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Ecosystem Internship (SCIE90027)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 25Online
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Summer Term
Semester 1
Semester 2
Overview
Availability | Summer Term - Online Semester 1 - Online Semester 2 - Online |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject involves the definition and development of an internship placement in collaboration with the host institution. It has at its core a workplace project that will allow students to develop skills in project management, problem solving, multi-disciplinary workplace practice, institutional policy and strategy mapping, project reporting and communication.
This internship subject aims to provide students with a high-level employment experience with government, industry or non-government organisation (NGO). Students will develop a good understanding of potential employer expectations of Masters graduates and the skills required to function and excel in a workplace involved in the application of scientific research, technology, policy, planning or management.
With assistance from the subject coordinator, students will be required to source both a host-institution and an academic supervisor. The student and academic supervisor then define and coordinate the internship placement and develop a workplace project in consultation with (a) representative(s) from the host institution. More information is available on the subject webpage here: https://science.unimelb.edu.au/students/internship-subjects/ecosystem-internship. If you have problems finding a placement you should contact the Careers and Industry team in the Faculty of Science (contact details can be found under the specific study period on the Dates and Times page).
This project may relate to an applied science, technological, economic, social or management topic. Each student will prepare an ‘Internship Plan’ which includes relevant information about the project’s aims, context in relation to the institution, approaches to be used, relevant background knowledge and potential outputs to the host-institution. Students will then spend a period of 4-5 weeks (full-time equivalent; ca. 200 hours) working within their host institution i) gaining experience, ii) shadowing institution mentors and iii) working on their internship project. At completion of the internship placement, students will be required to present their findings to an audience, including members of the host-institution, in form of an ‘Internship Seminar’, and submit a ‘Main Report’ on their internship project.
Intended learning outcomes
This subject aims, through the completion of a defined project, to:
- Provide the student with opportunities to relate their formal academic learning to industry, government or NGO workplace practices, policies, problems and opportunities;
- Develop skills in how to effectively and collaboratively design a project that responds to an institution's policy, strategy or problem by working creatively in multi-disciplinary way to provide new knowledge or synthesise existing but disparate knowledge;
- Manage their own time, and the input of others, to successfully complete the internship project; report on project findings, and make recommendations to the host-institution;
- Promote professionalism in the workplace and a desire to continue in their chosen career by providing a positive and supportive academic and institutional internship experience.
Generic skills
Upon successful completion of the Ecosystems Internship, students should be able to demonstrate:
- Flexibility, adaptability, time management and organisational skills as a result of their participation in the workplace;
- The ability to communicate effectively in a professional workplace and to work with and interact with a wide range of people inside and outside their host organisations, including working in teams;
- Understanding of organisational culture and ethics, work practices, and the diversity of workplaces;
- Analytical, problem-solving research, and report-writing skills;
- The ability to manage and plan work;
- Capacity for initiative and enterprise;
- Capacity for lifelong learning, self-reliance and professional development.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
- Students will be required to complete all necessary internship and travel paperwork PRIOR to enrolment in the subject.
- Students must be in the final 100 points of their Masters’ degree in the semester in which they are enrolled.
- Students will also be required to seek subject coordinator permission prior to enrolling into this subject.
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More information at the link below. If you have problems finding a placement you should contact the Careers and Industry team in the Faculty of Science (contact details can be found under the specific study period on the Dates and Times page).
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Internship Plan due by the end of week 4 of the relevant teaching period
| Week 4 | 20% |
Internship Seminar (20 mins + 10 mins questions – 2000 words equivalent)
| During the assessment period | 20% |
Main Report
| During the assessment period | 60% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Summer Term - Online
Coordinators Gerd Bossinger and Antanas Spokevicius Mode of delivery Online Contact hours - 200 hours placement (at a host institution) - 80 hours final report - 40 hours pre-placement research/proposal - 20 hours seminar preparation Total time commitment 300 hours Teaching period 5 January 2021 to 19 February 2021 Last self-enrol date 14 January 2021 Census date 22 January 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 12 February 2021 Assessment period ends 27 February 2021 Summer Term contact information
- Semester 1 - Online
Coordinators Antanas Spokevicius and Gerd Bossinger Mode of delivery Online Contact hours - 200 hours placement (at a host institution) - 80 hours final report - 40 hours pre-placement research/proposal - 20 hours seminar preparation Total time commitment 300 hours Teaching period 1 March 2021 to 30 May 2021 Last self-enrol date 12 March 2021 Census date 31 March 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 7 May 2021 Assessment period ends 25 June 2021 Semester 1 contact information
- Semester 2 - Online
Coordinators Gerd Bossinger and Antanas Spokevicius Mode of delivery Online Contact hours - 200 hours placement (at a host institution) - 80 hours final report - 40 hours pre-placement research/proposal - 20 hours seminar preparation Total time commitment 300 hours Teaching period 26 July 2021 to 24 October 2021 Last self-enrol date 6 August 2021 Census date 31 August 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 24 September 2021 Assessment period ends 19 November 2021 Semester 2 contact information
Time commitment details
300 hours (including 200 hours at a host institution)
Additional delivery details
For detailed information on submitting an expression of interest and the application process, refer to the Faculty of Science website: https://science.unimelb.edu.au/students/internship-subjects
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Recommended texts and other resources
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook. Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Ecosystem Management and Conservation Major Climate Change Major Sustainable Forests Major Conservation and Restoration Major Climate Change Major Tailored Specialisation Major Sustainable Forests Major Tailored Specialisation Major Tailored Specialisation - Links to additional information
More information is available on the subject webpage here: https://science.unimelb.edu.au/students/internship-subjects/ecosystem-internship. If you have problems finding a placement you should contact the Careers and Industry team in the Faculty of Science (contact details can be found under the specific study period on the Dates and Times page).
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022