specific tasks and projects that the placement will entail. Internships must contain both an academic and a work component. The Program Coordinator will assign an academic advisor.

As a rule a maximum of 7.5 ECTS (210 hours) can count towards the degree, even though some internships may have a work load of up to 15 ECTS (420 hours). Exceptions can only be made for internships with a substantial research component, which can be approved for 15 EC upon prior approval by the Program Coordinator. We encourage you to use the research component and other specialized knowledge that you acquire in the internship to develop the academic core of your

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American Studies Master’s Thesis. In this way your internship and thesis strengthen each other. You can discuss this with your faculty internship supervisor.

Suitable internship possibilities are offered by a range of organizations such as museums and historical societies, archival collections, political and governmental organizations, print and visual media, and NGO’s. In some cases universities in the U.S. that participate in an exchange program with Utrecht offer internship opportunities (for instance at the University of Wyoming). Some organizations in the United States also offer Summer internships. For internships in the Netherlands block 3 (February-April) is the preferred period if you are planning to build on the internship for your Thesis, or block 3 and 4 if the internship is approved for 15 EC. See below for some options to include an internship into your curriculum.

Teaching block 3 American Studies internship Readings in American Studies February- mid April (GKMVD08009; 7,5 EC) (GKMV11003; 7,5 EC) Teaching block 4 American Studies Master’s Thesis (GKMV04001; 15- EC) Mid April-June

Teaching block 3 American Studies Master’s Thesis Readings in American Studies February- mid April (GKMV04001; 15- EC) (GKMV11003; 7,5 EC) Teaching block 4 American Studies internship Mid April-June (GKMVD08009; 7,5 EC)

Teaching block 3 American Studies internship – research option (GKMVD08009; 15 EC) February- mid April Teaching block 4 American Studies Master’s Thesis (GKMV04001; 15- EC) Mid April-June

Teaching block 3 American Studies internship – American Studies Master’s Thesis February- mid April research option (GKMVD08009; 15 EC) (GKMV04001; 15- EC) Teaching block 4 Mid April-June

For detailed information about internships, check the Faculty Internships website (www.hum.uu.nl/stage). You can download the Internship Regulations: Guidebook for Students from this site.

Internship Positions

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American Studies cooperates closely with Dutch institutions and organizations that offer internships. Examples are: • Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague • Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg • Fulbright Center in Amsterdam • John Adams Institute in Amsterdam • Netherlands American Studies Association

Among the many American organizations that offer internships are: • National Museum of American History, Smithsonian, Washington, D.C. • Margaret Sanger Papers Project, New York

Internship report After you have finished your internship, you are required to submit a written internship report to both the faculty advisor and the on-site internship supervisor. This report should be written in English, regardless of the language used in the organization that offers the internship. Note that the evaluation section should reflect an academic level of thought and effort. For internships in the American Studies program you should be able to apply the experiences gained in a reflective report in which you describe the relationship to the knowledge gained during in the program. See section 13 of the Internship Regulations: Guidebook for Students for further instructions.

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