Work placement/Internship
This module offers students the opportunity to spend a minimum of 6 (min) to 10 (max) weeks in a real-life employment. Students will work in a setting that reflects their interests as a professional working at the science-policy interface. Placements may vary considerably but in general terms students find work placement in industrial, government, non-government or a research environment as well as international bodies where they will obtain a breadth of practical experience to complement their degree programme.
Employers welcome ‘transferable skills’ acquired during a work placement such as communication, numeracy, use of ITC, group work and time management to name but a few. The students will experience workplace culture making them more effective employees following graduation. The work experience is defined as a learning experience incorporating mentoring, professional supervision in which work is viewed from critical and evaluative perspectives much in contrast to the notion of routine or regular work.
You will be working in a setting that reflects your own interests. A list of contacts in a broad range of organisations is available for the students as well as contacts with past alumni Global Changers who are working in many international institutions. You can ask the programme co-ordinator to review a particular internship (e.g. a company/institution of your choice that you might be interested in working for). The work placement can be carried out in any country of your choice and ERASMUS grants are available to support you. Through this work placement, you will acquire transferable skills which will make you a sought after and effective employee.
A Programme Internship Manager is dedicated to helping the students securing a work placement and helping them with their applications, CVs, cover letters as well as giving them mock interviews and advice on work ethics.
List of institutions where past Global Changers worked as intern include:
EPA Ireland/Germany; Government Departments; Research institutes; IGES; PIK, NOAA, ISOE; IAEA; IPCC; ICLEI; FAO; CIFOR; Basque centre for Climate Change; BiOrbic; Teagasc, Coillte; Fibl, ISOE; Irish Waters; Irish Climate Change Advisory Council; Marine Institute; European Forest Institute; Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF); German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research; Das Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN);
NGOs and foundations: RISE foundation (Brussels); An Taisce; Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation; Mossy Earth; Sonarite; The Sustainable Food Trust
Private companies: Deltarres; WSP; RPS, MKO;
University departments and research centres: Ocean 2100; BiOrbic.
We can financially support students during their placement (within ERASMUS countries).
Research Thesis
The research project is an important element of the Masters in Global Change as it involves the planning, execution and communication of a research question that the student wishes to investigate in depth. Students can discuss with researchers potential topics which will be accepted following consultation with the selected supervisor and the module co-ordinator. A period of 16 weeks will be devoted entirely to the project work. Students will maintain regular contact with their supervisor, who will assist by guiding the project, reading and commenting on written work, and providing advice as necessary.
We can financially support students during their research project both with ERASMUS within EU and with PROMOS for international destinations.