The fourth semester is dedicated to a research internship performed either in an academic laboratory or a private company, leading to a Master’s thesis preparation and defence.
The internship lasts 4 to 6 months, from January or February, depending on the S3 University schedule, and can take place without any restriction in any structure as long as it is relevant to Bioceb and the student’s professional project.
It ensures the professionalisation of the students by providing complementary scientific and technical skills (e.g., functional skills in laboratory training in connection with the biotechnology-based industries worldwide) together with soft skills (e.g., scientific writing, communication, transverse management). The choice of a Master’s thesis internship is crucial for the students as it constitutes their first step in the professional world. This work experience makes the young graduates more attractive to potential employers, and even more considering the high technicality of jobs Bioceb graduates apply for.
The whole process is jointly supervised by the Bioceb consortium. The 3 universities in which the student had spent one semester are represented in the procedure. For each student, one main supervisor from its S3 university is designated, as well as a co-supervisor, either from its S1 or S2 university. They will both accompany the student throughout the internship.
A common deadline for the delivery of the Master’s thesis report is defined each year. The Master’s thesis defences are jointly organised in June/July and can take place before the end of the master’s thesis/internship. The juries are composed of the main supervisors, the co-supervisor, a Bioceb representative who attends all the defences for a global overview of the students’ achievements, and the representatives of the host institution. The examination criteria of each of the partners apply, but a common joint evaluation procedure is followed by local supervisors.
Updated November 2025