University of Technology Sydney

60704 Science Internship B (6cp)

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Science
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Anti-requisite(s): 94680 Entering Professional Life (6cp) AND 94681 Entering Professional Life (8cp)

Recommended studies:

72 credit points of UTS: Science undergraduate subjects

Description

In this subject, students undertake an internship with an external organisation (eg business, external research institute), or UTS unit, department or school, in a capacity relevant to their academic studies. This assists in developing their professional attributes related to employability, discipline knowledge and professional networks, which can contribute to their career goals. Through their internship, students are exposed to a subset of the professional functions and activities relevant to their field of study. Students must undertake no more than 100 hours of work in their professional placement. The specific terms and timeframe of the internship experience may be negotiated as a learning contract between the student and the host organisation in consultation with the subject coordinator. Students develop an appreciation of how education and training in the sciences are applied in a workplace by reporting on the outcomes of their internship.

The internship must be based on an agreed and approved program of work which aims to achieve predetermined learning objectives.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Apply disciplinary knowledge and scientific practice in a workplace
2. Engage liaise and communicate professionally with their workplace supervisor, business management, colleagues and clients (if applicable) in a workplace setting
3. Critically reflect on workplace experiences and use this to both respond to feedback and to develop a series of steps for career planning
4. Work according to occupational health and safety guidelines consistent with current Acts and Regulations; as well as the ethical and legal practices relevant to the internship workplace
5. Demonstrate appropriate professional performance, conduct and attitudes in a working business environment
6. Communicate outcomes of the internship via a report in a format consistent with the practices of that particular workplace

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the development of following course intended learning outcomes:

  • Demonstrate theoretical and technical knowledge of broad science concepts and explain specialised disciplinary knowledge. (1.1)
  • Work autonomously or in teams to address workplace or community problems utilising best scientific practice, with consideration to safety requirements and ethical guidelines. (3.1)
  • Design creative solutions to contemporary or complex scientific issues by incorporating innovative methods, reflective practices, and self-directed learning. (4.1)
  • Present and communicate complex ideas and justifications using appropriate communication approaches from a variety of methods (oral, written, visual) to communicate with discipline experts, scientists, industry, and the general public. (5.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

Disciplinary knowledge

Students have a unique opportunity to engage in experiential learning in the workplace and will apply and extend their disciplinary knowledge within authentic tasks as directed by their supervisor at their host organisation.

Professional, social, and ethical responsibility

Students will develop, employ and integrate a range of skills within the professional context, autonomously and collaboratively. This subject will help students to develop and apply generic skills such as time management, personal organisation, teamwork, and negotiation with co-workers in the workplace. An awareness of the ethical and regulatory space in which scientists operate will also be developed.

It is fundamentally important that scientists are able to set the goals of their work in the wider context and understand the needs and concerns of a range of relevant stakeholders. Through researching the host organisation and its core values for the internship proposal (or identifying the research question of their project), and engaging in authentic tasks during the internships, students will learn how their scientific discipline and chosen host organisation engage with and address the needs of Society in the workplace

Reflection, Innovation, Creativity

Reflective practice is a key skill that students will develop throughout the subject. Students will identify their goals for the internship and, during the internship, will engage in reflection and self-evaluation of progress through regular interactions with their supervisor. During the internship placement, students will also have the opportunity to respond to feedback, and relate and reconstruct their workplace experiences in the context of their overall learning goals. Students are also encouraged to undertake self-directed, curiosity-motivated learning to achieve their personal and professional learning goals. Self-directed learning also includes engagement with CANVAS discussion forums and online modules.

Communication

Students will extend their development of communication skills through authentic workplace communications, including formal and informal oral and written forms, and to a range of audiences. Workplace communications include meetings, small group presentations, collaborative work, and written reports, which will help students to develop their communication skills in the professional context. Written communication is further developed with the internship report, which draws on developing communication skills relating to the host organisation, their discipline, and their practice. Improving communication in the workplace also enhances team building skills, reduces cultural differences, and improves employee morale.

Teaching and learning strategies

The student will learn by way of induction programs, workplace training, online collaborative activities, independent learning, and reflection. The nature of the internship is unique to each student and relies heavily on the student to be self-directed and motivated, seek feedback, and make the most of their workplace learning opportunities through interactions with the student’s supervisor and workplace colleagues.

Online or on-site. The student will complete any induction procedures on workplace issues before the commencement of any work, as required by the internship provider. This should include environmental/occupational health and safety, and ethical and legal responsibilities.

Workplace training. During the internship, the student will learn about the application of science to the workplace, participate in workplace tasks, and receive ongoing onsite evaluation and feedback from their workplace supervisor during their placement. Reflections on the student’s work and response to feedback will be captured in the internship report.

Online learning. Students on internship will have access to a discussion forum on CANVAS throughout the period of the internship. In this way, each intern is a member of a supportive peer community of interns who can share their progress with their peers. These online discussion forums can also serve to help students with their critical reflection. Information regarding netiquette as well as scaffolding as to the sorts of threads that are expected will be provided as resources linked to the forum.

Independent learning. Each student will engage in a unique independent learning journey. This gives them the opportunity to treat their workplace as a learning environment. Learning in the workplace encompasses critical reflection and will be documented in the internship report.

Content (topics)

Pre-internship

  • The internship proposal.
  • Any workplace induction procedures.

During the internship

  • Guidance in developing their professional attributes related to employability, discipline knowledge, and professional networks from their relevant supervisors.
  • Developing their career goals.

Post-internship

  • Internship report.
  • Supervisor’s evaluation.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Internship Proposal

Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attribute:

4.0 Reflection, Innovation, Creativity

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

3

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

4.1

Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 25%
Length:

One thousand words in length

Criteria:

The student will be assessed on:

  • detail activities and duties
  • evidence of self-monitoring and critical reflection throughout the internship (e.g. 5R framework: reporting, responding, relating, reasoning, reconstructing)
  • written communication skills

Assessment task 2: Internship Report

Intent:

This assessment is linked to the following Graduate Attributes:

1.0 Disciplinary knowledge

3.0 Professional, ethical and social responsbility

5.0 Communication

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

1 and 6

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

1.1, 3.1 and 5.1

Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Length:

This will be commensurate with the requirements of the place of the internship but 3000 to 5000 words would be a general guide

Criteria:

Detailed guidelines and marking criteria will be provided on CANVAS. The student will be assessed on their ability to evaluate and synthesise their internship outcomes, demonstrating the application of their disciplinary knowledge and communicating these clearly in a document relevant to the internship industry

With regard to those reports that are the product of a research internship, the final mark will be an aggregated mark whereby 80% of the mark will be determined by the subject coordinator using the linked rubric; while 20% will be provided by the supervisor of the intern as an assessment of the scientific content.

Assessment task 3: Workplace Supervisor’s Evaluation

Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attribute:

1.0 Disciplinary Knowledge

3.0 Professional, ethical and social responsibility

5.0 Communication

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 2, 4, 5 and 6

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

1.1, 3.1 and 5.1

Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 25%
Criteria:

Workplace supervisors will be asked to complete a short online survey which assesses the student’s performance along the following criteria:

  • Professionalism
    • Was on time and kept to the agreed upon work hours
    • Was dressed in accordance with the expectations of the supervisor and workplace and in accordance with EHS requirements
    • Displayed ability to organise and plan
    • Completed tasks in timely manner
    • Completed tasks effectively and achieved defined goals
    • Behaved respectfully and worked well with others in the organisation
    • Worked in accordance with work place EHS, legal and ethical requirements
    • Accepted tasks willingly
    • Actively sought and was alert to potential learning opportunities
    • Understood and followed organisation rules and policies
    • Accepted suggestions and criticism readily
  • Professional performance:
    • Clearly communicated ideas and concerns verbally
    • Demonstrated initiative in conducting duties
    • Solved problems that arose
  • Professional knowledge:
    • Displayed appropriate basic knowledge initially
    • Learnt effectively on the job
    • Applied knowledge in a practical way

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s final total marks.