Business Administration, Internship (second-cycle), 15 Credits

Contents

The course develops the student's understanding of how terms, working forms, market conditions and other conditions affect the organization. The purpose of the internship course is for students to have the opportunity to put prior knowledge and experience into applied business work. The student should in practical work test, develop and consolidate their knowledge and skills in their specialized topic. The course also aims at developing the ability to work both independently and in collaboration with others and to integrate previous knowledge and perform qualified work tasks.
The nature and level of the internship is planned individually and shall be on an advanced level. The goal is that the internship is stimulating, educational and challenging. The tasks can be of both operational and strategic nature.

The student will arrange the internship position on his/her own based on preferences and possibilities. The internship position and the internship plan must be approved by USBE. The student will specify the specific tasks together with USBE and the representative of the internship organization.

The practical supervision of the internship is developed individually between supervisor and student.

Other instructions, see Umeå School of Business and Economics' internship website.

Expected learning outcomes

After completion of the course the student should be able to:

• apply the acquired advanced theoretical knowledge in the business subject area onto a relevant economic activity
• independently plan, operate and implement a defined project or investigative work
• apply an advanced investigative method within one's field on a practical problem
• act in an independent and constructive way at the work place in order to contribute to the organization
• identify one's own need of further knowledge and development of competence
• both orally and in writing present one's internship tasks and one's experience of the internship
• communicate central concepts for the course in English, both orally and in writing

Required Knowledge

90 credits whereof 15 credits at advanced level in Business Administration. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B/6.

Form of instruction

The course is divided into the following three parts:
1. Preparation before the internship. The student formulates an internship plan together with the internship organization and USBE. The internship plan must be approved by USBE before the internship period starts.
2. An internship period of 10 weeks, corresponding to full-time, about 35-40 hours/week. An important purpose of the internship period is that the student is in the organization's environment and is involved in the daily work. The main part of the internship must therefore be carried out on site at the internship organisation.
3. A written report and oral presentation of the internship in a seminar.

Examination modes

The course will be awarded the grade pass (G) or fail (U). The course is examined through an approved internship plan, internship period, and an individual written report of analyzing character. The written report is submitted after completion of the internship and presented orally at a seminar.

Any corrections of the written report must be made according to USBE's instructions and submitted within four weeks after the seminar.

The responsible examiner has the right to, in consultation with the supervisor, decide to fail a student during an internship if the student has demonstrated such shortcomings regarding knowledge, skills or attitudes that these, individually or in combination, entail a significant risk that the student during the internship may harm any other person physically or psychologically. The student then interrupts his or her internship and receives the grade Fail. In connection with such a decision, an individual development plan must be drawn up by the examiner in consultation with the student. The development plan must state what knowledge, skills and attitude the student needs to acquire in order to resume the internship and a time when this is to be verified. The student is entitled to two such verification sessions per year. However, the total number of verification occasions should not exceed four, unless there are special reasons. If the student, at such a verification occasion, shows that he or she has acquired the knowledge, skills, and attitude stated in the development plan, the student shall have the right to conduct a new internship period, provided that the student has not exhausted his or her internship opportunities.

Exceptions from examination form as stated in the syllabus can be made for a student who has a decision on pedagogical support for disabilities. Individual adaptations of the examination form should be considered based on the student's needs. The examination form shall be adapted within the framework of the expected learning outcomes stated in the course syllabus. At the request of the student, the course responsible teacher, in consultation with the examiner, must promptly decide on the adapted examination form. The decision must then be notified to the student.

Other regulations

The course is an elective course within USBE's master programs in business administration. Students who have applied for the course are placed on the waiting list until the student has arranged an internship on their own and received USBE's approval of the internship plan.

This course can not be included in the degree together with 2FE140.

Academic credit transfers are according to the University credit transfer regulations.

The internship cannot take place in an own company, i.e. as self-employment.