Professional Internships from Students’ Perspepctives: A Quantitative Analysis at a University in Vietnam

Abstract

In contemporary university education, internships are a compulsory component that students must complete to bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice. The internship program was designed to address the increasing demand for work- ready graduates by providing students with firsthand professional experience while they are still in university, thereby facilitating a smoother transition into their future careers. To align with this objective, Thu Dau Mot University has developed an internship program specifically for English-majored students, consisting of three separate courses, each intended to cultivate different aspects of students' professional development. These courses are strategically structured to progressively enhance students' skills, starting from basic workplace familiarity to more advanced professional competencies. Despite the program’s structured design, questions have been raised regarding the its overall effectiveness in contributing to student development. To address these concerns, the study titled “A Survey on the Effectiveness of Internships for English-Majored Students at Thu Dau Mot University” was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the internship program provided by the university. A questionnaire survey was employed as the primary research instrument to collect data, targeting 150 randomly selected English-major students from the university. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the internship program at Thu Dau Mot University in fostering students’ professional experience and development. The findings underscore the efficacy of the three-course internship model in enhancing students’ readiness for professional environments and encouraging a proactive approach to skill development Additionally, the research offers valuable insights for educators and administrators aiming to enhance the design and implementation of internship programs in higher education.