The University of Texas at Austin

College of Business Administration

Manual Draft For the BA 353 Internship Class

• Internship Documentation Form
• Petition for Individualized Internship BA 353
• Requirements for Majors

Internship Program Overview

Beginning in Fall 1998, the College of Business Administration (CBA) at The University of Texas at Austin is launching an innovative new program requiring all undergraduates to participate in an internship prior to graduation. Students entering the college under the 1998-2000 Undergraduate Catalog are required to take the BA 353 internship course as part of the degree requirement.

Internships will benefit both students and employers because employers value experience and are impressed by applicants who have demonstrated that they are ready for the work force. They will look to their interns when hiring for permanent positions. In short, an internship leads to employment opportunities.

Internships also give students an opportunity to evaluate the individual companies for whom they work and, more importantly, the career paths they are considering. For many students, deciding on a career is challenging. An internship can clarify any ambivalence a student may feel about his or her major because it offers him or her a glimpse into a potential career path that a classroom cannot provide. Further, an internship can help students assess their abilities in depth so that they can understand what it takes to be successful in their field. After interning, students will have a clearer sense as to whether a chosen career meets his or her particular needs, expectations, and goals. If it is not, students can save themselves time and resources and begin to invest their energies into other career ventures about which they are more enthusiastic.

An internship is an educational employment position that allows students the opportunity to practice what they have learned in their academic classes. Interns are hired for a finite period, usually during the summer or for a single academic semester. Positions can be paid or unpaid, part-time or full-time. A maximum of 3 hours of credit (or one internship) will count toward the undergraduate business degree requirement. Students cannot participate in subsequent for-credit internships to satisfy any undergraduate business degree requirement; however, students are welcome to participate in as many not-for-credit internships as they choose.

Major Requirements

Each department in the CBA has it own designated BA 353 section. Students must enroll in the internship course within their major unless they have changed majors and have already received credit for a business internship. In this case, the class will automatically count toward the degree requirement for the student’s new business major; hence, the student does not have to take the internship course again. Business Honors Program students may choose to take the Honors internship course or the course offered under the auspices of their other business major (if any). Students may not take both. PPA Program students must complete the graduate internship requirement for their program and are exempt from the undergraduate internship requirement.

Participation Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in a for-credit internship, students must have:

• • Completed a minimum of 45 hours of college course work with a passing grade
  • Declared a major in the CBA

In order to declare a major in the CBA, students must have:

• • Completed minimum of 30 college hours with a passing grade
  • Filed a Declaration of Major form in the Undergraduate Dean’s Office for Student Services (CBA 2.134)

• • Fulfillment of foreign language proficiency requirement
  • 2 years of one foreign language in high school or
  • Proficiency in a foreign language at the 2^nd semester college level

• • Cleared any admission deficiencies
  • Completed M 403K, M 403L, ECO 304K, ECO 304L, BA 101, credit or registration for BA 102

Note to international students: depending on your visa status, you will have different circumstances. Please contact the International Students Office at 471-1211 to obtain handouts, forms and information regarding work authorization. International internships are always an option for international students.

Registering for the Course

• Students must speak to their departmental academic advisor about their eligibility to enroll in the internship course.
• If a student meets all the requirements, the advisor will give him/her a petition form. The petition form and student objectives page must be turned in to the departmental academic supervisor for review.
• After the academic advisor reviews the student’s internship, take the petition form to Window 2 in the Undergraduate Dean’s Office, CBA 2.314.
• The Dean’s Office will not add the class to a student’s schedule; students must still add course through the regular registration process
• Students must ensure that they have obtained all necessary reviews and signatures before beginning the internship.
• Applications for the internship class will not be approved for an internship that is completed or in progress.
• The deadlines for the internship program are the same as the regular UT registration deadlines.

Obtaining an Internship

The Ford Career Center (CSO) is dedicated to assisting students in all phases of the internship search, from writing the resume and cover letter to suggesting tactics for a successful interview. Students should make an appointment with a career advisor at CSO in CBA 2.116 to discuss strategies for obtaining an internship. Usually the number of students who want internships exceeds the number available though the CSO, so it is important that students use all of the resources available to them, including the CSO and their own networking.

Students must keep in mind that they will have to find and be hired for an internship position before they register for the course. Summer internships are competitive, so students should begin their search the previous fall (although many interviews take place in the spring for summer internships). The alternative to an internship is a practicum within the student’s major department. Students can consult their department for information about this option.

Semester of Internship

The internship must be completed prior to the student’s last semester at the College of Business; a student cannot participate in a for-credit internship during his or her final semester at UT. Otherwise, students can participate in internships during any fall, spring or summer. Registration for these classes is unlimited, so students who have met all the requirements will be able to register.

Fall and Spring Internships

Students must be registered for the class by the 12^th class day of the semester in which the student is participating in the internship. Applications will not be issued after the 4^th class day due to the length of the processing time involved.

Summer Internships

If a student plans to participate in a summer internship, he or she must pre-register for the internship course offered the fall semester immediately after the summer of the internship. Students must petition for permission to claim the internship before it has begun; therefore, students cannot register for the fall course if they have already completed the summer internship without prior approval for fall registration.

Seniors graduating in the fall who have not completed their internship requirement at the end of the spring semester before graduation may register for the fall internship course but must complete the internship in the summer.

Internship Course Grading

The class is graded on a pass/fail basis. However, the standards for credit will be high. The student’s department will provide a list of their specific requirements, which may include a daily journal, an internship documentation form, and a final paper. The internship is a professional experience, and students will be held to a professional standard with respect to organization, content, and writing of both the journal and paper.

Each department has a Faculty Internship Coordinator (see Contact List, p. 7) and a Departmental Advisor who can assist students in gaining credit for their internship experience. The Faculty Internship Coordinator, or their designee, will be responsible for grading students’ final papers. They will also assist students in any academic concerns involving their internships.

The company with which a student interns should appoint a supervisor to monitor the student’s progress. He or she will likely be responsible for assigning the student’s projects and documenting the student’s work at the end of the internship. Furthermore, the company supervisor should be the student’s primary contact when and if problems arise in the work place. Every department has specific guidelines regarding BA 353; students should reference their department's requirements for more information.

Questions…

What if I have already completed an internship in a major outside of the Business School?

If you are transferring into the business school from another UT college and have completed an internship course for that major, you can petition to substitute that course for the BA internship course. The petition must be approved by both the department and the Undergraduate Dean’s Office. Students who are allowed to substitute a non-business internship may need to take an additional business course to meet the graduation requirement of 48 hours of business course work. Non-transfers must complete the internship course within the business school. Internship courses from other colleges will not count toward the degree requirement for business after one declares business as a major and takes the BA 353 after declaring.

Is my current job considered an internship?

If you are currently employed (including work-study positions) and your position is related to your academic major, you might be able to receive special consideration from your department to consider your present job as an internship. You will still be required to complete all academic requirements. Furthermore, the department has the right to deny your petition if your duties do not meet departmental requirements.

Contact List

Internship Documentation Form

The Texas College of Business Administration requires that each student who performs an internship have their hours and work documented by their company supervisor. In addition, at your company's discretion, we would appreciate you filling in the information on areas of strength and areas for improvement for the intern.

Student Name: ___________________________ Social Security No: __________________

Employer/Company:_______________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________

Supervisor: _________________________________ Title: _______________________

Internship title: ____________________________ Total Hours Worked: ____________

Start Date: ___________ Ending Date: ________________________

Projects Performed: ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

To help the students assess their skills, you may fill out the performance check list (optional):

Additional Comments:

Signature: ____________________________ Phone #: _______________Date: ______

Please return to: _________________________________________________________

Download Word Format Petition Form (Printable)

Petition For Individualized Internship-- BA 353

Dept: ACC ________ FIN ________ MAN _________ MKT ________ MSIS _________

(For Accounting, specify academic program)

Student Section (Type or Print):

Last Name: __________________________ First Name: _________________ M.I.: ____

SSN: _______________________ Home Phone: ______________________________

Local Address: ___________________________________________________________

E-Mail: ___________________________________________

Class Standing: Sophomore ___________ Junior ___________ Senior ___________

Hours Completed: ______________ as of current semester ______________

Employer/Company: ____________________________________________________

Supervisor’s Name: __________________________________ Title: _____________

(please attach supervisor’s business card)

Phone: ____________________________ E-Mail: _____________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________

Attach a separate page presenting:

(Typed, limit to one page, use subheadings for each item)

• Student's name and name of company

• brief job/project description

• educational objectives

• skill development objectives

• professional development goals

Evaluation: Daily Journal, Internship Documentation Form, Academic Paper

(Please refer to the student handbook for all rules regarding academic dishonesty).

Student Name: __________________________________________ Date: __________

(print)

Student Signature: _______________________________________

Administrative Section:

Declared a Major: ____________________________ 45 Total Hours: ________________

Departmental Internship Coordinator:

Internship Objectives/Goals: ______received

Overall Internship: ______reviewed

Signature: ____________________________________________ Date:____________________

BA 353: Semester _________________________ Unique: ________________________