BUSI493: BUSI INTERN PROJECT I

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Welcome to the Canvas portal for the Summer 2017 business internship course (for credit).  

Introduction:

  1. You must be enrolled at UNC Chapel Hill, a KFBS major/minor in good academic standing (3.0 minimum GPA) in order to pursue this option
  2. This is a 3.0 credit course only (there is no option for 1.5 credits). 
  3. This course is designed to run in tandem with your internship, therefore you must complete your internship and the course at (roughly) the same time.
  4. You must complete a minimum of 200 work/contact hours by Friday, August 4*, 2017 (July 28 for August 2017 graduates).  Hours worked prior to Monday, May 8, 2017 do not count toward this requirement.
  5. Submit all deliverables by the appropriate due date (see course requirements and grading).  Course deliverables will be managed through Canvas.  It is your responsibility to understand how to navigate Canvas and manage these deliverables alongside your other academic work.  Late work, accepted up to 24 hours after deadline, will be penalized at 50% of available points.  Later than 24 hours will receive 0 points.  No Exceptions!
  6. Drop/Add Policy:  The last day to ‘drop’ this course is Wednesday, July 12, 2017.  It is your responsibility to drop this course.  I will not approve drops after this date.
  7. This is a graded course and isn't necessarily designed to be overly burdensome; it does, however, require you to put adequate thought and effort into your assignments. And while this course is reflective in nature (no right or wrong answers); you are required to articulate your experiences in a thoughtful, mature, and professional manner, as well as to execute proper grammar, spelling, and structure.  In other words, you cannot simply put words on paper and expect to receive full credit.  

  8. You will receive a traditional letter grade for this course.  All deliverables must be completed and submitted by the due dates outlined in Section 5.  

Course Content:

This course is comprised of the following elements:
  • Journal Entries (account for 30% of your final grade).
    • Content:  The purpose of the journal is to help you record what you learn about your job and your role as a worker for this company/organization.  You can use the journal to explore your understanding of the world of work.  This regular examination of what you are learning will make you more effective and employable, and will provide you with valuable information to help guide you through the career search. 
    • You must complete three journal entries throughout the course (see assignments).  The journal is a record of what you do and learn on the job.  While each journal entry has a theme, you should also include relevant information about the projects you are working on, interactions with co-workers, organizational culture, and any additional information you've found insightful.
      • Themes:
        • Journal #1:  Company overview (due Saturday, June 17, by 11:59p)
          • What business unit/division are you working in?
          • What is the organizational culture?
          • What is your role? 
          • What particular projects are you working on?  How does what you are doing fit into the overall strategy of the business unit/division?
        • Journal #2:  Industry overview (due Saturday, July 8, by 11:59p)
          • Who are the major competitors/peers?
          • What differentiates your organization from competitors/peers?
        • Journal #3:  Informational Interviews (each interview/narrative should be one full page for 3 total pages); (due Saturday, July 29, by 11:59p)
          • (1) Current supervisor
          • (2) Two people from outside of your business unit; in the case of a small business/entrepreneurial venture, you may interview clients or vendors
    • Format:  Each journal entry should be a minimum of two (2) full pages (no more than 3 pages), typed and double-spaced with traditional font and margins (12-point, 1-inch margins).  Please review and edit your work before submitting to Canvas using the ‘assignment’ feature.  Poor grammar, syntax, structure and spelling will result in grade reductions.  Please make sure your full name, PID, and company name appear in the footer of each page of your journal submissions.
  • Final Paper (Reflective Essay):  The reflective essay accounts for 40% of your total grade (due Aug 5*)
    • Description:  The final paper is designed to help you synthesize everything you experience and learn during your internship.  It may also provide a document that future interns can examine in order to learn more about the company.  Because this information may be seen by others, I encourage due diligence before including potentially confidential information about the company you’re working for.
    • Content:  At a minimum, the final paper should answer the following:
      • What were your job responsibilities?  In performing your duties, did you provide value to the company?  If so, how?  If no, why not?
    • Did you achieve your learning objectives (what have you learned)?  Be specific.  For example, if you analyzed an industry as part of your internship, describe what you learned about the industry.  If you did not meet some of your learning objectives, why was that the case?  Take care not to turn your paper into an industry report.
      • Was your internship a valuable experience as you look at your career exploration and development?  If so, how?  If no, why not?
      • What surprised you the most about your internship experience?
      • If you could do your internship over again, how would you change or improve your performance?
    • Format:  The final paper must a minimum of three (3) full pages (no more than 4), typed and single-spaced with traditional font and margins (12-point, 1-inch margins).  Please review and edit your work before submitting to Canvas using the ‘assignment’ feature.  Poor grammar, syntax, structure and spelling will result in grade reductions.  Please make sure your full name, PID, and company name appear in the footer of each page of your journal submissions.  You do not need a cover page. 
  • Internship Evaluation:  This accounts for 5% of your total grade (due Aug 5*)
    • Description:  This information can help us better understand specific organization’s internship program, as well as students’ internship experiences.  It also provides valuable information to help future students as they seek internships.  Please note that this form is not tied directly into Canvas.  Completing this document will not automatically indicate this assignment is completed in Canvas. 
    • Content:  This is your opportunity to speak candidly about your internship experience.
      • Did the internship experience meet your expectations?  Why or why not?
      • What did like most about your internship experience?  The least?  What changes would you recommend?
      • What advice would you give to a classmate who was interested in this particular internship program?
    • Format:  The link to this form can be found on the assignment in Canvas.  The internship evaluation should not be completed more than 3 weeks prior to the completion of your internship.
  • Internship Documentation:  This accounts for 10% of your total grade (due Aug 5*)
    • Description:  This form must be completed by your employer at the end of your internship.  Approximately 2-3 weeks prior to the end of your internship term, your internship supervisor will be sent an email directing them to complete this form online.  In the highly unlikely event they are unable to complete the online form, please have them contact me directly. Please note that this form is not tied directly into Canvas.  Completing this document will not automatically indicate this assignment is completed in Canvas. 
    • Content:  The Internship Documentation Form documents/confirms the time you worked and the duties you performed.  It also allows your employer to provide an optional, written assessment of your on-the-job performance.
    • Format:  The link to this online form will be sent to the primary supervisor listed on the Request for Academic Credit Form.  It is your responsibility to ensure that this information is correct.
  • Class Participation: This accounts for 5% of your total grade.
    • While the majority of this course will be completed without physically meeting as a class, you are required to be actively engaged when appropriate.  This includes, but is not limited to, completing surveys and responding (in a timely manner) to requests from the instructor.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due