Contact our University Internships Manager
Oonagh Sweeney
(For general enquiries or assistance in establishing internships)
Including a work-related internship within the curriculum of a programme of study can enhance the academic experience for students, facilitating them to put theory into practice, assimilate learning in an applied setting and develop employability skills and graduate attributes.
Internships integrated into the curriculum provide an opportunity for students to acquire new skills and knowledge, personal and work-related, and enhances their employment potential. Additional benefits for academics, their school and for UCD include:
- the potential to build closer relationships to key external businesses and emerging sectors
- making links to the labour market more explicit.
What can we do for you?
The University Internships Manager, Oonagh Sweeney, is based in the Careers Network and provides a coordination and guidance role for internships, a central part of the governance and management structure for UCD internships. David is available to assist if you:
- are considering developing an internship as part of an existing or new programme;
- wish to discuss an existing internship arrangement;
- have general queries on internship matters within UCD.
Please consider the aspects listed below as part of the development and/or the on-going operation of an internship within a programme of study.
- Rationale and context for internship.
- Learning outcomes; assessment; alternatives; remediation.
- Credits; student effort.
- Professional codes of conduct; work culture.
- CVs; interviews; post placement career and employability planning.
- Skills; evaluation and reflection.
- Review and evaluation of practice.
- UCD internship agreements (with host, with student).
- University policy on Visas (work, travel); internships.
- Student code; grievance and discipinary matters.
- Visas (work, travel); internships. considerations for Non- EEA students.
- Intellectual property; confidentiality.
- Health and safety; risk assessment; insurance.
- Internship administrator; assignment of academic coordinator.
- Information and guidance materials (student, host, staff); student briefing and training.
- Internship sourcing, evaluation & approval process; managing student applications, interviews & offer process; liasion with host providers.
- Internship agreements established.
- Site visits; evaluation and assessment of students.
- Continuity of support and communication to both student and host; provisions for overseas internships.
- Ongoing monitoring and periodic evaluation of practice.
- Information and guidance provided on policies, procedures and documentation.
- Roles and responsibilities of student, host and university outlined.
- Student internship acceptance form in place; host agreement and statement of internship completed.
- Clarity on arrangements for ongoing communication, site visits; monitoring; the resolution of issues.
- Host provides induction session; health and safety; specific training provided.
- Host provides ongoing supervision; regular student-supervisor meetings held.
- Host and student fullfill evaluation and/or assessment requirements.
- Feedback sought to inform practice.