Course Description

Directed applicable work experience under the supervision of the Director of Business Internships and an accounting or business professional at the place of employment. Applications are processed through the department Faculty Intern Advisor. Applicants must apply the semester prior to starting the internship.

Rationale

Many employers utilize the Internship experience as a means of observing and hiring their future employees. By successfully completing an Internship in Accounting and a position of the student’s choosing, the student enhances significantly his/her marketability and appeal as a prospective employee. Professionalism, initiative, reliability, and responsibility will always be in demand. An internship presents the opportunity to establish a reputation with these qualities. Students need to plan ahead financially as well as academically.

While there are various internships that provide a salary or hourly wage, there are also many excellent opportunities that provide no compensation whatsoever. Internships need to be considered on the merits and opportunities of potential learning experiences and career advancement. The skills learned contacts, and references made should be the prime consideration in the selection of an internship.  For these reasons, financial planning is very important before a student does an internship.

Measurable Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the organizational structure of the business/organization.
2. Discuss how classroom learning applies to the student’s internship experience.
3. Describe the effective and ineffective mechanisms of organizational communication at the student’s site.
4. Describe an ethical dilemma at the student’s workplace (actual or possible) that the student has observed or of which the student has been a part. The student will discuss why the student feels this dilemma exists and what actions were/are necessary to resolve the dilemma.
5. Identify the rights and responsibilities of sports management professionals as depicted in codes of professional ethics and justify personal and management values and principles.

Course Assignment

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Liberty University, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Code of Conduct Statement Assignment

The student will be asked to sign and upload a Code of Conduct Statement.  The purpose of this assignment is to ensure students understand their responsibilities as they are interning or volunteering at an organization.

Resume and Cover Letter Assignment

After viewing the Résumé and Cover Letter Workshop materials, the student must create an updated Résumé and Cover Letter.  Additionally, the student must write his or her Cover Letter for the position they are currently working.

Introduction Assignment

The student will provide an introduction to the company they are interning for as well as specific pre-internship expectations. The student will list desired personal and professional goals that they would like to achieve during their time as an intern. The purpose of the assignment is to initiate the critical thinking skills of students regarding their personal and professional development as an intern.

Log Sheet Assignments (6)

The student will document weekly hours on the log sheet and submit an updated log sheet.  The student will keep a running log and continue to add to the previous week’s events.  Additionally, the student will describe all duties performed and provide feedback regarding the responsibilities for that week. The student must earn a minimum of 180 hours to earn 3 credit hours in order to successfully complete the course.

Internship News Assignment

The student will provide an article that could be posted on a website and/or social media account. The purpose of this article is to help current and prospective students understand the great internship opportunities that are available.

Organizational Analysis Project Assignment

The purpose of the organizational analysis project is to create a comprehensive analysis based on the student’s organization and the experiences the student had throughout the semester. This project is an opportunity to reflect on the time the student spent in his/her internship.

Student Evaluation of Employer Assignment

The student will complete and upload a Student Evaluation of Employer Form.  The purpose of this assignment is to ensure students have an opportunity to assess their internship organization.

Supervisor Final Evaluation Assignment

Each Site Supervisor will complete the Supervisor’s Final Evaluation of the student’s on-site performance during the student’s internship. The supervisor will base their evaluation on the following criteria: Interpersonal Relationships, Initiative, Reliability, Judgment, Attitude toward Work, Willingness, Quality of Work, Attendance, Punctuality, and Overall Performance.  It is the student’s responsibility, after all of the internship hours are completed, to ensure his or her supervisor completes the supervisor’s final evaluation.