Internships may be carried out in companies, spin-offs or start-ups, technology centers, large scientific infrastructures (such as the ALBA Synchrotron, the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, or the IMB-CNM cleanroom), university scientific and technical services, or research groups at universities and research centers.

Students are responsible for finding a host company, institution, center, or research group in which to carry out their internship. The course coordination team will provide a list of companies, centers, and research groups that have expressed interest in hosting students. Completing the internship in an organization not included on this list is also a valid option, but students must contact the course coordination team to assess its suitability.

Internships are intended to be carried out during the second semester. The duration of the internship must be between 208 and 210 on-site hours.

Financial compensation from the host organization is optional.

Before starting the internship, and well in advance, it is essential to prepare a preliminary internship agreement that includes the details of the host company, center, institution, or research group; the student’s information; the name of the external supervisor; and the work plan. Once completed, it must be sent in editable format to the course coordination team for review. If approved, the final PDF version, signed by the course coordinator, will be generated. The student must then submit it to Academic Administration (Gestió Acadèmica) for the formalization of the final agreement between the university and the host organization. This process is straightforward and is usually completed within a few days, although having an electronic signature is recommended to facilitate and expedite the procedure.

The course includes 2 hours of mandatory directed activity at the beginning of the first semester to explain the procedure, present the related documentation, and answer questions.

For this course, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is subject to the regulations of the company or center hosting the student. If AI tools are used, students must clearly identify which parts have been generated with these technologies, specify the tools employed, and include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced both the process and the final outcome of the activity concerned.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Students must prepare two mandatory assessment components:

a) Short written report: covering the work carried out, to be completed once between 75% and 90% of the internship period has been completed, following a template available on the course virtual campus.

b) Oral presentation: to be delivered after the internship has been completed and prepared according to the specific guidelines available on the course virtual campus.

In addition, the course coordinator will contact the student’s assigned external supervisor and provide them with an evaluation form to be completed after the internship period has ended.

The final grade for the course will be distributed as follows:

1-External supervisor evaluation: 40%

2-Short written report: 30%

3-Oral presentation: 30%

A minimum grade of 4.0 out of 10 must be obtained in each of the three assessment components above (1-3) in order to pass the course.

The course coordinator will establish the deadlines for submission of the student’s final report and the external supervisor’s evaluation, and will assign a date and time for the oral presentation, which may be conducted either in person or remotely via the Microsoft Teams platform.

Assessment criteria will focus on aspects such as the student’s integration into the workplace, adaptability, work organization, and the tasks carried out. Although scientific and technical content will not be the primary evaluation criterion, rigor, clarity, and conciseness in its presentation will be taken into account.

Any irregularity in an assessment activity (academic misconduct, plagiarism, or improper use of AI) that may lead to a significant alteration of the grade will result in a mark of 0 for that assessment activity. If the course syllabus establishes that obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment activity is a compulsory requirement to pass the course, or if multiple irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0. Furthermore, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student involved in such irregularities.