As part of the practice and professional development component of the one-year MAPP program, students are required to fulfill a mandatory practice requirement. Students can choose between the completion of an internship or participation in the Policy Lab course.
Internships
The purpose of the internship is to provide students with an opportunity to gain insights into the day-to-day operations of an organization in the public, private, NGO, or multilateral sector, thereby gaining practical experience and advancing their understanding of how policies and processes are shaped by context, institutions, and culture. Most students take advantage of the internship to acquire policy-related professional experience, including knowledge and skills that will help them progress towards their long-term professional goals. Some students choose to do internships dedicated to research within an academic or research-focused institution.
Internship Requirements
The minimum duration of the internship is 40 working days or 320 hours. Students enrolled in the one-year MAPP program may not commence their internship until after they submit the master's thesis. Students may pursue internships in their home country, their country of residence, or internationally.
In order to fulfill the mandatory practice component, internships must have a clear learning agenda and be clearly relevant to the practice of public policy. The host organization is expected to provide interns with a substantive, policy-relevant professional development experience. Students are required to obtain a document from their host institution that specifies their tasks and responsibilities and designates an individual at the host organization to serve as a supervisor or mentor during the entire period of the internship. The supervisor/mentor designated by the host institution is expected to provide guidance and instructions to the intern and to serve as the host organization's contact for CEU Careers.
Policy Lab
Policy Labs are part of the mandatory practice component of the one-year MAPP program, and can be an alternative to the internship.
In the Policy Lab course, students work in and out of class in teams on an abbreviated version of an Applied Policy Project under close supervision. Two or more projects are offered each year; the projects are done for a real client. The course teaches understanding and interacting with clients; work planning and budgeting; teamwork basics; giving and receiving feedback; and research, analysis, and policy development skills. Policy Lab is mandatory for MPA students and elective for MAPP and Mundus MAPP students, for whom it fulfils the practice requirement.
Credits Earned
The completion of an internship OR the Policy Lab fulfills the mandatory practice component. The Internship earns 2 US credits, the Policy Lab earns 4 US credits.