6 ECTS credits
160 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4016928FNR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.
All graduation options of the Master of Science in Biology program provide the opportunity to conduct an internship, allowing you to gain experience related to your study in a professional environment, like a company, a governmental institute, a museum, a NGO, an hospital, etc..
The course unit “Professional Internship” can only be chosen once in your two-year master program, either in the first or second semester, and either as an elective of 6 ECTS (= internship of 20 full working days) or as one of 12 ECTS (= internship of 40 full working days).
Note it is possible to carry the internship in the summer period (between MA1 & MA2) and enroll in it in MA2.
The internship must be approved beforehand in all cases (see procedure below).
During these days, you complete a task or series of tasks agreed upon by you, the internship provider and the Department of Biology. This task is related to the field of biology and reflects the daily activities and conditions of a professional environment and work floor.
During your internship you will be guided and evaluated by a local supervisor who will be in contact with a representative of the Biology Department (typically the coordinator of your master program or the chairman of the Biology Master educational board).
After completing your internship, you write and submit a report on the work you have completed, which will be evaluated and graded by your internship supervisor in dialog with the coordinator of your graduation option, or the chairman of the Biology Master educational board.
IMPORTANT: the internship should not be related to other course units such as your Master thesis.
Detailed info and guidelines regarding this course can be found in the document section on the course pages ‘Professional Internship’ of the Canvas platform (https://canvas.vub.be/).
Note that you can add the Internship course to your dashboard even if you didn’t register for it in your study program. This allows you to have access to the documents in advance.
The following points explain how to apply for an internship:
1) As a student choosing the course ‘Professional internship’, you are responsible for finding an internship position. This is an important and valuable part of the course, as it helps you gain experience in job application.
Note: The expenses e.g. for daily transport are on the account of the student.
2) Once you have found a possible internship place, download the form ‘internship agreement request form’ (IARF.doc) from the course page ‘Professional Internship’ on the Canvas platform (https://canvas.vub.be/). Complete this form and send it by e-mail to the secretariat of the Biology department (secrdbio@vub.be).
The secretary will informed you if your request has been approved.
3) After approval, download the internship agreement template from the relevant course page on the Canvas platform (https://canvas.vub.be/) and fill it in. Make sure that both you and your supervisor at the host company/institution sign the agreement.
4) Send the completed and signed internship agreement to the secretariat of the Biology department (secrdbio@vub.be). The secretary will make sure that the agreement is signed and will send you a signed copy.
Important: The internship agreement should be signed by all parties (you, your internship supervisor and the VUB) BEFORE the start of your internship.
After completion of the internship, the students will have experience in a professional environment. They will have competences in evaluating the scientific and societal relevance, reporting and social communication, problem-solving and insight in real working situation.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
SELF Internship determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the SELF Internship category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Your internship supervisor will be contacted by the Biology Department during the exam session in which you submitted your report. He/she will be asked to give feedback on your internship and give a score based on your daily work and the final version of your internship report.
Your daily work will be valuated based on your motivation, initiative, resourcefulness, punctuality and attitude during your internship.
The final version of your internship report will be evaluated by your internship supervisor in dialog with the Department’s internship coordinator (the coordinator of your graduation option or the Chairman of the Master educational board) based on its scientific quality, completeness, level of insight, writing style and overall format.
Daily work and performance comprises 50% of the final mark while the internship report comprises the other 50% of the final mark.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Life sciences
Master of Biology: Ecology and Biodiversity
Master of Biology: AR Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems