UCD Social Sciences Internship Programme - Partner Organisation Information
Graduates of UCD social sciences degrees make enormous contributions to industry and society, spanning all sectors and much of the globe. We are incredibly proud of what our graduates achieve in the world and to ensure that this contribution and competitiveness is sustained we are now embedding professional engagement within our undergraduate education.
The UCD Social Sciences Internship Programme offers students the opportunity to put their skills and knowledge to use in a professional setting, while offering organisations the chance to engage with eager minds keen to approach challenges from a new perspective and provide value in the workplace.
We partner with a range of organisations across the private and public sectors, as well as NGOs and charities, to provide internships from 12-15 weeks (beginning in either September or January/February), allowing students to make a meaningful contribution to the work of the organisation while gaining a full trimester of academic credits at the same time.
The internship is an optional element of the 4-year (opens in a new window)BSc Social Sciences degree, open to penultimate year students. The process for gaining an internship is competitive, with students applying to positions and engaging with a professional application and interview process. Students complete an academic component in conjunction with working the normal working hours of the partner organisation. .
By facilitating a Social Sciences internship student, your organisation will develop new links with University College Dublin, the College of Social Sciences and Law, its faculty and its student body. Organisations that partner with UCD for internships often find benefits for a number of strategic and operational objectives, including a recruitment pipeline (staff or volunteers), applied research possibilities, etc.
Our programme has seen rapid growth over the past 2 years, despite the uncertain working conditions of the pandemic. Over 100 students now annually take part in an academic internship as part of their BSc Social Sciences degree, with the internships being undertaken reflecting the wide range of sectors and skills represented across our social sciences subjects. We are continuing to expand our internship offering and encourage engagement from all business sectors.
If you are interested in becoming a partner organisation or would like to know more about the programme, please contact the Internship Manager for Social Sciences, Cristin O Gorman ((opens in a new window)socialsciencesinternships@ucd.ie).
UCD Social Sciences students explore the nature of our society and the many issues confronting humanity, including: climate change, crime and violence, social and financial inequality, gender justice, sustainable cities, human development, economic growth and big data. Students on the BSc Social Sciences degree gain a deep understanding of their chosen subjects and develop real-world skills in research, communication and leadership. The major subjects on the degree are: Archaeology, Economics, Geography, Information & Communication Studies, Mathematics, Philosophy, Politics & International Relations, Social Justice, Sociology, Statistics.
Most students study two of the above subjects in a joint-major degree, while some study one subject with a minor subject, such as a language. We also have specialised streams in Economics, Mathematics & Statistics and Computational Social Science.
All of the students on our BSc Social Sciences degree are, by their very nature, interested in how people behave and how these behaviours can be understood, measured and analysed. Their learning is embedded with research, communication and critical thinking skills that will be invaluable as they progress through their degrees and into the professional world.
The internship programme offers a range of benefits to the partner organisation that hosts a student. Our students will have completed two years of their undergraduate degrees and are eager to put their research skills and subject knowledge to use in the real world. They bring a new perspective, update skills and innovative ideas to the workplace. Internships of 12-15 weeks (minimum) give students an opportunity to contribute to the company and undertake meaningful work, while offering flexibility in terms of start dates.
The Social Sciences Internship Programme can provide your organisation with a simple way to meet short-term recruitment and project needs and give you the inside track to recruiting the next generation of employee. By facilitating a Social Sciences internship student, your organisation will develop new links with University College Dublin, the College of Social Sciences and Law, its faculty and its student body. Organisations that partner with UCD for internships often find benefits for a number of strategic and operational objectives, including a recruitment pipeline (staff or volunteers), applied research possibilities, etc.
Students will apply for internship opportunities for autumn internships during two spring application windows, with a further application process to run during the autumn for spring internships. The timelines for internships during the 2022/23 academic year are as follows:
| Stage | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Engagement with Social Sciences Internship Manager | Ongoing |
| Submit Role Description | March or September 2022 |
| Applications sent to Partner Organisations | April or October 2022 |
| Complete UCD Internship Agreement | July or November 2022 |
| Interviews and Offers | Spring or Autumn 2022 |
| Internship Start Date | September 2022 or January 2023 |
The role of the host organisation is to provide the student with a meaningful internship, which complements their education and broadens their skillset. To help ensure this, a mentor should be assigned to the student to act as a regular point of contact for the duration of the internship.