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Mechatronic Systems Engineering Graduates

Graduate Work Experience

We believe that graduate students need to augment their research experience and knowledge with numerous skills through placements in the industry or other research organizations. Our graduate students will learn and sharpen the necessary skills required which will increase their chances of employability after completing their degrees.

The School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering does not have a specific co-op program for graduate students. Alternatively, our graduate programs curriculum allow stduents to include up to three Industrial Internships (depends on the program) that provide students with the opportunity to undertake internships of work in industry or other research institutes.

These internships allow students to either

  1. focus on the practical aspects of their research projects, which have been well identified prior to students applying for an internship, or
  2. develop and define a research project from their internship experience. These internships could not form more than 50% of the total program of study.

Eligibility

Students interested in registering in an Industrial Internship (MSE 795) must complete the following pre-requisites:

  • 12 units of MSE coursework at the 700-level or higher with a minimum CGPA of 3.0
  • Approval from the Supervisor and the Graduate Program Committee Chair is required prior to applying for, and accepting an internship offer.

Required Documents

After reviewing the FAS website, students are required to submit the following documents for MSE 795 enrollment to FAS Graduate Program Coordinator at fasgrad@sfu.ca.

  1. Copy of the work permit (if applicable);
  2. Copy of the Offer Letter from the company/employer;
  3. Supervisor Industrial Internship Approval Form ();
  4. Supervisor Industrial Internship COI Form ();
  5. Student Declaration Letter ()

Application Process

The following steps outline the application process:

  1. Update CV, Cover Letter, Interview Skills
  2. Obtain Support Letter and Work Permit
  3. Apply for placement
  4. Secure Offer
  5. Supervisor Approval
  6. Accepting Offer
  7. Register in the Industrial Internship Course

Is It Right For You?

Industrial research experience is valuable. However, it could delay the completion of your degree. It is important to carefully consider if the timing, placement (company/organization) and such internship is suited for you. You should always select an internship placement that best serves your education and career goals. Students must discuss and come to an agreement with their supervisors on their internship plans.

Depending on programs, credits of Industrial Internship may or may not count towards degree requirements. Please check the  of your requirement term to determine how to meet the degree requirements of your program.

Industrial Internships and Your Studies

TOWARDS YOUR PROGRAM

Students interested in registering in an Industrial Internship (MSE 795) must complete the following pre-requisites:


a) 12 units of MSE coursework at the 700-level or higher with a minimum CGPA of 3.0
b) Approval from the Supervisor and the Graduate Program Committee Chair is required prior to applying for, and accepting an internship offer.

TAKING COURSES WHILE WORKING

While on a work term, students retain full-time student status at the University. An appeal must be submitted to the School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering if you intend to take a course while on an internship semester. Students are required to upload the instructor鈥檚 and employer鈥檚 approval with their appeals.

Industrial Internship Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1

FINDING THE RIGHT INTERNSHIP

The following links are useful resources for searching internship positions. You can use the keyword 鈥渃o-op鈥� when performing the search.

Step 2

UPDATING CV, COVER LETTER, AND INTERVIEW SKILLS

The following online resources are useful for updating your resume/CV and creating a cover letter.

丁香园AV Career & Volunteer Services 丁香园AV Oline Learning Community
Prepare Overview
Workshops
Career
Explore / Search Careers  

Step 3

OBTAINING INTERNSHIP SUPPORT LETTER & WORK PERMIT (INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS)

International students who are interested in doing an Industrial Internship must have a valid work permit to work legally in Canada. You will need to:

  1. Apply for an internship work permit online through the . You will need an Internship Support Letter (please note that IRCC refers this letter as a Co-op letter). Please contact the FAS Graduate Program Coordinator at fas_grad_coordinator@sfu.ca to request this letter before you apply.
  2. Ensure that you apply for your work permit at least 2 semesters before your intended internship semester. More information regarding the processing time can be found on the . If you intend to carry out an internship outside of Canada, please consult the embassy of the particular country.

Please note that the internship employment cannot form more than 50% of a student鈥檚 total program of study.

For more information, please visit the following web pages: 丁香园AV Instruction guides and 丁香园AV International Student Services Contact.

Step 4

APPLYING FOR AN INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT

Please ensure that you have a valid work permit before applying for any internship placement. The advertised internships you find will have a clear description of the job and directions on how to apply. Make sure that your Supervisor is aware of your intention on applying for an internship position. You will need his/her approval before applying for any internship as well as when accepting an offer.

It is recommended to apply for a few internship positions with a variety of company/organizations. Your internship placement must take place within a semester. A typical internship is four consecutive months. Please note that an internship must start at the beginning of a semester and end at the end of the semester.

Step 5

SECURING AN INTERNSHIP OFFER & NEGOTIATING

Industrial Internship is primarily focused on gaining industrial experience but remember that salary and other offer conditions such as working hours, commute/travel etc. are important factors to consider before accepting an offer.

If you are successful in obtaining an internship placement, speak with your supervisor for approval beforehand. Once they approve this, remember to secure an offer letter from the organization of your choice.

You can find resources on how to negotiate offers and pay rates by doing an online search using websites such as:

 

Step 6

OBTAINING SUPERVISOR APPROVAL

Once you have decided on your choice of internship placement, you must inform your supervisor and she/he will have to approve before you can accept the offer. You must complete the following forms and have it signed by your supervisor and submit the below documents to the FAS Graduate Program Coordinator:

NOTE: Please ensure all paperwork and a scanned copy of your valid work permit (for international students) is submitted to the FAS Graduate Program Coordinator before you start your internship.

Step 7

ACCEPTING YOUR OFFER

Once you have accepted an offer, the employer must provide an official job offer letter to the student that includes the following details:

  • Your job position/title
  • Work address
  • Start and end dates of work (14 -16 weeks for the 4 month internship or 28-32 weeks for the 8 month work term). Please note that an internship must start at the beginning of a semester and end at the end of a semester.
  • Hours per week (standard is 35 - 40 hours). Minimum requirement: 35 hours per week
  • Name of supervisor and their contact information
  • Salary rate (per hour or month)

You must sign and return the letter to the company prior to the start of the internship term. Please ensure that you keep a copy for yourself and submit another copy to the FAS Graduate Program Coordinator at fas_grad_coordinator@sfu.ca.

Step 8

ENROLLING IN THE INDUSTRIAL INTERNSHIP COURSE

Once you have accepted a job offer, you will also need to register in the following course for the term(s) in which you will carry out the internship:
MSE: Industrial Internship 鈥� MSE795

Please note that you cannot register in these courses on your own. The FAS Graduate Program Coordinator will register you once all required forms are complete and submitted.

MSE Students: DO NOT register in MSE 793, Graduate Co-op Practicum I 鈥� III

Step 9

TUITION FEES DURING PLACEMENT TERM(S)

Students are required to pay their full time tuition even when they are doing their internship for the semester. Please visit the  for the most up-to-date details. Please note that you are not required to pay an application fee for the industrial internship.

Step 10

DURING YOUR INTERNSHIPS

To ensure that you have a positive and successful experience, the FAS Graduate Program Coordinator will check in with you once a month to see if there are any concerns from you.

Your work supervisor will also have to complete a mid-internship check-in form as well. You will need to ask your supervisor at work to complete this form: Industrial Internship Mid-Internship Form

If there are any changes to your internship, you will need to inform the FAS Graduate Program Coordinator and your Senior Supervisor at 丁香园AV as soon as possible.

Step 11

COMPLETION OF INTERNSHIP

Once you have completed your internship, your work supervisor will need to complete an end-internship check-in form as well. You will need to ask your supervisor at work to complete this form at the end of your internship.

You will also need to create your Industrial Internship Report. This report must be submitted to your academic Senior Supervisor in a soft copy (electronic) format. You must submit this report within a month after the completion of your internship. Please note that without your report, we will not be able to provide any marks for this course.

Industrial Internship Process Resources

DOCUMENT CHECKLIST 

Please see the list below to ensure that you have completed or obtained the necessary documents before, during and after your internship placement.

DOCUMENT CHECKLIST

Summary Flow Chart

Select the button below to view a summary flow chart of the Industrial Internship process.

SUMMARY CHART

Contact

If you have any questions about industrial Internships, please contact the Graduate Coordinator.

EMAIL

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