Internships
Internship Scheme
All IMSISS students must apply for an internship which they will complete during their second year of study. Internships enable students to gain an understanding of the world of work and develop an in-depth understanding of a particular organisation or sector. The internships can be in-situ, remote or hybrid depending on the nature of the opportunity or the needs of the student or organisation.
Students can choose if they want to incorporate research from their internship into their Independent Study, or they can decide to complete their internship as a standalone work-based learning opportunity which they write a reflect report about separately.
Internships build networks for students, consolidate existing knowledge or abilities, develop new skills and expand their ability to enter careers successfully. Past IMSISS students have said that their internships have changed the direction of their studies and inspired their future career paths.
Applying for an Internship
IMISISS students can apply on a competitive basis through the programme for an internship that will occur in their second year, usually in their fourth semester. We do not guarantee that all applicants will be successfully placed, and students are strongly encouraged to identify and secure their own internship as the programme does not have enough internship places for every student.
The IMSISS programme has existing relationships with internship providers, but we understand that students may have a particular sector or area of research that they want to be the focus of their internship, and in this instance securing their own internship would be advantageous. The internship providers that the programme has an existing relationship with come from a range of sectors such as government, NGOs, think tanks, private industry and universities.
Locations
There is flexibility with the location of a student’s internship. Previous students have completed their internships in various countries across the globe. We ask that students who are sourcing their own internships first check the UK government website to ensure that the area is recommended as a safe travel zone. The University of Glasgow will not support students to travel to areas of the world that are not deemed as safe by the UK Government. Foreign travel advice – GOV.UK
If a student is interested in completing an internship in a country or territory that is not safe to travel to, an online internship could be arranged if appropriate.
See below for some of the locations where previous IMSISS students have done their internships.
Benefits of Internships for Students
IMSISS students come to the programme from a broad range of backgrounds. Some may have work experience, whereas others may not have worked in the security sector before. Internships offer students with experience the opportunity to deepen their skills and abilities, and they offer students with less work experience a way to learn from others working in the sector and develop strong employability skills.
The kinds of skills internships students develop can cover; research & evaluation, problem solving & critical thinking, collaborative working, self-motivation, time management, communication, resilience, enterprise, tech skills, teamwork, networking, public speaking, events organising, research, and sector knowledge.
The internship could be a one-off opportunity, or it could lead to suture opportunities through building connection with those working in the sector and other students. Many IMSISS Students complete their internship during their fourth semester when they are also writing their thesis and weave the two together as a culmination of their learning over the two-year programme.
What do our Internship Providers say?
Gianna Schuck CPT DEUAF, Internship Coordinator, College of International Security Studies, George C. Marshall Center
“The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies is a leading international institution for education and research on the rapidly evolving European and Eurasian security environment. It is one of five U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Regional Centers, and the only bilateral Center—a partnership between the U.S. DoD and the German Federal Ministry of Defense (FMoD). The highly-respected Global Go To Think Tank Index Report has consistently recognized the Marshall Center to be among the Top 25 Best Regional Studies Centers in the world and the Top 100 Defense and National Security Think Tanks in the world.
Interns play an important role at the George C. Marshall Center’s College of International and Security Studies. They are encouraged to collaborate on papers or projects with other interns and faculty as well as attend and take an active role in George C. Marshall Center courses, seminars and lectures. We hope that interns will further their knowledge in their respective research fields and immerse themselves not only in the greater college community, but also connect with our Alumni who are security practitioners from all over the world.”
Julian Droogan, Associate Professor of Terrorism Studies, Director of Research and Innovation, Department of Security Studies and Criminology, Macquarie University:
Hosting IMSISS students for their industry placements has been a highly beneficial experience for our academics, the department as a whole, and for the students. During their time with us, IMSISS students have worked on projects as diverse as investigating online far-right extremist social media accounts, creating prison deradicalization campaigns, and reporting on the naval arms race in the Asia-Pacific. IMSISS students have been instrumental in the government-sponsored research that we do, and have left Australia with new skills, experiences, and networks. The students have been of extremely high quality and have contributed greatly to our academic seminars and life in the Faculty. We look forward to hosting them into the future.
Internship Providers
The University of Glasgow’s Games & Gaming Lab
The IMSISS programme has a strong relationship with a selection of internship providers, some of whom have hosted students for many years from our programme. The programme is also keen to widen the pool of providers as this gives our students more choice, flexibility and opportunity. If you are interested in hosting a student or multiple students through our internship scheme, please email our Internship Coordinator at sps-imsiss-internships@glasgow.ac.uk.
Further Information on Internships & Careers
Students and internship providers can find out more information about IMSISS internships by contacting internships-imsiss@glasgow.ac.uk.
The University of Glasgow has a Student Opportunities Hub brought to you by the Careers, Employability & Opportunity team. Please visit their website for more information. They have a selection of live internships on their site an can also offer career guidance and one-to-one support.
Students may also like to explore opportunities and information provided on the following Erasmus-related links: