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2026/2027  BA-BISHV2602U  Internship

English Title
Internship

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 30 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Bachelor
Duration Two Semesters
Start time of the course Autumn, Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Global Relations
Programme Bachelor of Science (BSc) in International Shipping and Trade
Course coordinator
  • Martin Jes Iversen - Department of Strategy and Innovation (SI)
  • René Taudal Poulsen - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Organisational behaviour
  • Strategy
  • Economics
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 01-07-2026

Relevant links

Learning objectives
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
  • Internship - Part 1
  • Present and discuss the recent developments of the internship company, and the main markets in which it is engaged
  • Describe the most important learning experiences in the first five months of the internship (including digital working methods when relevant)
  • Reflect critically on the practical-functional experiences of the internship in relation to one or more specific academic discipline(s)
  • Discuss the mentor-mentee relation in the internship with a specific focus on your learning processes in the internship.
  • Internship - Part 2
  • Present and discuss key aspects of the current development for the internship company and its markets.
  • Identify a real-life challenge for a shipping company or maritime organization as observed during the student’s internship work
  • Analyze the specific challenge by applying relevant social science theories or models from previous courses within the bachelor program
  • Support their analysis with reference to relevant primary data, which they have collected during their internship work
  • Propose and argue for an appropriate organizational response to the specific challenge based on selected theories or models
Prerequisites for registering for the exam (activities during the teaching period)
Number of compulsory activities which must be approved (see section 13 of the Programme Regulations): 2
Oral presentations etc.
Internship - Part 1: synopsis.
Internship - Part 2: oral presentation
Examination
This course has two individual exams:
Internship - Part 1:
Exam ECTS15
Examination formHome assignment - written product
Individual or group examIndividual exam
Size of written productMax. 20 pages
Assignment typeReport
Release of assignmentSubject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
DurationWritten product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale7-point grading scale
Examiner(s)One internal examiner
Exam periodAutumn
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

The purpose is to write a report, which reflects your internship experiences based on one or more theories and / or concepts from the some of the previous courses in the BSc International Shipping and Trade program. The Report will be based on four sections, which mirrors the learning objectives of the course.

 

Internship - Part 2:
Exam ECTS15
Examination formOral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance, see also the rules about examination forms in the programme regulations.
Individual or group examIndividual exam
Size of written productMax. 15 pages
Assignment typeReport
Release of assignmentSubject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
15 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale7-point grading scale
Examiner(s)Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam periodSummer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

Students write a report, which focuses on an organizational or strategic challenge. They shall select and use theory to analyze the challenge and use primary data that they have collected during their internship work. In the report, they shall also propose and argue for an appropriate organizational response to the specific challenge based on selected theories or models. Following submission of the written report, students shall defend their reports at a 15-minute oral exam (15 minutes include assessments and feedback). 

Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The internship in a maritime corporation or organization is an integrated part of the BSc in International Shipping and Trade program. The students are requested to write two academic reports along with the studies to ensure the academic relevance of the internship.

It gives students an opportunity to reflect theoretically upon their individual internship experiences. It does so by focusing on real-life challenges, which shipping companies or other types of maritime organizations are currently facing and which students have observed during their internship work.

Based on their experiences in the respective internships, students shall identify a current challenge for shipping companies or other types of maritime organizations. They shall analyze the specific challenge by applying relevant social science theories or models from previous courses within the bachelor program. To support their analysis and their argumentation, students shall refer to a primary data set, which they have collected during their internship work.

Students shall also identify appropriate organizational responses to the specific challenges. Referring to selected theories or models, students shall explain how they can inform and guide shipping companies or other maritime organizations in responding appropriately to the specific challenge.  

The topic for the student’s Internship reports shall not overlap with the topic for her or his BSc thesis. Additionally, the two internship reports must address distinct topics and should not overlap with each other. It is the students’ responsibility to ensure they avoid any such overlaps in their exam assignments.

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
Research-like activities
  • Analysis
  • Peer review including Peer-to-peer
Description of the teaching methods
For Part I, there will be a combination of online sessions and in-class sessions about professional methods, mentor-mentee relations and theoretic aspects of the internship. Individual oral feedback to the internship report will be given at online sessions at the end of the semester. The teaching for the course is structured around students’ individual internship experiences and is mainly organized as feedback and supervision sessions.
For Part II, each student shall do a 5-minute presentation in an online feedback session to prepare for the home assignment, which is open for the entire group of students. In their presentation, they shall outline the specific challenge that they have identified for a shipping company or another type of maritime organization during their internship work. They shall also highlight relevant theory or models and suggest appropriate organizational responses to the challenge. Each presentation will be followed by a feedback session, in which both fellow students and the teacher will provide feedback. A few days before the online feedback sessions, students shall send their titles and slides to the teacher, who will use them to develop a thematically structured agenda and prepare for structured feedback. The feedback shall help students reflect theoretically about their internship experiences and provide them with ideas for how to refine their assignment. Based on the feedback session, students shall write a home assignment for the exam to be submitted by a specific date and subsequently defended in an oral defense. It is mandatory for students to present their work for the assignments in the online feedback sessions. Students are encouraged to participate actively in their fellow students’ sessions, by giving feedback to their peers and learning from their internship experiences.
Feedback during the teaching period
For Part I, feedback during the teaching period and will be given at a session after the examination.
For Part II, Students will get feedback from their peers in class as well as the teacher (as outlined under teaching methods).


Student workload
Internship 900 hours
Exam 74 hours
classes 14 hours
Preparatiion sessions 25 hours
Report 150 hours
Further Information
  • Organizational analysis
  • Strategic management
  • Maritime economics
Expected literature

Expected literature

Sampson, H. (2024). Sea-time: An Ethnographic Adventure. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis.

Vineet, C, Saint, S.: “6 Things Every Mentor Should Do”, Harvard Business Review, March 29, 2017 

The course literature presented at the first lecture in the beginning of the semester.

Last updated on 01-07-2026