What is Work Integrated Learning?
Objectives of UNSW Law Internships Courses
Internships – Practical Arrangements
Insurance
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UNSW Law & Justice Internships Supervision Manual
What is Work Integrated Learning?
Work Integrated learning is an integral part of university law school education. It can be defined in many ways but, in its essence, it describes a situation where practical work experience plays a central role in the learning process.
Features of effective work integrated learning involve the student reflecting upon earlier experiences to add and transform them into deeper understanding, recognising that experience alone is not necessarily enough to lead to learning. Debriefing and reflective thought are employed as essential stages in the learning.
Work Integrated learning occurs:
› where the education is a designed, managed and guided experience;
› where the experience is the primary method of teaching;
› where students have a direct encounter with the subject of their study; and
› where there is a significant academic component to the subject which includes reflection on the experience.
Where work integrated learning subjects are to be part of a law degree, they must offer the student adequate resources for reflection on the experience and opportunities to add to their knowledge of the law, the legal system and their relevant skills to enhance the experience.
Objectives of UNSW Law Internships Courses
The objectives of the course are to:
1. Assist students to develop an understanding of the issues involved in legal practice and / or policy-making.
2. Consolidate students’ skills related to legal practice and / or policy advocacy, such as legal analysis, writing, research and strategic planning.
3. Develop students’ skills related to their professional lives, including their ability to communicate clearly in written and oral forms, and develop their commitment to ethical practice and policy-making.
4. Assist students to recognise the public interest issues present in the broader administration of the law, in the court system and in government policy.
Internships – Practical Arrangements
Law internships with the UNSW Law & Justice Faculty are unpaid when undertaken with a commercial organisation. Not-for-profit and Government agencies are permitted to pay students, in line with faculty policy.
Students are not covered by professional indemnity insurance as it is inherent that they are unqualified and participating in a supervised learning experience to facilitate development of skills for post-qualification.
Each student is placed with the organisation for a minimum of 70 hours( 10 days). The internship course accounts for 6 units of credit. Ordinarily, the student will attend for one day each week during the term, in line with the normal business hours of the organisation.
Insurance
Where a student is engaged in a work-integrated learning activity, and is not employed by a partner organisation, the student will be covered by the UNSW Public Liability Policy. This policy indemnifies the student against third-party claims arising from any negligence, error or omission in relation to their WIL participation. The student will also be covered by the UNSW Personal Accident Policy for any injury that occurs when they are participating in the WIL activity, subject to the terms of the Policy. For further details lease contact the Teaching Support Officer( Work Integrated Learning).
Travel Insurance Students engaged in work-integrated learning activities overseas may be covered by the UNSW Travel Insurance Policy. If covered by the University policy, students should check their insurance cover before departing Australia and arrange additional travel coverage through a private insurance provider if this does not cover all of their travel needs to ensure they have adequate insurance cover while travelling.