Internships: Students

The pathway to your future!

We are committed to providing you with a world-class education. Our purpose is to prepare you to be ready to face the business world. That is why the Department International Business and Business Career Management Department have partnered with several of the key players in today’s business world to offer you internships that will create opportunities and take you down the road to success. Take advantage of your opportunities!

• Student Requirements

  As a student intern of the Department of International Business, students agree to the Code of Responsibilities that will guide them through the process of obtaining and participating in an internship.

  The Student Code of Responsibilities and Requirements includes:

  1. The student must demonstrate to the Internship Manager and Chair of the Department that the following criteria have been met:
     • MAN 4946, International Business Internship 1: A grade of “C” or higher in MAN 3025 or equivalent, earned a minimum of 60 credit hours
     • MAN 4947, International Business Internship 2: Completion of MAN 4946; minimum 90 credit hours; GPA 2.75 or higher
     • MAN 6943, Graduate International Business Internship: Graduate student
     • Registering for MAN 4946, MAN 4947, or MAN 6943 for one to three credits
     • Meeting the minimum GPA requirement of 2.75
     • The student must complete the internship and the class simultaneously. The Department of International Business will not provide retroactive credit for internships that were completed in previous semesters.
  2. The student must demonstrate good academic standing with the university throughout the internship.
  3. The student must demonstrate good behavioral standing with the university throughout the internship.
  4. The student must agree that the opportunity for completing a future internship will be lost if a commitment to an employer is made and then broken by the student.
  5. The student must assume all inherent risks while completing the internship.
  6. he student must adhere to all requirements and responsibilities of the Internship Program.
  7. Students, once qualified, may apply for internship positions and create their own personal website.
  8. Students, when offered a position, must submit the Internship Application form for department approval.
  9. Students must submit reports, and evaluations when due.

  All above requirements must be met in order for students to receive internship credit for the work experience.

• Step by Step Guidelines

  Internship goals

  1. To gain work experience in the field of International Business.
  2. To help you confirm or re-shape student’s career goals.
  3. To develop specific work related skills that can enhance student’s marketability upon graduation.
  4. To help students build your their "network" of professional contacts for their future job search upon graduation
  5. To allow you to demonstrate your talents to a potential future employer.

  Forms and requirements

  The following must be completed and/or submitted to the Department of International Business by the posted deadline in order for you to receive credit for your internship experience.

  Internship application

  1. Student Report (1 copy)
  2. Employer Evaluation of Student
  3. Student Evaluation of Employer
  4. Updated resume including internship experience

  Beginning of the semester

  Submit internship application for approval by the Department of International Business.

  1. Application needs to be approved by the Department of International Business. Information to be included consists of student’s academic information, detailed job description, skills to be acquired (within the field of International Business), and learning objectives. The first page of the application is to be signed by the student, the third page needs to be signed by the internship supervisor. The third page will remain blank for department approval.
  2. Once these documents have been turned into the Department of International Business, student will be notified of whether they are approved to enroll in internship course.
  3. If approved, student will receive a permit number to enroll into MAN 4946 (International Business 1), MAN 4947 (International Business Internship 2), or MAN 6943 (Graduate International Business Internship).
• Report Guidelines

  Purpose: To develop clear and concise writing skills which are highly valued by employers.

  Length: Reports should be 10 - 15, double-spaced, typed pages.

  Report Content

  1. Cover page:
     • Name
     • Social Security Number
     • Major
     • Co-op/internship course listing and term of work
     • Company name
     • Address, division or department
     • Direct supervisor's name and telephone number
  2. Table of Contents: Please number your pages and include a table of contents.
  3. Resume: An updated version detailing the internship position.
  4. Introduction: Use the company literature -- Identify leaders of the organization, its mission, corporate philosophy, major products or services, size in terms of sales and employees, locations other than your community, organizational structure, major competitors, latest news reports on the company or news that affects the company
  5. Job Description & Special Projects: Specific duties assigned to you. Give detailed description of specific projects you are involved in. For example, if you wrote programs or developed flyers briefly describe them and include samples of your work.
  6. Learning Objectives: Provide the Learning Objectives form signed by your supervisor. The learning objectives should be established with the supervisor in charge of overseeing your work performance. Make time to talk to him/her to ensure that both the company and you have clear expectations for the work assigned to you.
  7. Origanizational Environment: How does your department fit into the overall structure of the organization or company (include an organizational chart if possible) What did you notice about management styles, the corporate culture, policies/procedures, etc.?
  8. Relation to courses taken at FIU: How did you apply the material learned in classes? Relate your experience to specific courses.
  9. Conclusion: Did you meet the organization’s and your learning objectives? Relate how your work experience has helped clarify your career goals.
  10. Appraisal Forms: Include a completed copy of the Employer Appraisal and Student Appraisal forms in the appendix section.
• Frequently Asked Questions

  An internship can provide an important non-traditional educational experience for International Business majors and can often give the student a competitive "leg up" when searching for a job following graduation. Presented below are some basic questions-and-answers involving internships.

  What is an internship?

  An internship is work experience related to your educational and/or career interests. It is a planned, structured, supervised experience where you learn about a particular profession or industry. Internships can be either full-time or part-time.

  Although many FIU students work (part-time or even full-time), internships provide a distinct experience. If you don't have work experience, it's essential that you do an internship. Most internships don't require previous experience, just an interest in learning and a willingness to work hard. When it comes to getting your ideal job after graduation, employers tell us they strongly prefer to hire students with internship experience. They find that these students know what it's like in the working world and are more focused regarding their career choice. They also tell us that internship experience often carries more weight than a super high GPA.

  Why do an internship?

  An internship gives you the opportunity to "test drive" a career you're considering before you graduate. Other benefits include integrating and complementing your academic coursework with hands-on professional experience, building your marketable skills, finding out what type of work environment you prefer, and developing a network of future employment contacts. Past interns report additional benefits: you're more likely to land a job in the industry of your choice, receive more job offers at graduation, and experience greater satisfaction on your first job. Also, many interns receive offers of a full-time, professional position from their internship site at graduation. During your internship, the employer has had a chance to check you out...and you've had a chance to check out the organization to see if you'd like to begin your career there. One more benefit: sometimes an internship will help you find out what's not for you. You may learn that your expectations of a career in advertising didn't quite match up with the realities. It's better to discover this as an intern, rather than during your first job after graduation. The bottom line? There is no better way to begin a successful career than by doing an internship.

  Who is eligible to do an internship?

  Business students meeting requirements for internship course (please refer to course catalog for more information).

  Will I get paid?

  Most internships are unpaid; however, the true value comes from the experience of performing interesting work with a company-experience that can yield dividends later on.

  Can I get academic credit?

  Yes! Our Internship Program is designed for you to obtain academic credit.

  Is there a tuition charge for internships?

  Only internships taken for academic credit are subject to regular tuition fees. Tuition covers the cost of having your faculty advisor supervise, monitor, evaluate, and grade your work performance. There is no charge for internship which are not taken for academic credit.

  How many hours will I need to devote to an internship?

  Most internships require 10-20 hours per week, but some employers ask for less time and some for more time. It's up to you and the employer to agree upon the number of hours that you'll work. If you have difficulty finding time to intern during the academic school year, consider doing an internship during the summer when you can work for either part-time or full-time. Most internships last for at least 10 weeks but many students do internships for 6 months, a year, two years, or more.

  When should I apply?

  Internships are available throughout the year--fall, winter, spring, and summer. For most internships, you should apply the quarter before you'd like to start your internship. However, the most popular and competitive summer internship programs have very early application deadlines--often as early as fall or winter

  Do I need a résumé (and cover letter)?

  Yes. As with full-time positions, most internships require application with both a résumé and a cover letter. If you haven't yet written a résumé, pick up Career Services' how-to-write-a-résumé handout.

  What makes a great internship?

  The opportunity to work at or slightly above your current skill level
  An established program, committed resources, and an involved supervisor or mentor
  Exposure to various departments and/or functions (e.g. the opportunity to attend staff or client meetings)
  A "start to finish" project and a resulting product (a report, a paper, a presentation)
  An opportunity to be considered for a full-time, professional position at graduation

  Things to agree on with your internship supervisor before you start your internship:

  Ask for a detailed description of the internship before you agree to accept the position, and ask specific questions about what you'll be doing and learning:

  Will you get to attend a staff meeting?

  Will you gain research experience?

  Will you have opportunities to interact with members from various departments?

  Will you apply industry specific skills to the tasks given to you?

  How much autonomy will you be given to accomplish the tasks assigned to you?

  Discuss what you expect from the internship and what you'd like to learn and accomplish. If your expectations match with your supervisor's, you'll avoid "gofer" work.
  Discuss your major and academic coursework-- talk with your supervisor about how you might integrate your studies into the internship experience.
  Discuss your academic schedule including final exams and holiday breaks -- if given advance notice, most employers are understanding about the extra time you might need before final exams.

  The bottom line on internships..

  Internships provide you with professional experience in your field, improving your chances of finding a great job after graduation. Internship experience can make you stand out among other job applicants. Employers report that 59% of their new hires have internship experience (NACE Job Outlook 2004).

  Internships may lead to full-time employment after graduation. Employers rate internship programs as the most effective recruiting method they use for hiring new graduates (NACE Job Outlook 2004). Companies offered 56.9% of student interns at their organizations full-time jobs after graduation (Gold, NACE Colleges, Employers Report on Experiential Education).

  You may get paid more. "Almost two-thirds (64.2 percent) of employers said they paid new, permanent, full-time hires with experiential education an average of 8.9 percent more than they would have offered a college graduate without that experience," (Gold, NACE Colleges, Employers Report on Experiential Education).

  Internships help you determine a career path. Internships are a great way to explore career possibilities within your field and learn what opportunities you can pursue after graduation.