12 ECTS credits
300 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1021120CNR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (C) Bachelor - specialised level.
The student undertakes 300 h of internship at a criminologically relevant site during the second semester of third bachelor. The student critically observes and participates as much as possible in the daily activities at the internship site. The aim of the internship is the translation of theoretical knowledge into practice and the student's orientation to the professional field. During the internship, relevant work experience can be gained and valuable contacts with the professional field can be established.
An internship guide with all concrete information is made available via CANVAS.
The student is supervised at the internship site by an internship master and from the VUB by an internship supervisor.
The search for an internship starts in the second bachelor during the information moment for students. Students apply no later than 15 May in second bachelor with a motivation letter and CV. The internship site is assigned to them via e-mail from the internship coordinator. More information is provided in the internship guide on Canvas.
In the first semester of third bachelor, the student attends lectures preparing for the internship practice and writing the internship reflection notes.
Replacement assignment for working students:
Students working in the criminological professional field or who have relevant criminological work experience can make a replacement assignment. The criminological professional field in which they are working is then considered the internship. They submit a motivated request to the chairperson of the internship committee Prof Kristel Beyens (Kristel.Beyens@vub.be) and the internship coordinator Sofie Van Den Bussche (Sofie.Van.Den.Bussche@vub.be) to make an replacement assignment. This application is submitted no later than 15 October of the academic year in which the assignment is to be fulfilled by means of a form made available on Canvas.
In the replacement assignment, criminological practice is tested against theory through an individually determined assignment. The student is supervised by a supervisor from the VUB.
More details on the content of the application and assignment can be found in the Internship Guide on CANVAS.
Short internship period for working students
Working students WITHOUT relevant criminological work experience or students who have already completed an internship within a criminologically relevant setting as part of a previous programme may submit a motivated application for a short internship to the chairperson of the internship committee Prof. Dr Kristel Beyens (Kristel.Beyens@vub.be) and the internship coordinator Sofie Van Den Bussche (Sofie.Van.Den.Bussche@vub.be). This application is submitted no later than 15 October of the academic year in which the assignment is to be fulfilled by means of a form made available on Canvas.
All students are assigned a personal supervisor.
All documents within the framework of the internship, replacement assignment or skort internship shall be submitted no later than 31 MAY or on the next working day in case of participation in first session and no later than 16 AUGUST or the next working day in case of participation in second session.
The internship coordinator and the supervisor are the first points of contact at the VUB for students regarding the internships.
In the course of the second and third bachelor year, lectures and information and intervision sessions are organised in the context of the preparation and follow-up of the internship. Participation in these sessions is mandatory. In addition, individual supervision is provided by the internship master (on-site) and the internship supervisor (VUB).
It is possible to do an internship abroad or in a French-speaking criminology setting in Belgium. In the case of an internship abroad, independence and self-reliance is expected from the student. Preparation starts in the second undergraduate year.
Taking this course unit under the form of a credit contract is excluded.
- Students have knowledge and understanding of the role and functioning of the various actors in the administration of criminal justice.
- Students deal respectfully with the emotional aspects of the phenomena studied.
- Students master subject-specific terminology.
- Students can communicate clearly and correctly verbally and in writing on a theoretical or practice-oriented criminologically relevant topic with the actors involved and the field.
- Students can function independently and in a team in a criminologically relevant work domain.
- Students can test theoretical insights from the programme against criminological practice in the field.
- Students can think creatively and in a solution-oriented way.
- Students have written and oral fluency in Dutch.
- Students have an interested, inquisitive and independent attitude towards acquiring and building knowledge.
- Students have a keen interest in and sensitivity to social and criminological topics.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Practical Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Practical Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Information on the form and content of the reflection notes can be found in the internship guide and in the bundle of reflection assignments internship, which are made available via CANVAS.
Failure to respect the imposed dead lines, procedures, guidelines and instructions (both in preparation for and during the internship practice), as mentioned in the Internship Guide and the Bundle of Reflection Assignments on CANVAS, translates into a loss of points or, if applicable, a referral to the second examination session.
Failure to submit one of the internship reflection assignments will result in referral to second sitting time for this part of the course.
Evaluation internship practice:
The internship practice is evaluated during a meeting between the internship master, the internship supervisor and the student based on standard guideline questions. This evaluation meeting takes place before the meeting of the internship committee, which determines the final points.
Distribution of points:
- 60% on internship practice
- 40% on internship reflection assignments
The student must have passed both parts, i.e. internship practice and internship reflection assignments, to pass the entire course unit. If the student has not passed all the programme components in the first session, credits for successful partial reflection assignments can be transferred according to the regulations included in the study guide on Canvas.
In principle, no second session is possible for the internship practice part. If the student fails the internship practice, the internship committee decides whether to request a new internship or to impose a special internship-related assignment. In that case, the internship committee determines the content and scope of that assignment.
Evaluation of the short internship
Students who are not employed in a criminologically relevant setting do a 70-hour observation in a criminologically relevant place. They submit the same reflection assignments as day students, except the intervision notes. They should not participate in the intervision sessions.
Distribution of points:
- 90% on reflection assignments
- 10% for observation practice (pass/fail)
If the student has not passed all the programme components in the first session, partial credits for successful partial assignments may be transferred according to the regulations included in the study guide on Canvas.
Evaluation of replacement assignment:
Students employed in a criminologically relevant setting are exempt for 6 SP. They write an internship substitute assignment (6 SP) which counts for 100%.
Students who violate the rule of professional secrecy expose themselves to disciplinary sanctions from the university. Non-compliance with other student obligations may also be subject to disciplinary sanctions.
The student who has chosen the optional programme component internship practice and has not fulfilled the internship obligations, cannot obtain the Bachelor of Criminological Sciences degree.
Allowed fail
Check the supplementary OER of your faculty whether a permitted fail is possible for this course unit.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Criminology: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Criminology: Verkort traject (only offered in Dutch)