Objective and content of the placement
The aim of a placement is to support the student’s growth as an expert. The contents of the placement are determined by the placement module of each programme’s curriculum.
During the first placement, the aim is to carry out as diverse a range of daily tasks within the organisation as possible. The placement involves the application of knowledge and skills in practice, and at the same time learning by doing new tasks.
During placement 2, the students develop and advance their competence in an area of expertise chosen by them. The students build up their professional life contacts and learn to assess their career possibilities during the placement.
The students complete a learning exercise during both placements.
Scope of the placement
The scope of the placement is 30 credits in total. The placement is usually carried out in two periods, but it can also be carried out as a single unit, i.e. in a combined training period of five months.
Placements are undertaken during a period selected by the student to fit in with their personal learning plan. One placement (15 credits) corresponds to 10 weeks or 400 working hours, including completing a learning exercise.
A combined placement is 20 full working weeks, or 800 working hours. The operating environment of the combined placement must enable the achievement of the objectives of the second placement.
Note: On the legal competence pathway, the justice administration placements of the second placement period are three months long, and placements can only be completed at the Ministry of Justice after at least criminal, procedural, family and inheritance law, insolvency law and contract and tort law have been completed in complementary studies in both private and public law. It is recommended to complete all 60 credits before taking a placement in the justice administration. The Ministry of Justice informs the universities of applied sciences of the three-month placements during November/December. The students are paid a wage during the placement. If the legal practice is not completed in a placement offered by the Ministry of Justice, the student can only go on the placement after completing at least 30 credits of complementary legal studies.
In order for a placement other than those offered by the Ministry of Justice to be acceptable, the tasks must require legal competence. The placements can also be completed as a single period (on the Business Administration and legal competence pathway, mainly in two parts), or a combined placement of five months. The duration of a combined placement is 20 full working weeks, or 800 working hours. The criteria regarding the contents of a combined placement are the same as those for placement 2. A combined placement can only be started once the student has accumulated about 100 credits.
Recognition and accreditation of prior learning in placements
Existing competence can be taken into account in degrees through recognition and identification prior learning. A demonstration can prove you have the competence corresponding to the placement’s learning outcomes irrespective of where, how and when you have acquired it. Competence can be recognised through a certificate of employment and discussion based on it. It can also be recognised through a written report or other demonstration agreed with the supervisor.
The supervisor will determine how the demonstration will be done individually with the student. The requirements for the demonstration are based on the learning outcomes of the curriculum. The competence demonstrated as evidence is assessed using the same criteria as would otherwise be assessed in the competence module, which means that a grade (H) passed / (0) failed is awarded and the student participates in the assessment of their competence.
The student can add to their demonstration based on the feedback received. The criteria used in the demonstration must be available to students before the demonstration. As a rule, the demonstration is made to the teacher supervising the placement.
Instructions for placements 1 and 2
Placements may be paid or unpaid. If no wage is paid during the placement, the student remains a Laurea student, and a placement agreement is concluded between the student, a workplace representative and a Laurea representative. During unpaid placements, the student is insured by Laurea.
Sometimes the student may be paid a wage, which means that they have an employment or public service relationship with the placement provider. In that case, the student and the employer sign an employment contract as referred to in the Employment Contracts Act, and the student is paid a wage for their work during the placement and is covered by the employer’s occupational health and safety.
Students must find the placements themselves. Suitable employers include companies as well as public sector and other organisations. The student’s own business or current job may be suitable for completing the placement if the contents of the work meet the objectives of the placement and the company has a business ID. This should be discussed and arranged with the teacher responsible for placements.
Laurea also has some cooperation agreements with different partners. Search tips can be found on the Career and Recruitment page as well as placements themselves Tuudo.
Placements may also be completed abroad. The students must find their own placements, but the persons responsible for international affairs at Laurea will provide guidance and information, for example on grants. For more details: Undertaking placements abroad.
Student financial aid during a placement
If the placement is completed in the summer, the student may be eligible for student financial aid and housing supplement for the summer. Increased aid levels are available for placements completed abroad. For more information, contact KELA.
Checklist – before the internship
- Attend the placement information session at the time announced by the supervisor responsible for the placement.
When the placment has been agreed with the employer,
- Students in Hyvinkää register for the placement period using the electronic registration form via this link: Hyvinkää (Lyyti form).
- Students from other campuses should contact the supervisor responsible for the placement (usually the tutor) directly, who will instruct them to use one of the above links or another registration method.
- Record the placement information in the PRM portal.
If you are going to an unpaid internship, sign Laurea’s internship agreement with a representative of the internship provider. Use this internship agreement template, and the provider must be given the contract terms as an appendix to the internship agreement. The supervisor responsible for the internship will check and sign the agreement and advise where it should be stored. Laurea’s insurance covers internships in which you are not in an employment relationship.
A specific internship agreement template is used for unpaid internship agreements, which is signed electronically in the Laurea Sign signature service. See the instructions for completing the internship agreement and sending the signature.
In a paid internship you are employed by the employer and sign a written employment contract with the employer. The contract specifies the terms of employment such as salary, duties and working hours. In employment you are covered by the employer’s insurance.
Checklist – after the internship
Both internships include a learning assignment. Submit it as soon as possible, but no later than one month after the end of the internship to the supervisor responsible for the internship. For a combined internship the student prepares the learning assignment corresponding to the second internship. If the supervisor does not advise otherwise, here are the task descriptions: first internship learning assignment and second internship learning assignment.
A feedback discussion/seminar is held in connection with both the first and second internships at the time announced by the supervisor. If the internship is completed as a combined period, the feedback discussion is held once at the time announced by the supervisor. Participation in the feedback discussion is a prerequisite for receiving the approval mark.
You will receive an approval mark (H) for the internship when you have submitted the learning assignment and a copy of your work/internship certificate to the supervisor responsible for the internship or to the JPMS system (students in Leppävaara) and have participated in the feedback discussion/seminar. In addition, you must have recorded the internship placement information in the PRM program.
Record the completion of your internship in the PRM portal.