Program Overview

Course Overview

The PASI 428 Internship is a supervised work placement in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a predominant focus on Pacific issues.

Course Details

• Dates: 24 February 2025 to 9 November 2025
• Starts: Trimester 1+2
• Fees: NZ$2,274.90 for domestic students, NZ$9,033.60 for international students
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated workload: Approximately 300 hours or 8.1 hours per week for 37 weeks
• Points: 30

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: Permission of Programme Director
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught by

The School of Languages and Cultures — Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

About this Course

Approved and supervised work placement of the student in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a predominant focus on Pacific issues. For each internship, the academic supervisor, in consultation with the host organisation and the student, will write a Letter of Agreement which includes a work plan. Students will need to complete a health and safety induction as part of their placement.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course will be able to:

1. Gain an understanding of the issues involved in working with Pacific Islands people in a public sector agency, private establishment or non-governmental organisation that primarily serves Pacific communities in New Zealand or has a mandate in the Pacific region.
2. Reflect critically on both the applied and intellectual dimensions of the work experience.
3. Articulate and assess in writing and oral presentation the coherence or lack thereof between theoretical knowledge in Pacific Studies and the practices of policy-making, policy-analysis and/or service delivery.

How this Course is Taught

This course requires attendance for some of its activities, for which there are no online alternatives.

• In most cases, practical internship hours require in-person attendance at the host organisation.
• Seminar presentation must be delivered in person.
• Written assessment can be submitted online.
• Supervision sessions can either be in-person or via Zoom. This course requires 150-200 practical hours in a supervised internship, and a series of regular supervision meetings (typically averaging 30-60 minutes fortnightly) with the Academic Supervisor.

Assessment

• Work placement at the internship organisation. This will be assessed through a report by the academic supervisor evaluating the student's performance in consultation with the work placement supervisor. (150-200 hours) Mark: 25%
• Original reflective essay on the work experience (3,000 words). Mark: 50%
• Public seminar presentation about the work experience in the Va'aomanū Pasifika Seminar Series or School of Languages and Cultures Seminar Series (30 minutes + time for questions and discussion). Mark: 25%

Mandatory Requirements

In addition to achieving an overall pass mark of at least 50% students must:

1. Work approximately 150-200 hours over the duration of this course.
2. Submit a Health and Safety Induction Checklist.
3. Achieve at least 40% in Assignment 2 and Assignment 3 in order to meet the requirements for CLO 2 to reflect critically on the applied and intellectual dimensions of the work experience.

What you'll need to get

You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.