Speak to your Internships Administrator

Overview - EDGC 398 - Internship (Winter or Summer)

B.A.(Education); Major - Education in Global Contexts

The B.A.(Education) program includes a compulsory 150-hour internship for eligible U2 students to complete either in the Winter (January to April) or Summer (May to August) semester. Internships can take place in various sectors (private, public/governmental, non-profit) around the world. This internship has an associated zero-credit, Pass/Fail course, EDGC 398 - Internships in Global Contexts.

The post-internship experience will be examined in the core courses EDGC 495 - Internship Capstone and EDGC 490 - Critical Research Inquiry. Students will incorporate research methods and analyses towards the production of knowledge centered on a problem or challenge.

The following sections provide important information for students related to planning, searching, securing and completing an internship.

Tailored information for Internship Hosts and Site Supervisors.

On this page:

Internship search contacts & tools

McGill contacts

Contact Support

Internships Administrator

Book an appointment | internships.edgc [at] mcgill.ca (Email)

Internship site options and referrals to resources, people and workshops to support your search and preparation.

Education Career Advisor

Book an appointment | internships.edgc [at] mcgill.ca (Email)

Spruce up your CV and cover letter, develop your LinkedIn profile, receive job search and application advice and perhaps connect to some internship leads.

Student Advisor

Book an appointment | edgc.advise [at] mcgill.ca (Email)

B.A.(Education) and Internship pre-requisites, program progression and the learning competencies you want to address in your internship.

Education Local Wellness Advisor

Book an appointment | lwa.education [at] mcgiull.ca (Email)

Connect to supports that help you maintain a healthy work-school-life balance.

Financial Aid Counsellor

Book an appointment | student.aid [at] mcgill.ca (Email)

Explore possible funding options, especially when doing unpaid internships.
myFuture Posts job and career-related info sessions, jobs and internships
McGill Workday Lists paid on-campus student jobs

Internship search tools - External*

Young Canada Works (YCW) offers a variety of short-term job and internship programs to job seekers and employers.

Job Bank is Canada’s national employment service. They help Canadians find work and plan their careers, and make it easier for employers to recruit and hire across the country.

Volunteer opportunities with The Canada Service Corps (CSC) promotes civic engagement among youth aged 15 to 30. CSC-funded organizations deliver service opportunities that equip young Canadians with meaningful life skills and experiences

Federal Student Work Experience Program allows you to apply to be considered for full or part-time job opportunities across the country in the Canadian federal public service.

Student Employment Portal (Government of Canada) shares job opportunities and Government of Canada hiring programs for students.

*all of these employment/internship opportunities require a Social Insurance Number which you receive if you are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, temporary foreign worker (TFW) or receive a work/co-op permit*

 

Important documents

Required docs for EDGC 398 - Internship

Internship Proposal Form (Click here for text from the webform)

Internship Agreement & Learning Plan

Student Reflection and Self-Assessment Form

Employer Student Assessment Form

 

Internship planning docs for Students

Preparation Timeline for B.A.(Ed) Internship

Worksheet - Planning Your Internship 

B.A.(Education) Learning Competencies

ISA Internship Leads Database 

Intro Email Template to Internship hosts

Internship Design Form (student version)

Internship Search Tracker

 

Docs for Internship Hosts/Site Supervisors

INFO SHEET FOR INTERNSHIP HOSTS

Internship Design Form (Winter, Summer)

Intern Onboarding Guide

Internship Hours Tracking Sheet (Winter, Summer)

Employer Student Assessment Form (required for successful completion of internship)

Internship Program Evaluation (includes request for testimonial)

 

Important dates / Timeline for students

TIME PERIOD

ACTIVITIES & MILESTONES

NOTES

SUMMER/FALL INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES BY ISA OFFICE

August to January

New community partners in the private, public and non-profit sector fill out Internship Host Interest Survey. Internships Administrator will follow-up.

Existing internship hosts contact Internship Administrator (internships.edgc [at] mcgill.ca) to design and post new Winter or Summer internship opportunities.

Potential internship hosts can refer to the following documents: B.A.(Education) Flyer for Employers (EN, FR); Internship Policies and Procedures; Internship Agreement & Learning Plan

Early September B.A.(Education) Internship Info Session during EDGC 299 course For U2 students only

October 8, 2024

9am – 2pm

@Learning Commons, Education

EVENT: B.A.(Education) Internship Expo @ McGill Faculty of Education

Click here to RSVP
Internship host organizations come to campus to participate in panel discussions, internship fair and speed networking activities with students.

STUDENT TIMELINE - WINTER INTERNSHIP (JANUARY to APRIL)

September to mid December*

Internship application period for Winter term

Following acceptance of internship offers, students complete Internship Proposal Form and await approval by the Internships & Student Affairs (ISA) Office.

*For Winter internships, offers must be accepted before January.

Dates to keep in mind:

Internship Check-in meetings during EDGC 299: Oct 2, Nov 6, Nov 27

Fall Reading Week: October 15 - 18, 2024

Exams & Holiday Closure: December 5, 2024 - Jan 6, 2025

January

Students complete pre-departure training: Preparing For Your Internship

Asynchronous, self-directed training on myCourses for EDGC 398 - Internship

January to mid-April

Winter term Internship period

Internship Agreement & Learning Plan to be completed and signed by Site Supervisor, student, and ISA Office by latest two weeks after internship start date.

Work terms can be longer than 150 hours but first 150 hours will be evaluated by Site Supervisor as minimum requirement for EDGC 398.

Dates to keep in mind:

Winter Reading Week: March 3 - 7, 2025

Final exam period: April 14 – 30, 2025

Late March to mid April Employer Student Assessment and Student Reflection and Self-Assessment forms completed and submitted by last day of internship OR latest the third Friday in April (exact date TBD)

Assessment forms need to completed before grading deadlines.

Students receive Pass/Fail grade for Internship course (course code: EDGC 398).

Assessment form submission guidelines

STUDENT TIMELINE - SUMMER INTERNSHIP (MAY to AUGUST)

November to end of March*

Internship application period for Summer term

Following acceptance of internship offers, students complete Internship Proposal Form and await approval by the Internships & Student Affairs (ISA) Office.

*For Summer internships, offers should be accepted before May.

Dates to keep in mind:

Winter Reading Week: March 4 - 8, 2024

Internship Check-in meetings with Internship Admin: Dates TBD
April through May

Students complete pre-departure training: Preparing For Your Internship

Asynchronous, self-directed training on myCourses for EDGC 398 - Internship

Dates to keep in mind:

End of classes and Winter Exam period: April 13 - 30, 2024

May to late August

Summer term Internship period

Internship Agreement & Learning Plan to be completed and signed by Site Supervisor, student, and ISA Office by latest two weeks after internship start date.
Work terms can be longer than 150 hours but first 150 hours will be evaluated by Site Supervisor as minimum requirement for EDGC 398.
Late August Employer Student Assessment and Student Reflection and Self-Assessment forms completed and submitted by last day of  internship OR latest the third Friday in August (exact date TBD)

Assessment forms need to completed before grading deadlines.

Students receive Pass/Fail grade for Internship course EDGC 398.

Assessment form submission guidelines

 

Minimum requirements for EDGC 398 course and documentation/forms

PRE-REQUISITE:

  • Successful completion of EDGC 299 – Professional and Research Seminar
  • Registered for EDGC 398 - Internship: Education in Global Contexts
  • Completed or currently in 2nd year of the B.A.(Education) program

As a Pass/Not Pass course, students must fulfill these minimum requirements:

  1. Complete and submit Internship Proposal Form
  2. Completed and signed Internship Agreement & Learning Plan
  3. Student submits the Student Reflection and Self-Assessment Form at end of internship.
  4. Site Supervisor submits Employer Student Assessment Form at end of internship. 

 

Internship criteria: What is an acceptable internship?

  1. Internship duration: 150 hours (commuting time not included)
  2. An internship should allow students to address B.A.(Education) Learning Competencies, as outlined in the Internship Agreement & Learning Plan.
  3. Students are expected to search for and secure their own internship placements.
    • The Internships Administrator can recommend and, at times, connect students with sites that the Faculty of Education has relationships with.
    • The Education Career Advisor is also available for support with cover letters, CVs and searching internship placements.
  4. Students are permitted to develop an internship with a previous or current employer or a site where they have worked as a volunteer.
  5. Internship Site Supervisors must not be someone in a close, personal relationship with the student. For the purposes of the internship, a close personal relationship shall include spouses, parents, guardians and children, siblings, and consensual amorous relationships.
  6. Internships can be paid or unpaid, depending on the capacity of internship hosts to pay a salary or offer a stipend.
  7. The internship can be completed locally, across Canada or internationally.
    • NOTE: International Internship placements are available on myFuture and through your own research. The ISA office cannot help you with lodging, visa and insurance considerations but can point you to trusted partners to help prepare for an international work experience. International travel is subject to McGill University’s Travel Regulations. Consult McGill Abroad for more information.
  8. The internship may be conducted in-person, virtually, or through a hybrid approach. The format will be decided upon by the internship site/organization in collaboration with the student.
  9. Students must ensure their Site Supervisor submits the Employer Student Assessment Form within 3 days after the last day of the internship.

 

What is considered an unacceptable internship placement

The Internship Administrator has the right to refuse placement with a host organization that meets one or a combination of the following conditions:

  • Conflict of interest where a student has a pre-existing close, personal relationship with their Site Supervisor (see Internship Criteria, point 5)
  • Where there is no opportunity to practice and develop the B.A.(Education) Program Learning Objectives and internship tasks are not linked to Learning Competencies as outlined in the Internship Learning & Action Plan
  • Where there is an absence of supervision
  • An organization involved in exploitative practice or “saviorism”
  • Refusal of Site Supervisor to sign Internship Agreement
  • Consistently negative feedback from past students about placement site and/or Site Supervisor
  • Site Supervisor demonstrates a lack of transparency in the internship tasks and objectives
  • Student is not clear about tasks
  • Unsafe work environment
  • Number of hours do not meet the minimum requirement of 150 hours.

 

Criteria for International Students

  • In addition to holding a valid study permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), international students require a Co-op/Internship Work Permit.
  • Students should apply for this permit well in advance of their Field Experience/Internship as processing times may vary (approx 4 months).
  • This permit application carries no cost; however, applicants require a medical exam completed by a CIC-certified physician. Failure to do the medical exam will result in a remark that prohibits students from working in primary or secondary schools on their work permit.
  • Please visit the International Student Services website for further details and assistance with the application. 
  • IMPORTANT: Applicants will require a letter from their Faculty certifying that a co-op/internship is a mandatory part of their program. Please write to the following email to request a letter and include your name, student ID number and program: isa.education [at] mcgill.ca

 

Criteria for Canadian students going on an international internship

Canadian students are eligible to do their internships abroad. It is the student’s responsibility to research and secure permits, McGill travel registries and Pre-Departure Orientation.

Visit McGill Abroad for more information about how to prepare.

 

Glossary of Terms

Internship - An internship is a supervised learning opportunity that is part of a vocational training, technical or university program offered at an educational institution recognized by the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur. Internships have a pedagogical intent and include observation and competency acquisition and/or implementation in a workplace environment.

What can be considered an internship:

  • An experiential opportunity integrating knowledge gained in the classroom to an employment setting
  • Has a defined start and end date and includes a job description
  • Has clearly identified objectives and outcomes related to the student’s field of study
  • The student’s work is supervised by a qualified professional and feedback is shared with the student on a regular or ongoing basis
  • The employer provides equipment, resources and facilities to support the learning objectives/goals
  • Includes a reflection and evaluation process at the conclusion of the internship

Internships Administrator - Staff member in the Internships & Student Affairs (ISA) Office (Faculty of Education), responsible for helping B.A.(Education) students to plan and prepare for their internships by providing tools, internship leads and offering advising. They work with Internship Hosts to support the design and posting of internship opportunities. Finally, they design internship reflection activities for students and approve Internship Proposal Forms.

Internship Host / Employer / Community Partner – Any private, public/governmental or non-profit organization who has been identified as a host for an internship placement.

Site Supervisor - Community Partner staff member responsible for the onboarding, day-to-day supervision, and guidance of the student intern’s work term at the Internship Site. They will provide the Internship Administrator with written evaluations—via a form—of the intern by the last day of the 150-hour internship. This evaluation will measure professional competencies and contribute to the student’s final grade (i.e. pass/fail for the course EDGC 398).

Work Term – The period of 150 hours that a student commits to as part of their B.A.(Education) internship.


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