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Master's studies close to business world

Do you want to connect with companies and organisations in your field during your time at university and gain experience that kick-starts your career? Then you have come to the right place.

Tall building with many windows
LiU’s close collaborations with the outside world mean you are well placed for your future working life. For example, Linköping Science Park is a neighbour of our largest campus, Campus Valla. The park is an innovation hotspot with more than 600 companies, including leading tech companies such as Sectra, Actia and Magna, as well as pioneering start-ups.Photo credit: Anna Nilsen

Linköping University is known for its close collaborations with the outside world. Many of the master's programmes at LiU offer opportunities to do an internship or write a thesis at a company. Writing a master’s thesis based on the needs of a company or organisation is a way to build networks and show what you are capable of. Perhaps you will do this in cooperation with one of the major global technology companies, such as Ericsson, Siemens or Saab, or an international pharmaceutical company? In a small start-up that's right at the beginning of its exciting journey? Or why not in a zoo – if you are studying on the Applied Ethology and Animal Biology programme.

The master's thesis is written at the end of your programme. The programmes in which you can do an internship usually place them in semester three, and you can choose between an internship and, for example, studying advanced courses. If you choose an internship, it is up to you to find one that is suitable and relevant to your education, in Sweden or in another country. An internship also gives you the opportunity to create contacts and sharpen your CV.



International student insights

Portrait of woman Photo credit Hanna Westman Sarah from Germany, Master’s Programme in Science for Sustainable Development
Sarah did her internship at a research institute in Germany.
“I always knew I wanted to do an internship in environmental research, because I wanted to get an idea of what people working in that field do on a daily basis. I had already worked in a few corporate jobs and was looking for an internship that would give me a whole new experience and allow me to learn things that I might not get out of the average corporate job.”

Portrait of man Photo credit Golnaz Mirheidari Mohammad from Iran, Master’s programme in Strategic Urban and Regional Planning
Mohammad did his internship at AFRY, an international consulting company with almost 20,000 employees around the world and a head office in Stockholm. The internship resulted in Mohammad writing his master’s thesis at the company and working as a strategic planner on one of their projects.
“The fact that the university allows us to apply to internships has been fantastic. Otherwise, I wouldn't have got this job, and my future career would have been less successful.”

Portrait of man Akshay from India, Master’s programme in Statistics and Machine Learning
Akshay did his degree project in collaboration with the start-up company Viscando in Gothenburg. In his thesis, he presented and compared models he had built to predict positions of pedestrians, cyclists, and autonomous vehicles.
“I was initially excited about what the company does. They were measuring traffic information and they were also trying to gauge movement of cyclists or pedestrians in crowded intersections, and they would present their analysis of traffic flow to different stakeholders such as municipalities and businesses. They did this with sensors based on 3D and artificial intelligence technology that they built and developed."

Portrait of woman Photo credit Hanna Westman Una from Greece, Master’s Programme in Applied Ethology and Animal Biology
Una wrote her master’s thesis on dog cognition at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary.
“Short-term internships and writing a thesis in different countries can only boost your resume. Employers strongly appreciate cross-cultural sensitivity, and the ability to adapt to different environments, all of which may be acquired through studying abroad. Travelling allows you to develop interpersonal skills, which are crucial in any future profession.”

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