SPD actively promotes access to qualified internship experiences. This is conceived a structured opportunity enabling the students to refine their skills, make connections with professionals in their career area and contribute in real working environment.
As part of the academic curriculum, a mandatory module provides students with the opportunity to experience a professional internship with external institutions and companies, an internal research internship, or a period of study abroad.
The Major Project module aims at enabling students to develop and direct their own design project, taking into account learnings from previous modules. It aims also at encouraging students to demonstrate a high level of professional competence and to have a deep understanding of the social and philosophical context, in which they are practising.
Students are expected to demonstrate the enterprise potential in their ideas and to understand the future possibilities and contexts, in which ideas will exist. Students critically reflect upon their own learning and become prepared for continuous professional development.
Thanks to the internships or apprenticeship opportunities offered at SPD, at the end of their educational pathway the students have the chance to put their academic preparation to the test and apply classroom knowledge in a real professional environment. This enables them to gain hands-on experience and to refine their technical skill set and ability to perform specific functional tasks.
In the meantime, students can enhance cross-disciplinary abilities and soft skills that are transferable to a variety of work settings and personal interactions. Whether a large or smaller organization, these programs help them to meet their career advancement goals. In fact they can start developing professional and business relationships with people in their future career area and acquire valuable references through the exchange of ideas, knowledge and contacts.
SPD encourages access to the internship and assists host companies and students in matching demand and supply. Internships play a vital role within both the Master of Arts programs, including Communication Design, Product Design, Event and Exhibition Design, Interior Design, and Food Design, as well as the Bachelor of Arts programs in Design, Automotive and Transport Design, and Communication, Culture, and Business.
Students can earn academic credits for internships that are prescribed by their plan of studies. The content of the internship is consistent with the educational objectives of the student’s program. Candidates can benefit from the positions identified by the Placement Service, providing access to a number of internships at internationally-minded host companies every year. Internships are offered by design firm and leading organisations or cultural institutions in a variety of sectors.
The network of SPD alumni is an additional source of qualified opportunities. Interested students can also have internships found through their own channels in order to look for the company that best suits their individual expectations.
Since the programs’ inception, students have undertaken internships in hundreds of companies in local and international areas and have gained valuable work experience.
Among the host companies:
5+1AA, Accurat, Adidas, Alfa Romeo, Alias, Alizarina, Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and Partners, Artemide, Attila, Audi, Bitmama, Cappellini, Carmi e Ubertis, Cassina, Fiat, Futurebrand, Giovannoni Design, GraphX, IlSole24ORE, Italdesign Giugiaro, La Triennale di Milano, Lamborghini, LeftLoft, Leo Burnett, Lissoni Associati, Luca Scacchetti, Luxottica, Maison Martin Margiela, Marco Piva Architecture & Design, Matteo Thun & Partners, Mucca Design, Ogilvy, Pitis e associati, Qwentès, RCS MediaGroup, Robilant Associati, Serralunga, Simone Micheli, Storage, Studio FM Milano, Studio Ito, Studio Santachiara, Tassinari/Vetta, Volkswagen.
- 90% of our Master’s students find employment within one year of completing their course
- 26% of our Master’s students find employment primarily within communication studios and design agencies
- 26% of our Master’s students find employment within private corporations
- 19% of our Master’s students continued their studies with a PHD
- 19% of our Master’s students preferred to become freelancers
- The practical and experiential setting of the Masters allowed students to quickly enter the world of work
- Thanks to the continuous networking between students and professional faculty, Masters’ students were able to benefit from numerous job opportunities