Internships (For Academic Credit)

An internship is for credit and counted as a subject of your degree; therefore you will be required to complete various academic assessment items.

Internships are usually undertaken in the final semesters, after students have completed all their electives. Students must have a GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale to be considered for an internship opportunity.

Internships provide students with the chance to work within their specialist industry creating networking opportunities and enabling students to identify workplace mentors who may provide guidance, advice and industry insights.

Internships are available throughout the January, May and September semesters, usually 1-2 days per week. Full time placements of 2-3 weeks are also available in the holiday periods after the January and May Semesters. Internships are not available over the Christmas\New Year break.

The Internship Application Form and supporting documentation must be lodged by the deadline (4pm Friday of Week 6 of the semester prior to commencement.)

Further enquiries and completed applications are to be handed to:

Jeni Allen
Industry Relations Manager
Phone: 07 5595 2064
Fax: 07 55895 1474
Email: jallen@bond.edu.au

The Application Process

Prior to application for an internship, students need to complete the following:

1. Print and fill in the Internship Application Form;
2. Students need to conduct thorough research into their discipline and identify and select three companies to add to their preferred company list (including contact details) on Page 2 of the Internship Application Form;
3. Print a copy of their Academic Record, available on eStudent;
4. An updated and detailed resume and cover letter expressing your career aspirations and how this internship will contribute to establishing your early career path;
5. Make an appointment with the appropriate full time academic within the discipline area, who upon signing your application will be appointed your ‘Academic Supervisor’. Please go to your appointment equipped with your fully completed Internship Application Form, resume and cover letter and Subject History, and gain written approval on the last page before lodging your application with the Industry Relations Manager.

Please note not all students will be deemed ready for an internship and opportunities might also be limited to staff availability for supervision.

Deadline for Applications

The deadline for all internship applications is 4pm Friday of Week 6 of the current semester for the following semester’s placement.

Students will be advised regularly on the status of their application.

Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration, all Internship students must have a minimum GPA of at least 2.5. An undergraduate student will need to have identified a major and be advanced in the program. Ideally, they will have completed 3-4 subjects in the major.

We advise students to complete internships in their last or second last semesters as internships create great networking opportunities to meet potential graduate employers. Preference will be given to students in their last semesters.

The Internship Application Form must have the signed approval of an Academic Supervisor (ie. a full time lecturer within the discipline area) before the Industry Relations Manager can proceed with your application. A full list of Academic Supervisor options per discipline can be provided by the Industry Relations Manager at the student’s request.

Cost

The normal subject fees for one subject apply to an Internship.

Duration

Opportunities exist to undertake internships for three weeks full-time during semester breaks, or one day per week throughout the semester. How this time is allocated over the semester will depend upon the organisational requirements. Further research may also be expected away from the work place environment.

Enrolment

If the internship application is successful the student will be enrolled in the appropriately coded subject. The Industry Relations Manager will liaise with the appropriate Academic Advisor to organise this as soon as placement is confirmed. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the student to ensure they are enrolled in the appropriate subject for their degree and internship.

Students will also need to advise the Academic Advisor of their intentions during consultation.

** All prospective interns need to consider another subject choice in case an internship opportunity is not available **

Educational requirements

Interns are required to undertake a set number of hours per week, equivalent in total to any other subject undertaken at the University. This is typically a minimum of 140 hours for the semester’s work. However, this could vary depending on the organisation and type of work undertaken. In most cases interns will be required to write a report and a journal reflecting upon their internship experience.

Lecturers may also draw up a specific work contract with the student stating any other assessment requirements. The Academic Supervisor will discuss pre-requisite subject requirements, what is expected in terms of workload and determine the assessment requirements.

Student Obligations

Conduct

Any Bond University student who has been successful in gaining a workplace internship is a representative of the University at all times. As such, they are expected to uphold a high standard of conduct. This means interns should be punctual, conscientious, reliable and discreet while ensuring an acceptable standard of dress is worn.

Attendance

If at any time a student cannot attend to any of the duties required as part of their internship, they must notify their employer or the university as early as possible or they will be severely penalised in the assessment of their performance.

Insurance Cover

Bond internships and work experience students are covered by the University’s insurance while in the employer’s workplace. To ensure this insurance is in place students must complete the Internship Application Form. The form needs to be completed and signed at least two weeks prior to the internship commencing, so the necessary paperwork can be completed on time. If a more comprehensive insurance cover is required (ie. involving overseas or interstate travel) it is the student’s responsibility to complete the necessary details.

Student Testimonials

Rafael Noriega - Master of Environment Management (Sustainable Development)

"An internship is the perfect preparation and update for the working environment while doing a university study program. It allows you to work and apply the knowledge learned in study simultaneously."

Information on web pages is accurate at the time of posting and may be subject to change from semester to semester to reflect changes in program structure. It is therefore important to check current information at the time of enrolment. 

Further enquiries and completed applications are to be handed to:

Jeni Allen
Industry Relations Manager
Phone: 07 5595 2064
Fax: 07 55895 1474
Email: jallen@bond.edu.au