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Your Internship: Optional, Flexible, Yours to Shape

An internship is one way to use your 15 ECTS complementary area—not the only way. You can do a 9-week internship (15 ECTS), a shorter one (5-10 ECTS) combined with courses from other programs, or skip the internship entirely and take 15 ECTS of electives. It's up to you.

If you do choose an internship, you find it yourself. We don't assign or arrange placements, but we're here to support your search and approve what you find.

How It Works

Credit options (flexible)

  • 5 ECTS = 120 hours minimum
  • 10 ECTS = 240 hours minimum
  • 15 ECTS = 360 hours minimum (roughly 9 weeks full-time)

You can combine multiple shorter internships to reach your target ECTS.

The process

1. Find an internship
Search for positions at relevant institutions—research centers, NGOs, museums, archives, journalism, international organizations, migration services, educational projects, cultural mediation, etc.

Tip: FU's Career Service can help with your search.

2. Tell us before you start
Email isme@geschkult.fu-berlin.de with details: institution, location, duration, what you'll be doing. We'll confirm it's appropriate.

3. Register in Campus Management
Register during the regular period (April for summer, October for winter) in the semester you'll finish the internship—not when you start.

4. Do the internship
Keep notes as you go—makes writing the report way easier. Consider drafting an informal agreement with your host about expectations.

5. Submit your documents
After completion, send us:

  • Official confirmation from the internship provider (hours, tasks, duration)
  • Internship report (~5 pages / 1,500 words)

We review your report and confirm completion in Campus Management.

The Report

Format:
~1,500 words (5 pages), 12pt font, 1.5 line spacing, continuous prose (no bullet points), PDF, in English

What to include:

Cover page:
Your info (name, matriculation number, program, date) + internship details (organization, department, dates, supervisor, location)

Introduction:

  • What's the organization? (sector, size, your department)
  • What field does it operate in?
  • How you found and applied
  • Your expectations going in

Main part:

  • What you actually did (observing? researching? managing projects?)
  • What was demanded of you and how you handled it
  • Connection to ISME—did you apply academic knowledge?
  • Daily reality: hours, pace, teamwork
  • How were you supervised? Feedback? Integration?
  • Challenges and how you solved them
  • Skills you gained (professional, social, methodological)

Conclusion:

  • How does this relate to your ISME studies?
  • Impact on your future plans?
  • What worked, what didn't?
  • Any ongoing connections?
  • Would you recommend it to other students?

Important: Write in your own words. Don't copy from websites. We'll notice.

If you did multiple internships, write one combined report or focus on the most substantial one.

With your permission (and the host's), we may publish strong reports for future students.

Questions?

isme@geschkult.fu-berlin.de 

If you worked 360 hours, you have enough to say. Describe what you did, what you learned, challenges you faced, skills you gained. If you're truly struggling to reach 1,500 words, that might indicate the internship wasn't substantial enough.

Yes! That's a great way to get both practical experience and academic breadth. Just register for both the internship module and the courses you're taking.

Yes, especially post-pandemic. Just document your hours clearly and make sure the work is substantial, not just busy work.

Absolutely! Many students do internships in Middle Eastern countries or elsewhere. Just make sure you can get official documentation afterward and that you stay in touch with us.

Some internships pay, some don't. That's between you and the host organization. Payment doesn't affect ECTS—what matters is hours worked and learning outcomes.

Yes. Two 60-hour internships = 5 ECTS. Three short projects totaling 360 hours = 15 ECTS. Just keep good documentation for each and write about them in your report.

No. We'll notice. Describe the organization in your own words based on your experience working there, not their marketing copy.

It should connect to the Middle East, interdisciplinary research, or cultural work in some meaningful way. But "relevant" is broad—could be a museum exhibition, migration counseling, archival work, journalism, educational programming, research assistance. If you're unsure, email us the details before committing.

Start earlier next time (sorry, but it's true). Also: lower your expectations slightly—not every internship is perfect. Sometimes a decent experience at a relevant organization is better than holding out for the dream placement. Talk to us—we might have suggestions or contacts.

Generally no—the internship should be part of your ISME learning experience, done while enrolled. But if it's very recent and directly relevant, ask us. Might be possible in special cases.

Possibly, if your work directly relates to ISME themes and you can document specific hours/projects. Talk to us about it. We evaluate case by case.

Talk to us immediately if it's genuinely problematic (unsafe, exploitative, completely irrelevant). We can help you figure out next steps. If you quit early, you won't get the ECTS, but sometimes leaving is the right choice.

Try to get this sorted upfront—confirm they'll provide documentation of hours/tasks before you start. If they won't at the end, contact us immediately. We might be able to work with other proof (emails, work samples, etc.), but official confirmation is strongly preferred, especially since we need the hours/dates documented.

Most students do it in semester 3 (summer between years 1 and 2) because it's easier to block out time. But you can do it earlier, later, split across semesters—whatever works for your schedule.

Only with your permission AND the internship provider's permission. We might ask if your report is particularly good and could help future students. You can always say no.

Maybe. Good internships build networks, skills, references, and help you figure out what you actually want to do. Bad internships teach you what to avoid. Either way, it's professional experience that goes on your CV.

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