Master’s Project in industry (PDMe)

This page is dedicated to PDMe for Master students enrolled in Mechanical Engineering, Microengineering, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Energy Science and Technology, and Materials Science and Engineering.

The objective of the PDMe is to carry out an academic project outside the academic environment, within a host company.

The PDMe remains first and foremost a Master’s Project and must include a clear academic dimension, defined and supervised by a professor, a MER, or, exceptionally, an internal lecturer accredited by the Section, in collaboration with the host company. It must meet the academic and quality standards expected of a Master’s Project.

A PDMe may also fulfill the industry internship requirement of the Master’s degree. However, a PDMe is not simply an internship: it is an academic Master’s Project carried out in an industrial environment.

⚠️ The standard Master’s Project (PDM) is carried out within an academic environment under the supervision of an authorized academic supervisor; for specific requirements and procedures, please contact your Section.

General information

Before the PDMe
I am looking for a PDMe

There are different ways to find a PDMe:

  • On IS-Academia: The IS-Academia internships portal is accessible to the students through their IS-A account and contains a list of PDMe proposed by companies with an already assigned EPFL academic supervisor. Apply to your PDMe of interest by submitting, at a minimum, your CV and a motivation letter.
  • By contacting EPFL potential academic supervisors: Some EPFL laboratories may have industrial projects/partnerships with company in their pipeline.
  • Through your personal investigations: Once you have found an opportunity and before accepting a company’s offer, find an academic supervisor willing to supervise your PDMe.
I have found a PDMe
  • Academic content and administrative formalities of your PDMe must be arranged between the host company and your academic supervisor before starting your project.
  • The EPFL tripartite agreement for Master’s projects in industry may be signed when aspects related to confidentiality and intellectual property need to be addressed in a contract. However, this document is optional.
  • If you found your PDMe on IS-Academia, update your initial registration by completing the required fields (exact dates of PDMe, contact details of the company and academic supervisors, etc.).
  • If you found your PDMe outside IS-Academia, register it on the IS-Academia internships portal (company, dates, supervisors’ name and e-mail, etc.).
  • For the foreign students: to get an EPFL certificate stating that the PDMe is a mandatory part of your studies, and that the you are still registered as an EPFL student during your PDMe, fill in the form.
  • Register your PDMe in your study plan.
  • Update your FRAC with “present”.
During / After the PDMe
During my PDMe

During the PDMe, students are supervised by both their academic and company supervisors. Coordination meetings may be held to monitor progress and, when necessary, adjust or reorient the project.

After my PDMe

At the end of the PDMe, fill out the evaluation report sent by email. The evaluation procedure starts 2 weeks prior to the official end of the PDMe. Both the student and the company supervisor have to fill out an evaluation report.

The Master’s project is evaluated based upon both a written report and an oral defense in front of a jury. For additional information, please visit the PDM webpage of your section (link provided below in “Administrative and academic aspects of your PDMe”).

Resources
Contacts

Please contact your academic supervisor or you section in case you have any question.

Administrative and academic aspects of your PDMe

Visit your section’s webpage for information on the administrative and/or academic aspects of your PDMe: