Penelitian ini menggunakan Teori Interaksionisme-Simbolik dari Herbert Blumer guna menganalisis bagaimana persepsi di kalangan mahasiswa Sosiologi UI tentang makna magang dikonstruksikan secara sosial sebagai pengetahuan “baru” untuk memulai karier dengan mengesampingkan kesempatan mengikuti organisasi kampus. Studi-studi terdahulu menunjukkan bahwa alasan mahasiswa melakukan magang adalah kebutuhannya untuk dapat menerapkan pengetahuan dan keterampilan di pasar kerja. Studi lain juga melihat kerentanan dan eksploitasi terhadap pekerja magang. Studi mengenai persepsi magang bagi mahasiswa sudah ada, namun hanya melihat dari segi psikologis sehingga belum mengeksplorasi persepsi tentang makna magang bagi mahasiswa yang ditinjau dari perspektif sosiologis. Studi terdahulu juga belum ada yang membahas persepsi tentang makna magang setelah hadirnya program MBKM di Indonesia. Peneliti beragumen bahwa saat ini magang cukup banyak diminati oleh mahasiswa Sosiologi UI meskipun terdapat isu kerentanan dan ekspoitasi di dalamnya. Penelitian ini memakai pendekatan kualitatif dengan teknik purposive sampling guna menggali lebih dalam makna magang bagi mahasiswa Sosiologi UI. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa makna magang telah dikonstruksikan secara sosial sebagai pengetahuan “baru” bagi mahasiswa Sosiologi UI guna persiapan karir di mana terdapat relevansi kegiatan magang dengan kebutuhan di pasar tenaga kerja. Umpan balik positif yang diterima mahasiswa saat magang juga turut berperan dalam self-indication dari kegiatan magang.

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This study uses Herbert Blumer's Theory of Interactionism-Symbolism to analyze how the perception among UI Sociology students about the meaning of internships is socially constructed as "new" knowledge to start a career by ruling out the opportunity to join campus organizations. Previous studies have shown that the reason students do internships is their need to be able to apply knowledge and skills in the job market. Other studies also looked at the vulnerability and exploitation of interns. Studies on the perception of internships for students already exist, but they only look at it from a psychological perspective, so they have not explored the meaning of internships for students from a sociological perspective. Previous studies have also not discussed the perception of the meaning of internships after the presence of the MBKM program in Indonesia. Researchers argue that internships are currently in demand by UI Sociology students even though there are issues of vulnerability and exploitation in them. This study uses a qualitative approach with purposive sampling techniques to explore more deeply the meaning of internships for UI Sociology students. The results of this study show that the meaning of internship has been socially constructed as "new" knowledge for UI Sociology students to prepare for careers which means the internship activities are relevant to their need in the labor market. The positive feedback received by students during the internship also played a role in the self-indication of the internship activities.