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2023/2024  BA-BINBV2002U  BSc IB Internship, 15 ECTS

English Title
BSc IB Internship, 15 ECTS

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 15 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn, Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc in International Business
Course coordinator
  • Bersant Hobdari - Department of International Economics, Goverment and Business (EGB)
Main academic disciplines
  • Globalisation and international business
  • Organisation
  • Strategy
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 14-02-2023

Relevant links

Learning objectives
At the end of the internship you should be able to
  • Apply the knowledge and skills related to the concepts, principles and methodologies of the IB program in a professional setting.
  • Acquire new knowledge in a new setting to enhance classroom education
  • Apply higher order thinking skills, such as critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, complex problem solving, to real-life situations
  • Gain practical experience relevant to IB program’s competence profile.
  • Develop personal and interpersonal skills (profession-specific competencies, oral and written communication skills, interpersonal communication and interaction skills, observation and interpretation skills, leadership skills) to work effectively within diverse environments.
  • Critically reflect upon and evaluate the internship experience, especially in relation to the knowledge and competencies gained through the IB program
Course prerequisites
In order to be considered for an internship the student must apply for pre-approval. The application for pre-approval must include the following documentation:

1) A formal and signed document by the organization that contains a detailed description of:

• Learning objectives of the internship
• Defined job training areas
• Specification of formalized learning processes (i.e., name and length of structured classes or lectures, or name of the mentor)
• Specification of the time period and working hours of employment

2) A letter of motivation (maximum 2 pages) from the student describing what s/he intends to achieve by undertaking the internship and in what way(s) the experience contributes to her/his education under the IB program. This letter of motivation must specify the elements of the IB program that correspond to the job training or formalized learning processes of the internship.
Examination
Internship:
Exam ECTS 15
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
10 pages
Assignment type Report
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Autumn and Spring, deadline for submission of report is 1/3 for the fall semester and 1/9 for the spring semester
5 hours supervision
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

The examination form for this course takes the form of a 10-page report, excluding the title page, bibliography and appendices. The report must include an outline of the business of the company for where the internship was held, a summary of the tasks the student performed, and a discussion of the specific international business relevant aspects of the work. The report must demonstrate the student’s ability to communicate what s/he has done during the internship, the ability to relate the internship experience to the bigger picture, and the ability for critical thinking. The student must demonstrate that either the internship had a significant international business component, or that the lessons from the internship experience relate to international business issues. 

Your internship report has to contain three subject areas: 

1. Outline of the background and specific business of the company and/or department in which the student performed her/his internship. 

2. Outline of the work performed in the internship company. 

3. A discussion of a specific international business components and/or implications related to the internship. 

The first two components can be brief. The major focus of the report should be on the third component, the critical discussion and analysis of a specific internship-related topic. We refer to this component as the analytical component. The analytical component should relate academic knowledge to practical experience. Its purpose is to help the student develop written and analytical skills. The student is not expected to only gather information but interpret, organize and present it clearly and understandably. 

It is common that the analytic component and the demonstration of the international business focus of the internship is perceived as a major challenge of the internship. It is well-acknowledged that many aspects of the daily work can be oriented towards practical rather than academic issues. It is possible that the work might include carrying out administrative duties as well as mundane tasks required by the employer. It is, of course, important to follow directions and comply with the demands of the employer. However, to pass the academic requirements of the internship the student must go, if necessary, beyond the simple following of instructions and demonstrate the ability to relate the experience to the international business field. Thus, the internship report allows the student to examine aspects of a project or an organization beyond the daily work performed at the company. Ideally, the report will also be of practical benefit to the employer by demonstrating taking initiatives beyond carrying out instructed tasks. 

Starting early is the key to producing a high-quality, professional report. Last-minute efforts are reflected in a lack of research and poor quality of writing. While the student cannot write your report the first month on the job, work can begin as soon as possible by gathering information and outlining ideas. It would be extremely helpful to narrow down on a topic for the report within the first week of the internship. Once a topic for the report has been chosen, it is important to keep track of activities necessary to develop the report, such as methods, observations, meetings attended. Preparation is an on-going process. 

Choosing a subject is a crucial aspect of your success of the internship report. It is sufficient to concentrate on one specific aspect or problem related to the internship, and it is not required that the report covers in depth all the problems the student might have encountered during the internship. However, the chosen subject has to be discussed with enough depth, so that your treatment of the subject demonstrates specialist-level ability in international business. If there are doubts about specific topics, the student may consult with the company supervisor or contact the faculty advisor. 

Grading: In the process of preparing the internship report the student could rely on the advice of an advisor chosen on the basis of the international business topic to be discussed in the report. The advisor is involved in discussing the issue formulation and the framing of the relation of the practical experience to the international business theories. Each student is entitled to 5 hours of supervision from the advisor. The advisor will be the sole evaluator of the report and will grade the report.

Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

IInternships are an integral part of the BSc IB program. All students are encouraged to arrange internships with companies or organizations of interest. Students must undertake the internship whilst they are still enrolled in the IB program. An internship must involve both on-the-job training and formalized learning processes. Formalized learning processes are defined as either 1) structured classes or lectures taken within or through the organization in which the student undertakes the internship, or 2) supervision provided by a mentor in the organization the student undertakes the internship. 

The internship must be taken within an existing organization, such as a company, or governmental or quasi-governmental agencies such as ministries or embassies, or non-governmental organizations, such as the Red Cross etc. Companies or other types of organizations established by the student will require special approval by the Study Board. 

Students need to be hired under a formal contract, which, at the minimum, specifies the period of time the student is hired for and respective working hours. In cases where the student is already employed by the organization and wants to transform the contract into an internship program, documentation signed by representatives of the organization must be submitted to prove that job-functions new to the student are established in relation to the internship program, or that formalized learning processes will be initiated. 

The job-training areas and the formalized work experiences in terms of academic content must correspond to the curriculum and learning objectives of the BSc IB program

Description of the teaching methods
Supervision hours. Each student is entitled to 3 supervision hours by the chose faculty advisor. Potential advisors include full-time CBS faculty, PhD students enrolled at CBS and external examiners under contract with CBS at the time of writing the internship report

The application for pre-approval must be sent to the BSc IB Program Administration prior to having begun the internship. The final decision on the pre-approval application rests with the Course Coordinator. Applications must be submitted well ahead of time of the start of the internship to allow for the Course Coordinator to make an informed decision. In terms of the internship application itself, students are recommended to follow the deadlines stipulated by individual organizations. As already stressed, arranging for an internship remains the individual responsibility of the student, not CBS or the BSc IB. Students are also individually responsible for obtaining work permits and any other documentation necessary to undertake employment in the country in which the internship will be conducted.
Feedback during the teaching period
The student can get feedback from the internship supervisor.
Student workload
Exam 0,5 hours
Preparation 203 hours
Further Information

The application for pre-approval must be sent to the BSc IB Program Administration prior to having begun the internship. The final decision on the pre-approval application rests with the Course Coordinator. Applications must be submitted well ahead of time of the start of the internship to allow for the Course Coordinator to make an informed decision. In terms of the internship application itself, students are recommended to follow the deadlines stipulated by individual organizations. As already stressed, arranging for an internship remains the individual responsibility of the student, not CBS or the BSc IB. Students are also individually responsible for obtaining work permits and any other documentation necessary to undertake employment in the country in which the internship will be conducted.

Please look at the internship guidelines for further information.

Last updated on 14-02-2023