Placements & Internships
Placements and internships provide students with valuable professional experience, helping them develop workplace skills, refine their research relevance, and gain expertise in knowledge co-generation.
LISS DTP student placement expectations
- DTP1 Students (funding commenced before October 2024):
- Internships are optional. If approved, stipend funding is extended for the duration of the internship (up to 3-months).
- DTP2 Students (funding commenced after October 2024):
- A 3-month (13-week) placement is required during the PhD. This is included in the standard 3.5-year funding period. If not completed, funding is reduced to 3.25 years.
Types of Placements
- External Partner-led Placements – Opportunities with external organisations, advertised by LISS DTP.
- LISS DTP Research Assistant Internships – Academic research opportunities at one of the three LISS DTP institutions.
- Student-led Placements – Students can arrange their own placements through personal or supervisory connections.
Placement Requirements
- The placement should focus on a specific project, challenge, or research question separate from the PhD.
- It should have a clear programme of activity which will develop the students’ transferrable skills and ability to apply their research skills in different contexts.
- Students must discuss plans with their supervisor and align them with their Development Needs Analysis (for DTP2 students).
- Flexibility: Placements can be full-time or part-time, in-person, virtual, or hybrid. The 3-month period can be split across different organisations.
- Placements should not occur during the first few months of the PhD or the Master’s year for 1+3.5 students. They must begin before the end of the standard funding period (prior to the extension period being implemented).
How to apply for a placement
- Apply for the advertised placement, or develop a placement with an external organisation. Discuss your plans with your supervisor as their approval is required.
- Students must then apply for LISS DTP approval for the placements via the Placement /Internship Application form
- Please note that we require letters of support from PhD supervisor, Director of Graduate Studies, and host organisation in the application.
- We have further guidance on submitting an application for a placement / internship:
- DTP1 students (funding commenced before October 2024): Funded Extension Schemes
- DTP2 students (funding commenced from October 2024): Funded Extension Schemes
- LISS DTP must approve the placement / internship before it commences.
Internship & Placement Testimonials
Estera Boncea
Internship Host: The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute
“The internship was a brilliant opportunity for one-to-one discussions about qualitative research methods, my findings and theoretical frameworks with experts, who were also able to provide me with advice on my PhD and wider career goals.
As a result of working within the THIS Institute team, I feel better able to navigate the process of turning raw findings into readily digestible, high-impact evidence for policy and practice in my own research.
The internship has been enriching for my PhD thesis in so many ways. Gaining research experience in an independent research institute and understanding how this context differs from a university has also been very informative for my career direction.”
Siofra Peeren
Internship Host: The Home Office
“The internship allowed me network with key stakeholders for my research topic and enhanced my ability to communicate complex findings in a way that has impact and is accessible to a diverse audience – a transferrable skill that will benefit me in my career post-PhD.”
“I also believe that being able to say that I worked as a government social researcher on my CV will help me stand apart from others when applying for future jobs.”
“As an experience, it was also wonderful to feel part of a team.”
Constance Schéré
Internship Host: The League for the Protection of Birds (LPO)
“Working with the LPO during this internship has helped me grow as a marine scientist and has introduced me to various people in the marine environment with whom I could collaborate on future projects someday.
The internship has definitely made an impact on both my PhD research and my future career. For my PhD research, it has provided me with an alternative approach to MPA management from the UK and Irish approaches. It was also an important learning experience to work on a project outside of academia to have an idea of what options are available after graduation.”
Katherine Croft-Gibbons
Internship Host: Development, Concepts and Doctrines Centre (DCDC)
“I found the internship to be extremely valuable, gaining useful experience of policy-focused research and an insight into how such research is used by government. The report I completed will be shared with government representatives and used towards DCDC publications, so I feel that my research will have some impact. I also received training in red teaming and scenario planning which I hope will benefit my academic work going forwards. I now have access to a professional network through DCDC which can only help in my next career steps.
I enjoyed the break from my PhD research and feel that I returned to it with more perspective on my project.”