SPOL41050 MPP Internship

Academic Year 2023/2024

The internship opportunity is available to students on the Master of Public Policy programme in lieu of writing a research thesis during the summer months. The module is designed to provide students with an opportunity to gain in-work experience relevant to their academic studies; to apply their academic knowledge and insights; and to begin to build their career profile.

The module runs in Trimester 3 (Summer) but has meetings in earlier trimesters.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Learning outcomes include gaining knowledge of, and insight into, the policy-related activities of particular organisations; to learn how to apply knowledge gained from academic studies in practical contexts; and to develop transferable skills for application in other employment contexts.

Specific learning outcomes will be particular to the individual work situation – at the outset, each internship will identify its own indicative statement of learning outcomes.

Indicative Module Content:

The module involves a number of preparatory classes, successfully completing an internship, group work meetings, and the completion of a series of assignments.

The substance of each internship will vary depending on the specific organisation involved. Internships are supervised, both in the workplace where there is named mentor, and in UCD where the module co-ordinator, or in their absence of Director of the MPP, oversees the placement and provides feedback on the required assignments

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

3
Conversation Class

2
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Placement/Work Experience

450
Total

550
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The student engages in a series of reflective writing exercise, submitted through Brightspace, in which they are guided to apply knowledge gained through their academic studies to the workplace situation, and to reflect on their work experiences in the light of their broader academic and analytical training.
Reflective writing is a practice-oriented type of writing, with the emphasis on the student's own insights and thoughts and reflections rather than on narrative description.
The UCD academic supervisor provides brief feedback on each piece of reflective writing. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
MPP Internship (CSSL40140)


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Professional Development Plan: An essay of about 1000 words setting out your expectations as to how the work programme, as set out in the Learning Agreement. Week 1 n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

20
Assignment: Host Evaluation Report: form submitted by host supervisor/mentor at the end of the internship. Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

20
Assignment: Final Reflection Essay: A 2,000 word final reflection essay on how the internship did/did not achieve the learning goals identified at the outset of the internship. Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

20
Attendance: Group discussion: Two online group discussions of 60 minutes. Reflection on goals, progress and challenges. Throughout the Trimester n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

20
Journal: Journal: Two Reflective Journal to be submitted to UCD supervisor through Brightspace over the course of the internship (see course outline for dates) Throughout the Trimester n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

20

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on reflective writing via Brightspace. Peer-review on progress in group discussion. Group and individual feedback by supervisor.

Name Role
Dr Matthew Donoghue Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Bryan Fanning Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 

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