Internships are an integral (as a rule compulsory) part of the bachelor's and master's degree programmes at the Faculty of Social Sciences. The requirements with regard to duration or scale, timing, objectives and contents of the internship vary from programme to programme and can be found in the module descriptions of the corresponding Study Regulations.

1. Looking for an internship

Students must look for a suitable internship themselves. Current advertisements for internships are circulated on a regular basis via the student newsletter. Individual advice on internships is also available. We recommend that you allow sufficient time to prepare and apply early. You can find here advice and information on how to find an internship.

You do not have to register for the internship in advance at the Examination Office or have it approved. The deciding factor for its recognition is your Internship Report.

If you need a certificate for your internship provider that the internship is a compulsory part of your degree programme, you can obtain this from the Examination Office.

2. Timing your internship

You can undertake your internship during the lecture period as well as during the lecture-free period and complete it at home or abroad. In the case of part-time work, the duration of the internship is extended by the time needed to complete the prescribed number of hours. You can also complete your internship in several stages (as well as with different internship providers).

It is advisable to undertake your internship once you have already acquired some knowledge of your subject and can apply it within your internship. It is therefore recommended that bachelor's students undertake their internship from the third subject-specific semester onwards.

3. Study Day

Students perform a study activity within the framework of a study day, for example in the form of a poster presentation or a reflection report. The study days are announced for each semester in the course catalogue. The form of the study activity is always up to the lecturer. There will be at least three possible study days to choose from per semester.

As a general rule, we do not impose any restrictions on the type of position you take.

The following activities are recognized:

• Internships in Germany or abroad, whether before or during your studies
• Online internships, whether before or during your studies
• Professional activities completed before or during your studies
• Volunteer work completed before or during your studies

However, we strongly advise against submitting part-time jobs unrelated to your field of study as internships. We are aware that many students cannot give up their part-time jobs for financial reasons. Nevertheless, you should not replace your internship with activities that are completely unrelated to your field of study and should see the internship as an opportunity for your professional future. 

However, if there is no other option for you, you can also use activities unrelated to your field of study.

You can find here an overview of potential internship providers.

The list is intended as guidance.