Doctoral Research Internship in Private Companies 4 A

Academic unit or major

Entrepreneurship courses

Instructor(s)

Akira Izumi / Koji Wakayama

Class Format

Experiment

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

Internship

Class

A

Course Code

ENT.P634(LAC.P634)

Number of credits

004

Course offered

2024

Offered quarter

1Q

Syllabus updated

Mar 17, 2025

Language

Japanese

※ Courses with parentheses in the course number have different subject codes depending on the student's year of admission.

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This course is a mid- to long-term internship at a private company for doctoral students. Students may receive credit(s) for practical training at a domestic or overseas company for a period of two weeks or more. However, If there is an internship course in the graduate major to which the students belong, they should take it, not this course.

Students need to find their host company by themselves. In this course, students are not introduced to companies that accept their internship. Therefore, students should not register for this course as long as they have not yet found potential company that can accept them for an internship.
Students may also utilize “Innovative HR Development System (IDM)” operated by C-ENGINE.

The aim of this course is to understand corporate activities, values, work procedures, and employees' attitudes toward their careers by engaging in tasks similar to that of corporate employees in the corporate activities, such as research and development.
When considering taking this course, please read carefully the "Application Guidelines for "Doctoral Research Internship in Private Companies" at the following website.（https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/instwide-edu/students/life/career-education）
The content of the internship must not be duplicated in other courses such as "Seminar".

Prior to implement an internship in this course, it is necessary to have an agreement and a memorandum of understanding jointly signed between the host company and Tokyo Tech. Since it may take a considerable amount of time to conclude these agreements, students should consult with Career Development Section, Center for Entrepreneurship Education (former Innovator and Inventor Development Platform (IIDP)) about taking this course at least one and a half months before the time they wish to start. It is not necessary to register for courses at this consultation.

The number of credits that can be earned depends on the duration of the internship, so students should take an appropriate course.
The following is basically the full-time equivalent of 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week (to be adjusted if it is slightly different at the host company).
1) More than 2 weeks but less than 1 month:　1 credit, Doctoral Research Internship in Private Companies 1 (A: 1Q, B: 2Q, C: 3Q, D: 4Q)
2) 1 month or more but less than 2 months:　2 credits, Doctoral Research Internship in Private Companies 2 (same as above)
3) 2 months or more:　4 credits, Doctoral Research Internship in Private Companies 4 (same as above)　:this course

Course description and aims

By taking this course, students acquire the following;
1)Understanding the reality of activity and the way of thinking in private companies and also realize the difference in R&D between in the university and in the company.
2)Understanding the position and meaning of students' own university research in society and, if necessary, having an opportunity to rethink the direction of their research.

Keywords

Mid- to long-term internship, R&D activities in private companies

Competencies

• Specialist skills
• Intercultural skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

The general flow of conducting an internship is as follows;
1) Consideration of the period during which the research internship can be conducted in relation to the students' own research progress.

2) Consultation with and getting approval from their academic supervisors regarding an internship.

3) Search for and coordination with potential host companies (Students need to find their own host company. They may utilize “IDM” mentioned above.) .

4) In case that a potential host company is found, if there is an internship course in the graduate major to which the students belong, they should take it, not this course.
If students wish to take this course, they should consult with a faculty in charge at Career Development Section, Center for Entrepreneurship Education, at least one and a half months before the time they wish to start regarding such as content, conditions. Also, submission of a completed “” Doctoral Research Internship in Private Companies" Application Form” to Career Development Section, Center for Entrepreneurship Education. The form can be found below.
(https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/instwide-edu/students/life/career-education)

5) Contract between the host company and Tokyo Tech. (Career Development Section, Center for Entrepreneurship Education is in charge)

6) Implementation of internship, submission of monthly report(s).

7) Submission of the final report, interview by a faculty in charge at Career Development Section, Center for Entrepreneurship Education.

Course schedule/Objectives

Study advice (preparation and review)

Textbook(s)

None

Reference books, course materials, etc.

None

Evaluation methods and criteria

Since this course is a medium- to long-term internship, pass / fail is judged. No score evaluation will be given. The judgement will be made based on;
1)Contents of monthly report(s)
2)Contents of the final report
3)Evaluation by the company personnel in charge

Related courses

• ENT.C601(LAC.C601) ： Doctoral Career Design

Prerequisites

Students should be admitted by their own academic supervisor for the absence from the lab due to conducting an internship.
Students should join necessary insurance such as Disaster and Accident Insurance for Students (GAKKENSAI) (Gakusei Kyoiku Kenkyu Saigai Shougai Hoken)and Personal Liability Insurance for Students - supplementary to the Disaster and Accident Insurance for students (GAKKENBAI) (Gakkensai Futai Baisho Sekinin Hoken).
Students should understand and comply the internship contract and agreement between the host company and Tokyo Tech.

Other

The corresponding GA(Graduate Attributes) for this course is GA1D.

For inquiries regarding Entrepreneurship Courses (for students enrolled in AY2024) ,and Career Development Courses (for students enrolled in or before AY2023), please contact us at: Center for Entrepreneurship Education (CEE) (e-mail: cee.info@jim.titech.ac.jp )