Learning objectives
The curricular internship is part of the educational activities, complementing them. It is recognized to the student in the form of ECTS (University Educational Credits), equivalent to traditional lectures or design laboratories. It serves as an assessment of applied skills.
Prerequisites
To be eligible for the internship, students must have completed their coursework and obtained at least 100 ECTS. The institutional period for completing the internship is in May/June, at the end of the 3rd-year educational path.
Course unit content
The internship is mandatory and allows students to engage in highly practical professional activities with public and private entities operating in the fields of design and communication. The curricular internship represents the first real opportunity for students to interact with the professional world through a minimum of 280 hours of experience in a company or professional studio. During this time, students will present themselves and their work through a portfolio, participate in interviews, and work alongside industry professionals.
The internship can be carried out anywhere in Italy or abroad, both within and outside the university. There is also the possibility to request support for an internship period abroad through the "Erasmus+ Traineeship Mobility" program.
Students can choose from a carefully curated selection by the Design department or propose a company, professional studio, research center, or local organization that is not listed. The internship contributes to shaping the student's profile, providing one of the closest experiences to their future professional career. A careful selection of the hosting organization for the internship is recommended.
The internship must be included in the study plan, in the designated slots available at this address: https://dia.unipr.it/it/didattica/compilazione-piani-di-studio-line.
Full programme
The activation of internships is determined by the University of Parma's procedure https://www.unipr.it/tirocini-curriculari-online, and compliance will be assessed by the "academic tutor" teacher, a member of the specific internship program's Study Course. The internship program involves assigning a company-based tutor - a contact person within the company responsible for guiding and supporting the student - and an academic tutor, who serves as the contact person within the Bachelor's Degree in Sustainable Design for the Food System. These two figures support the student throughout the internship period.
After the assignment, the student will personally contact the assigned company according to a merit-based ranking. If the company requests, the student may undergo an introductory interview and a review of their profile, including their CV and portfolio.
Once the interview with the company has a positive outcome, the student must complete the Training Project, a mandatory document signed by both tutors, listing the internship activities and objectives. During the internship, the student maintains regular contact with the Academic Tutor assigned by the Internship Committee, and at the end, they prepare a report and a book/portfolio outlining their experience and the main activities undertaken, both of which are evaluated by the Committee for the allocation of ECTS to the student.
Bibliography
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Teaching methods
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Assessment methods and criteria
Upon completion of the mandatory internship period, the student will submit a comprehensive final report detailing the activities undertaken, including photographic/digital/video materials in a book/portfolio format.
Other information
nternships are conducted in compliance with current regulations and based on the confirmed availability of public and private companies, professional studios, etc., whose proposed activities align with the educational objectives of the Degree Course.
