| 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 |
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 14/2 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 for this course consists of a 10-page report,
excluding the title page, bibliography, and appendices. The report
must include an outline of the company where the internship was
conducted, a summary of the tasks the student performed, and a
discussion of the specific international business aspects of the
work. The report must demonstrate the student’s ability to
communicate what s/he have done during the internship, relate
the internship experience to the bigger picture, and engage in
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 component(s)
and/or implications related to the internship.
The first two points can be brief. The report's main focus
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 expected not only to gather
information but also to interpret, organize, and present it clearly
and understandably.
It is common for the analytical component and the
demonstration of the international business focus to be perceived
as challenging. 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 and mundane tasks required by the employer.
It is, of course, important to follow directions and comply with
the employer's demands. However, to fulfill the academic
requirements of the internship, the student must, if necessary, go
beyond the simple instructions and demonstrate the ability to
relate the experience to the international business. 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 writing quality. While the students cannot write their report
in the first month on the job, work can begin as soon as possible
by gathering information and outlining ideas. It would be
beneficial 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, and meetings
attended. Preparation is an ongoing process.
Choosing a subject is a crucial aspect of your success in the
internship report. It is sufficient to focus on one specific
aspect or problem related to the internship, and it is not required
that the report cover in depth everything the student might have
encountered during the internship. However, the chosen subject has
to be discussed in sufficient depth so that your
treatment 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 preparing the internship report,
the student could rely on the advice of an advisor chosen based on
the international business topic to be discussed in the report. The
advisor is involved in discussing the issue formulation and the
framing of how the practical experience relates 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
it.
|
|
| 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
|
| Research-based teaching |
|
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following
types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are
included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
- Classic and basic theory
- Methodology
Research-like activities
- Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
- Students conduct independent research-like activities under
supervision
|
| Description of the teaching methods |
Supervision hours. Each student is entitled to 5
supervision hours by the chosen 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 report
The pre-approval application must be sent to the BSc IB Program
Administration before beginning the internship. The final decision
on the pre-approval application rests with the Course Coordinator.
Applications must be submitted well in advance of the internship
start date to allow the Course Coordinator to make an informed
decision. Regarding the internship application, students are
advised to follow the deadlines set by individual organizations. As
already stressed, arranging for an internship remains the
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 pre-approval application must be sent to the BSc IB Program
Administration before beginning the internship. The final decision
on the pre-approval application rests with the Course Coordinator.
Applications must be submitted well in advance of the internship
start date to allow the Course Coordinator to make an informed
decision. Regarding the internship application, students are
advised to follow the deadlines set by individual organizations. As
already stressed, arranging for an internship remains the
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.
|
Permalink