Program Overview

International Internship Program

The International Internship program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to gain valuable insight into actual international business operations. This program allows students to correlate their academic experience with professional experience in an international business setting.

Course Description

The International Internship has been designed to provide students with the opportunity to gain valuable insight into actual international business operations, so that they may better correlate their academic experience with professional experience in an international business setting. Implementation is accomplished by permitting students to assume professional responsibilities with global businesses and nonprofit organizations, where the student must complete a minimum of 320 hours at the internship site.

Course Objectives

The course objectives are:

1. Apply theoretical and practical knowledge from courses to local, regional, international, and professional work settings as applicable.
2. To develop the student's level of professionalism and work ethic.
3. Analyze information and apply critical thinking skills to help solve organizational problems in an international business environment.
4. Develop and refine oral and written communication skills, in the context of effective organizational communication.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of and appreciate the importance of organizational behavior, structure, and cultural differences that exist in an international business context.

Student Learning Outcomes

The student learning outcomes are:

1. Apply theoretical knowledge from courses to an international and professional work setting.
2. Analyze information and apply critical thinking skills to help solve organizational problems in an international business environment.
3. Apply qualitative analysis through professional communication in the form of written, verbal, and non-verbal means.
4. Describe, analyze, evaluate, and critique workplace processes and procedures using academic concepts.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of and appreciate the importance of organizational behavior, structure, and cultural differences that exist in an international business context.

Program Outcomes Met By This Course

This course meets the program outcome ISLO-3: Students will be able to demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills.

Course Grading

The course grading is based on the following:

• Oral presentation: 25%
• Written report (inclusive of daily activity log): 25%
• Midterm supervisor assessment report: 25%
• Final supervisor assessment report: 25%

Course Requirements

The course requirements are:

1. Complete a 12-week (480 hour) internship at an assigned organization.
2. Submit a midterm supervisor assessment report.
3. Complete an oral presentation.
4. Submit a written report (inclusive of daily log).
5. Submit a final supervisor assessment report.

Course Schedule

The course schedule is as follows:

1. Before the internship: Attend an internship briefing and familiarize yourself with the internship checklist.
2. During the internship: The student must ascertain who their SGU Faculty Internship Supervisor is.
3. After the internship: Upon completion of the internship, the student must collect a thank-you letter for their internship organization from the department secretaries.

Internship Overview and Support

The internship is a joint venture undertaken with employers at various business organizations and St. George's University. Prior to and during the internship, students will have contact with the following:

1. SGU Support Staff: Secretaries will provide an internship checklist, a list of suggested companies/organizations, internship report and presentation guidelines, and an evaluation package to each student.
2. Assigned Faculty Internship Supervisors: Faculty supervisors will provide the necessary support and guidelines before, during, and upon completion of the internship.
3. Workplace Mentor/Supervisor: The internship organization will assign a supervisor/mentor to ensure that the work undertaken is of a substantial nature, the necessary support is provided, and the student evaluations are completed on time.

Written Internship Rubric

The written internship rubric assesses the following categories:

1. Overview of internship site, mission, services, personnel.
2. Internship activities, duties, responsibilities.
3. Self-assessment of preparedness.
4. Lessons learned and challenges experienced.
5. Successes experienced and areas for professional development.
6. What was learned from the experience and the relevance of theories and concepts learned.
7. Sketch of future plans (career, etc.).
8. Student evaluation of the overall internship site.
9. Style and follows APA writing style and basic rules of formal English grammar and written paper style.
10. Daily activity log.

Presentation Rubric

The presentation rubric assesses the following criteria:

1. Introduction, articulation, and development of ideas, conclusion.
2. Information and adherence to internship report guidelines, depth of research on the company, application of relevant theories and concepts learned.
3. Volume, enunciation, eye contact, posture, appropriate dress.
4. Choice, punctuation, spelling, clarity of presentation using appropriate word choice.
5. Audience and engagement.
6. Time management, completion of the presentation in the allocated 25 minutes with 5 minutes for questions and answers.

Academic Integrity

Plagiarism is regarded as a cardinal offense in academia because it constitutes theft of the work of someone else, which is then purported as the original work of the plagiarist. Plagiarism draws into disrepute the credibility of the institution, its faculty, and students; therefore, it is not tolerated.

Attendance Requirement

Students are expected to attend all classes and or clinical rotations for which they have registered. Although attendance may not be recorded at every academic activity, attendance may be taken randomly. Students' absence may adversely affect their academic status as specified in the grading policy.

Examination Attendance

All matriculated students are expected to attend all assigned academic activities for each course currently registered. Medical excuses will be based on self-reporting by students. Students who feel they are too sick to take an examination or other required activity on a specific day must submit the online SAS medical excuse.

Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services Policy

A student with a disability or disabling condition that affects one or more major life activities, who would like to request an accommodation, must submit a completed application form and supporting documentation to the Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services (SAAS) located in the Dean of Students Office.