Overview

The International Internship is an opportunity for students to undertake an extended 'real world learning' experience and gain valuable work experience in an international setting. This unit will support the development of students’ professional knowledge and capabilities, cultural competencies, and career development through observation of work practice in an international setting, participation in discussions and reflection on work, self-management, cultural contexts and internship experience. The unit allows students to work with an organisation for an extended period (30 to 60 days).

On completion of the unit, students will have:

•Engaged meaningfully in work environments in an international context
•Critically evaluated the relationship between theory and practice within a disciplinary area
•Critically reflected on the interactions between disciplinary knowledge, practice and career development
•Reflected on professional development and self-awareness in relation to cultural competency development

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
HE Block 8
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
24-November-2025
20-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
24-November-2025
Census date
12-December-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
09-January-2026
Results released date
23-December-2025
Summer
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-January-2026
14-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
03-January-2026
Census date
13-January-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
27-January-2026
Results released date
03-March-2026

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  1. Identify and apply appropriate disciplinary skills and knowledge in a real-world environment
  2. Communicate effectively for a range of audiences within the workplace, industry and cultural contexts
  3. Develop cross-cultural competence through experiential learning
  4. Reflect on and evaluate own experiences, both within the workplace, and regional and global industry trends, that might lead to or affect future employment
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of intercultural adjustment models through reflexive analysis

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online 
Learning Activities
1.50  12 weeks  18
Placement
Placement
25.00  12 weeks  300
Specified Activies
Various
5.00  1 week  5
TOTAL     323

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Online Discussion Threads Individual    2,4,5
Progress Evaluation Individual    1,3,4,5 
Learning Plan Individual    1,3
Presentation Individual    2,3,4 

Hurdle

This is a Pass Only unit and you must submit and pass all assessment to be awarded a pass. You are also required to attend a mandatory induction session prior to departure for internship preparation and cross-cultural training

Content

This unit provides supported work-based learning in a real-world international context and the objectives of this unit are educational, not commercial. Students will be situated in a workplace setting and be supported by an industry supervisor and educators through teaching and supervision.

Topics for the unit comprise:

- Professional reflective practice

- Cultural Competency

- Global Citizenship

- Career Development Learning

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.