Course Description
This course provides students with the opportunity to apply their classroom learning in an actual business environment. The Experiential Learning & Internship course involves ongoing consultation between the student, the faculty advisor and the employment supervisor. The student is placed in a sponsoring firm identified or approved by faculty, and assigned tasks and challenges appropriate to a junior management/ marketing/business/administrative and/or sales employee. The experience provides an opportunity to apply theory and knowledge in a business situation, and it enables the student to integrate their knowledge with actual practice as it applies in the sponsoring firm. The internship experience is designed to provide the student with practical experience in solving real-world problems. This course is intended for marketing and business students.
Course Content
- Pre-Internship meeting and identification of goals and deliverables for the internship
- Workplace experience and involvement with business professionals
- Employment Journal - student will keep a journal of the details of the internship, including a chronological listing of work experiences, training made available to them, and a description of assignments and tasks performed, and of feedback received
- Final report – student will write a paper analyzing the knowledge gained from the internship experience and demonstrating the ability to integrate that knowledge with their formal education.
Methods Of Instruction
The faculty member will assign or approve, for the student, a sponsoring firm in which to undertake his/her internship, and will serve as the student’s mentor throughout the internship. The student will prepare an initial proposal outlining the objectives and intended outcomes of the internship. The faculty member will review the initial proposal and guide and mentor the student throughout the term. The student will produce a report at the end of the internship term, with an analysis of the work undertaken. The sponsoring firm will identify a supervisor to work with the student, and the faculty member will also liaise with the supervisor. This is not a co-op type of situation, and the student will not be paid for the work they do for the sponsoring firm.
Learning Outcomes
The fundamental objectives of this course are to develop the capability:
- To interpret concepts learned in commerce and business courses as they relate to the business environment.
- To examine the workings of business situations, and to analyze the culture of the business world.
- To evaluate jobs in industry and, through this, to align personal career goals.
- To develop and refine skills and knowledge specific to the student’s chosen career path
- To work independently in a professional environment
Textbook Materials
An information package with relevant materials will be prepared for students to purchase.