Description
Students will complete an internship at an organization outside of Leiden University, where they will perform tasks aligning with the daily professional practice of a scientifically trained pedagogue. This may include internships in schools or organizations focused on education, specialized orthopedagogical healthcare, family support or foster care. The internship matches the student’s academic specialisation profile.
For students following the clinical profile, the internship will focus on conducting diagnostic assessments and/or providing care to clients and their caretakers within the relevant care setting.
For students following a non-clinical profile, the internship will focus on, for instance, improving policies, developing training methods, or designing educational materials informed by scientific knowledge.
In all cases, the host organization must have demonstrable links to, or experience with, scientific research. Internships abroad are possible, once they are approved by the Internship Office.
If the student is pursuing the NVO professional registration ‘Basis Orthopedagoog’ or ‘Basis Pedagoog’, and has already fulfilled the associate requirements in their Bachelor program, the Research Master Internship will contribute to that qualification.
Course objectives
To become skilled researchers in the field of education and child studies, students must learn to view the field through the lens of a practicing professional. As researchers, they are expected to connect their academic perspective with that of a professional pedagogue in order to conduct research that is contextually grounded and practically relevant. The primary objective of this course is for students to engage with the professional practice of a pedagogue and to develop an insiders’ understanding of the field. In addition, students will draw upon their practical experience to design (but not yet carry out) a feasible and useful research project in a context similar to that of their internship.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
perform assigned tasks under the supervision of a professional pedagogue (in accordance with the NVO professional code;
critically reflect on their work within the professional context;
collaborate effectively with colleagues in the field;
reflect on their own role within a team;
adopt the perspective of a practicing professional and use that perspective to design a feasible and meaningful research project;
identify potential practical obstacles to conducting research in real-world settings;
articulate relevant ethical considerations in research design;
describe the potential practical implications of their research project, for example in terms of improving practices or policies;
describe the potential theoretical implications of their research project, while accounting for the specific context in which it was situated.
Students who already have substantial academic-level work experience in the field of education and child studies – meeting the learning objectives of the Research Master’s Internship (see above) - may be eligible for an exemption from the requirement that the internship must include a practice-oriented component. To qualify, students must demonstrate at least 20 EC (560 hours) of recent relevant experience working in the field of education and child studies at an academic level. Note that this exemption only applies to the practice component; the full internship remains equivalent to 20 EC.
Mode of instruction
Students will be supervised by a professional from the internship organization (the internship supervisor) who has experience with or an affinity for scientific research. In addition, students will receive supervision from internship tutors at the university.
The internship tutors will organize group meetings for all Research Master’s students, regardless of their profile. These meetings are designed to support students throughout the internship, to facilitate the exchange of experiences, and to reflect on their professional and academic growth. The schedule of meetings will be announced at the start of the internship. Attendance is mandatory.
Assessment
The final grade for the internship will be determined by the internship tutor and is based on the following components:
1. Assessment of the student's professional conduct, using a standardized rubric form and in consultation with the internship supervisor;
2. Quality of the internship plan, interim assignments, and final internship report;
3. Active participation in the group meetings;
4. Quality of the research proposal.
All components must be assessed as satisfactory. Items 1, 2, and 4 must receive a passing grade of 6.0 or higher. Standardized assessment forms are available for each component. The use of AI tools for graded assignments is not permitted.
All parts should be assessed as at least satisfactory; addendum 1, 2, and 4 need to be at a passing level (6.0 or higher). An assessment form is available for each type of final product.
The use of AI is not allowed.
Brightspace
Additional information can be found on the Brightspace site of the course Master Education and Child Studies (Research) (folder: Internship).
Reading list
There is no required reading list for this course. More detailed information is available in the Internship Prospectus (see Brightspace). Depending on the specific context of their internship, students will be expected to read relevant scientific literature to support their activities and to develop the research design.
Registration
Students are expected to take initiative in identifying potential internship opportunities, contacting organizations, and applying for a position. They are responsible for securing their own internship position. Once accepted by an organization and approved by the Internship Bureau coordinator, students must complete the internship details via the internship questionnaire (see Brightspace site of the course Master Education and Child Studies (Research) (folder: Internship).