What is an internship and what is it for
An internship is a training period with a company or professional body which is relevant to your studies. It represents an opportunity to broaden the knowledge you gain during your degree course studies, an important contribution to your development and a support for future professional choices.
In particular is an helpful experience for:
- recognising the importance of a theoretical basis in the productive processes and experimenting in practice with knowledge as a work tool
- understanding the complexity of the world of work and acquiring the first skills for managing it.
The internship activity:
- is not mandatory and can substitute the "Work-oriented activities" in the 2nd year
- grants 9 ECTS
- must last at least 225 total hours to be carried out over a period not exceeding 12 months.
- Internships lasting longer than 225 hours allow you to acquire additional credits up to a maximum of 10 credits in total (1 credit for every additional 25 hours).
- Is free of charge and it is not considered a form of employment.
Internal internship
It takes place at the University facilities, including the Department of Sociology and Social Research, the Jean Monnet Center and the Opera Universitaria.
To carry out the internship you must find an academic tutor among the professors of your programme.
External internship
It takes place at a company or institution other than the University of Trento.
To carry out the internship you must find:
- an academic tutor among the professors of your programme.
- a company tutor to agree on the project with (internship data, university tutor data, training objectives, activities and methods of carrying out the internship, obligations of the parties involved).
How to apply for internal or external internship
Internship abroad
For internships abroad please see the page Going abroad Department of Sociology and Social Research.
Recognition of past professional activities
In exceptional cases, the internship can be replaced by recognition of past professional or training activities which are considered relevant to the degree course.
The activities for which recognition is requested must last at least 225 (9 ECTS) hours and at most 12 months. If you do more than 100 hours, then extra credits can be recognised up to a maximum of 10 credits in total (1 credit for every 25 hours).
Before requesting recognition, it is necessary to contact a professor of the degree program who is competent in the functions for which the student is requesting recognition, so that the professor can declare the activity relevant.
How to apply for past professional and training activities recognition
Postgraduate internships
You can also do an internship up to a year after graduating. For more information please see the page Internship and work placement opportunities at JobGuidance