Beginning in the 2011/2012 academic year, internships will form part of the curriculum of internal Bachelor’s and Master’s studies at the Institute of International Studies (International Territorial Studies, American Studies, Balkan and Easter Central European Studies, German and Austrian Studies, and West European Studies). At issue are electives graded on a pass/fail basis and worth 3 credits. Students can select an internship either in the Czech Republic or abroad. A student may complete one internship only (either in the Czech Republic or abroad) during his/her studies.

With the exception of internships organized through agreements signed by the university (Office of the Czech Government, Parliament of the Czech Republic, or Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic), securing an internship is the responsibility of each individual student who expresses an interest in undertaking an internship. The Institute of International Studies may support acceptance to an internship with letters of recommendation, etc.

It is possible to complete an internship in an organization whose activities are somehow verifiably related to the international community, or a national organization with a clearly economic profile, or in some institution that forms a part of the state (national) administration.

On the whole, an internship, from its inception to its completion and the awarding of credit, is under the auspices of the guarantor of the study program in which the student is enrolled.

The internship must involve at least 60 hours of work per semester, which the student shall certify with a confirmation from the given organization on official letterhead bearing the signature and stamp of the head of the organization. The document must contain the sentence: "I confirm that (student name) completed an internship in our organization of at least a 60 hour duration from (date) until (date). The main activity of the student was (fill in). Date, signature, and official stamp, as well as contact information (phone, e-mail).

A student wishing to apply for an internship must inform the responsible secretary at the Institute of International Studies (Mrs. Marcela Bílková is responsible for B.A. students, Mr. Petr Novák is responsible for M.A. students) of the organization at which the internship is to be undertaken by 31 October (Fall Semester) or by 20 March (Spring Semester). In individual cases, students may announce an internship at a later date subject to approval from the guarantor of the respective program of study.

The announcement must contain the name of the organization sponsoring the internship, contact information of the responsible party at the organization, a brief description of the activities the student plans to engage in, and the dates marking the beginning and the end of the internship. Ideally, the internship should be completed by the last day of teaching in the given semester and exceptions will be addressed on an ad hoc basis. Other possible formalities (insurance matters, security clearances, etc.) will also be addressed on an ad hoc basis.

Once an internship is completed, the student will submit (by the end of the first week of January-fall semester or by 31 May-spring semester) a written report on the internship containing at least 4 pages (7200 characters, including spaces), which will answer the following questions:

a) Describe the main goals and activities of the organization;

b) What activities did I perform under the auspices of the organization?

c) To what extent did this activity really relate to the goals of the organization?

d) To what extent did this internship experience enrich me and the organization and what practical effect did my participation have?

e) What mutual improvements could be made in the event that other students might like to engage in an internship at the same organization?

In the event that a student prepares some written materials as part of the internship, the length of the final report may be shortened so long as the written materials are handed over to the responsible instructor.

Insert the report into a shared document here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XiNZIOjIjK08aY3_JTrbQ9G2O1zc6LItuPrlimpCuck/edit?usp=sharing

An obligatory colloquium shall take place during the exam period, during which all students who have completed internships will present their experiences to others.