DRIP PROCESS

As a unique academic internship model, DRIP is only made possible by the critical  participation of its partnering practitioners. The time-tested value of experiential learning in the design disciplines is at the heart of this high-impact teaching initiative at the Daniels Faculty. Evidence of the impressive work produced in past years of DRIP can be found on this website which is updated each Fall with current work.
Critical to the program’s success and unique mandate, participating practitioners define a design research project and internship workplan that is submitted in advance of the start of the Summer Term. For practitioners new to DRIP, conversations around scope expectations and the potentials for specific projects are offered for best possible outcome.
Each year we ask for participating firm commitments by early March in the form of:
  1. Confirmation of the number of interns each will take
  2. Declaration of top 5 keywords in the interest area of practice, and top 5 keywords in the interest area of research methods that define their internship, from a published list.
During the selection process, host firms receive dossiers of approximately eight candidates selected by the DRIP Academic Committee for their review and ranking in order of preference. So far, most participating firms have received their first or second choice.

NEED TO KNOW

  • DRIP FORMS
    • The University of Toronto ‘Student Placement Agreement’ defines the engagement agreement with each DRIP partnering practitioner and ‘Process for Workplace Insurance’ forms confirm that all DRIP students are covered by University of Toronto insurance policy while working off campus.
    • Please note that as DRIP is an academic internship and interns are therefore covered by University of Toronto policies and insurance, they are not allowed to sign any firm-specific forms.
    • Interns are bound by the University of Toronto’s ‘Protection of Confidential Information Agreement’ and its ‘WSIB Student Declaration of Understanding.’
  • SCHEDULE
    • Interns work full time in their host office four days per week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday for the duration of six weeks beginning on the first day of the Summer Term.
    • Each Wednesday during the duration of the six-week internship is reserved for academic work where students are given time to work on course deliverables and meet with other interns while attending the Wednesday DRIP seminar.
  • ACADEMIC DAY + SEMINAR
    • Students will not work in/with their host office on Wednesdays using the day for academic research, preparation, and attendance at the weekly seminar with Professor Pina Petricone from 2pm to 5pm.
    • The weekly seminars are designed to give interns an opportunity to engage with fellow interns while looking at models for design research and research design in recent histories of practice.  A series of guest speakers will present ongoing research methods in their active practice and students will spend time looking at effective ways of developing their research record in the form of the Final DRIP Document.
  • DRIP TA’S
    • DRIP TA’s are graduate students from the Daniels Faculty that support the DRIP Director, administer feedback surveys and assessments, provide intern support and document the DRIP Archive each given year.
    • Each firm and its respective intern(s) have an assigned TA that is the main point of contact throughout the summer term for all things DRIP.
  • FIRM FEEDBACK AND INTERN EVALUATION
    • Detailed feedback is critical to the growth and refinement of DRIP! TA’s collect host firm feedback during the course of the internship, and at its conclusion firms will submit confidential evaluation of their assigned intern(s.)
  • INTERN COMPENSATION
    • Firms will compensate each of their interns in the form of a lump sum stipend of $3,360 at the conclusion of the six-week internship, on or before the last day. This amount is based on a rate of $20 per hour, four days per week for six weeks.
    • To ensure equity for all interns, it is very important that their stipends be no more or no less than this amount.