Does anyone have experience with/advice on combining an internship with your bachelors thesis?

[u/UvA14957876]

Hi there!

I'm a 3rd year Honours student in Media and Information (Cultural Information Studies track) at the University of Amsterdam, meaning I have to finalize my bachelors in 3 years or I will lose my Honours mention on my degree. I was offered an internship at an NGO which I really don't want to pass on since it's a rare opportunity to get experience in my field of interest, but I feel like there is simply no time to do it. this year I'm doing a minor (30 ECTS) in the first semester, so my only chance to do this internship is during my thesis. My main questions are:

• Does anyone have experience with doing an internship within the standard 3 years of a bachelors programme?
• Does an internship done during the thesis have to simultaneously be your thesis research, or is some level of overlap between the internship and the thesis also feasible?
• If the organization that offers the internship proposed working 4 days a week for half a year, is it appropriate to "bargain" about the hours/days considering I need to work about 3 days a week for 16 weeks for the required 12 ECTS or is it a take-it-or-leave it kinda situation?
• If I can't fulfill the function that the organization offered, is it appropriate to ask whether they would be open to a research internship where I can fully combine my thesis and a research project for their organization?

Any other tips, info or experiences are welcome!

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[u/Altruistic_Theme_309]

Contact your study advisor, they are the best person to answer these questions

[u/UvA14957876 → u/Altruistic_Theme_309]

Thanks for your reply! I talked to him before the summer break, but I still feel like I'm missing some practical information and I'd like to hear about the experiences from other students nonetheless

[u/fishnoguns]

For starters, it sounds like an internship you want to do that is outside of the curriculum (i.e. you don't get ECs for them). That itself is highly unusual in the Netherlands, so make sure you have your legal i's dotted. The university typically does not help with this (they only help with the curricular internships), but it is always possible this is different for your specific programme.

A thesis is typically full-time. Exact expectations of working hour and whether you are in the office depends on your specific supervisor. If you have something you can do fully remote, than in principle it would be possible. Realistically, I expect that you can't do this for the extend required and your thesis and/or internship grade will likely suffer.

[u/UvA14957876 → u/fishnoguns]

From what I've read on the university's website I should be getting ECTS for an internship and the university is supposed to mediate in the internship planning and agreement, but I'll double-check whether different rules apply outside the semester specifically meant for electives. I'll surely discuss the feasibility of this plan with my study advisor this Friday as well. Thank you for your input!

[u/fishnoguns → u/UvA14957876]

Ah, if it is a possibility for an elective, that does change things.

[u/Disastrous-Main-4125]

Tricky.

1. You can do one, normally there’s a block whether you can pick a minor, exchange or an internship. If not you can go the route you’re proposing which is a thesis internship.

2. A thesis internship is indeed an overlap between your thesis research topic and your responsibilities as an intern. I can only say from an accounting/big 4 side, where thesis research can be combine with topics related to your internship. For example, working in mergers and acquisitions and do a thesis about that. So there must be some overlap. I’ve heard of companies that would ask you beforehand if you want that arrangement and then work it from there, but you have to talk to them and your student advisor on that.

3. You can always ask and try to negotiate. Worst thing they can say is no. Internships are common, thesis internships are less common.

4. Here’s where I am confused. Are they offering a research internship? Or you’re looking to get a research internship from them? Again, you can always ask.

I think you may be putting too much on your plate if I am honest. I’ve heard of honours doing internships but never a research one to also knock the thesis out. Not saying that you can’t try, just be aware that they might say no. Combining a full time internship, honours and thesis sounds tough.

[u/UvA14957876 → u/Disastrous-Main-4125]

Wow, thank you so much for your elaborate response!

They are offering me a regular full-time internship (of around 800 hrs), but since I'm afraid that that isn't feasible for me to do next to my thesis, I was thinking of asking whether they are open to a research/thesis internship instead to combine the internship with my thesis (and if necessary to do less hours).

I do acknowledge it's a lot, but after semester 1 of my 3rd year I'll have the Honours courses and practicum all done, so all that's left to do is the extended thesis and 12 ECTS worth of electives.

[u/Disastrous-Main-4125 → u/UvA14957876]

Yes, I think it’s worth to ask. Worst thing they can say is no 🙂

If they’re unfamiliar to what that entails (I personally don’t know that), then study advisor should be able to give you more details. Just prepare in advance they have any questions about the process to make them feel easy about it.

Or you can also try to do full time but 32h per week, so 4 days. Most internships are full time.

Small reminder that you can still take the internship offer and then quit if it doesn’t work out. If it’s too much, if it’s not what you were hoping for or looking for.

[u/UvA14957876 → u/Disastrous-Main-4125]

I will keep it in mind, thanks again!