Postgraduate Course: SPADS Internship Report (PGEE11280)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Students will do an (approximately)1-6 monthinternship with a company, government stakeholder, or equivalent. The longertime-span will apply when a student continues to work on and progresses their PhD research during their internship, e.g. when internship is with an industrial supervisor. The shorter time-span will apply when students take an internship that is directly relevant to the programme-level outcomes of the CDT, but not specifically one that progresses the PhD research project. The students will write up their experience of the internship in a reflective report, in terms of the difference in emphasis between the needs and requirements of an industrial partner or external stakeholder environment, and the needs and requirements of the host University research environment (and research programme). Students will consider their work on the PhD so far, and elaborate on how it can be developed for broader impact, company or stakeholder interest, and where starting with a demand-driven (user-led need) and market-driven perspective would lead. Although academic internships are expected to be less common than partner placements (industry or government), these will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the reflective report will be modified appropriately (as academic environments are likely to be similar). |
| Course description |
Students will do a 1-6 month internship with a company, or alternative form of engagement with external partners, bodies or stakeholders. This course will involve a reflection and write up their experience of the internship in relation to the PhD study. The work will be a supervised self-study and reflection. Due to typical confidentiality arrangements, there is no expectation of a technical reflection on the content of the internship (but may vary depending on the placement arranged, e.g. the rare case of an academic placement). Rather, it will be a reflection on the experience of the internship and the impact of that on research engagement.
The report will cover:
- Reflections on the difference in emphasis between the needs and requirements of an industry partner or stakeholder environment, and the needs and requirements of the hosting University research environment. The reflections will be adjusted in the rare case of academic placements and considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Reflection on the downstream effects of these differences on the progress of work, the longer term impact, the dissemination and communication of the work etc
- Reflection on the research work so far during the PhD, and stakeholder interest in that work can be enhanced, and where starting with a demand-driven (user-led need) and marketdriven perspective would lead.
- Reflection on how to increase the impact of the PhD research so far, and the best approach to driving commercial and/or social use of the work in practical settings.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Flexible |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam %: 0
Practical Exam %: 0
Coursework %: 100 |
| Feedback |
Through presentations and feedback on reflective report. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an ability to delineate the needs and requirement of research and corporate/other environments.
- Reflect on their PhD research in the context of its broader impact.
- Explore and clarity about what demands there are from stakeholders in the area of the PhD.
- Integrate, in a practical way, a range of programme-specific elements learned from the SPADS training programme into industrial, stakeholder, or research operations.
- Demonstrate a high level of professional communication skills through the writing of (where appropriate) monthly progress reports, the completion of a final reflective report, and oral presentation of their work.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Reflection: This enhances students' capabilities in understanding the difference in needs across various stakeholders in the defence and security sector, reflecting on experience.
- Direct Engagement with Stakeholders: The internship will enable students to directly engage with relevant companies etc.
- Personal Responsibility: Students will arrange appropriate internships. They are responsible for their own work, and their work within the company.
- Communication: Students are required to submit a written report and communicate well. |
| Special Arrangements |
SPADS Students only |
| Keywords | Sensing,processing,AI,defence,security |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Michael Davies
Tel:
Email: mike.davies@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Jacqueline Narendran
Tel:
Email: jackie.narendran@ed.ac.uk |
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