Professional Career Management
BUS 5V95 Internship in Business Syllabus
Fall 2013 - Internship Requirements/Grading
Instructor:
Kenneth Buckley
Director of Career Management
Email: Kenneth_Buckley@baylor.edu
Phone: 710-7053
Office: Graduate Programs Center, Suite 239 – Office # 260
Office Hours:
T & TR 9:00am – 11:00am
T & TR 1:00pm – 3:00pm
and by appointment
An internship is designed to assist students in taking maximum advantage of the educational potential and
personal development opportunities found in an internship experience during the MBA program. The internship
provides a framework for students to be introspective about their personal growth objectives, understand their
strengths and weaknesses in an organizational context, improve their professional maturity, develop their ability
to assess and articulate their value to potential employers, evaluate their choice with respect to industry,
company and role, as well as further clarify their career passion and prospective about their future career
direction. The company, industry analysis and interview sections of the course also provide an opportunity to
apply the knowledge gained from courses already completed in the MBA program.
The primary outcome objective of the internship is for students to systematically evaluate themselves and the
organization in which they work to determine: “If offered a career employment opportunity with this
organization upon graduation, would I accept? Why or why not?” The “why or why not” will focus on the
potential fit between individual strengths/interests and the organizational environment/culture. Internship
requirements and grading will focus on nine elements outlined below. This course is your first practical step in
managing your MBA career. Please read and understand the requirements and note that all of the assignments
for this course with exception of the final project will be complete within the summer semester. The Final Project
is due within the first two weeks of the fall semester.
Course Assignments and Requirements:
1.
Application
It is important that you complete the online student internship application form:
http://www.baylor.edu/business/mba/index.php?id=83903 prior to the beginning of the summer. Your
internship must be approved in order to support the requirements of this course. Ideally, you would complete
this application as soon as you have secured your internship. The requirements for your internship to be
acceptable are the following:
a) Must be a role that replicates a traditional 40 hour work week and spans a minimum of 8
weeks.
b) Must be a role that will adequately prepare you for your first MBA opportunity upon
graduation with respect to duties, responsibilities and commitments and will replicate the
general employment expectations of an MBA.
c) Must be a role that will allow you to evaluate your career development and make decisions
about what industry, what company, what role and what culture is best for you.
The Application is before May 27th and represents 2.5% of your grade.
2.
Self-Assessment
At the beginning of the internship, describe four to six personal objectives and or goals that you would like to
accomplish during your internship. Consider including personal skill development as well as interpersonal
development and the application of the knowledge base you have currently obtained in the MBA program. The
suggested length is 1-2 pages. Through the internship period, come back to these objectives and comment
regarding how you are (or are not) progressing on each one.
The Self-Assessment is due by 9 am on June 3rd. The Self-Assessment represents 5% of your grade.
3.
Weekly Journal
Each week (for a total of 4 weeks) you should capture the following information in your journal, for that week:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
What major assignment(s) have you worked on?
What was the biggest challenge that you faced this week and how did you overcome it?
What was your greatest contribution to the company this week?
What did you learn from this week that will help you with your career development?
What could have been done by you to make this week
more productive?
f) On a 1 to 5 scale (5 being highest) how would you note/assess your
performance this week? What is the basis upon which this “grade”
is given?
g) How am I doing with respect to the objectives and goals I set out in my “SelfAssessment”?
The Weekly Journals should be submitted each Monday for four weeks beginning June 10th (then June 17th, June
24th and July 1st). Each Weekly Journal should be delivered no later than 9am. The Weekly Journals represent
15% of your grade. Note: you are only required to submit a maximum of 4 Weekly Journals. Suggested length is
½ to 1 page.
4.
Industry Analysis
This may require research and/or discussions with co-workers familiar with the industry and/or conversations or
research with industry analysts or trade publications. The suggested length is 2-4 pages.
Detail in your Analysis:
a) Who are the major players (competitors) in this industry and what are their respective market shares?
b) Has the industry grown or declined financially over the last 3 yrs (Provide industry revenue #’s)?
c) What key factors have fueled the growth or caused the decline over the 3yr period?
d) Why is this a good place for investors to place their capital?
e) What is it about this industry that appeals to you personally?
This analysis is due by 9am Monday July 8th and represents 15% of your grade
5.
Company Analysis
In addition to personal observations, this assignment may require research and/or discussions with co-workers
familiar with the company and/or conversations or research with industry analysts. The suggested length is 2-4
pages.
Detail in your Analysis:
a) Within the general industry, where does this business unit, company or organization, rank with
regards to revenue and size?
b) Is the company taking advantage of opportunities in the industry?
c) How does it distinguish itself? What is its competitive advantage?
d) What are you doing to establish yourself as a leader within your respective role and group?
e) What are you doing to establish yourself with respect to work ethic and “can-do attitude”?
f) Characterize and assess the effectiveness of the organization’s internal culture and leadership.
g) Is the current culture an asset or a liability in getting the work of the organization accomplished?
h) What ways would you change the current culture such that it is more efficient and motivating?
This analysis is due by 9am Monday on July 15 and represents 15% of your grade.
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6.
Interviews
You will interview a minimum of 4 leaders, executives or individuals who hold higher level responsibilities within
the company. (If you are in a start-up venture or smaller firm seek out a like number of entrepreneurs that are
ahead of you in the start-up phase, preferably within the same industry, but the importance is on the early phase
of the start-up). The interviews should be 30 minutes each and you should provide a clear write up as well as your
comments about the person and experience. You should structure these interviews in a professional manner and
as a minimum include the following about the person you are interviewing:
a) Responsibilities –current and past and how they got started in the industry?
b) Academic and work background and noted experiences as well as the length of time in this job and
with the company?
c) Likes/dislikes about their role?
d) The biggest challenge they have faced while with the company?
e) Most successful strategy or leadership effort?
f) What would they have done differently in their career if they had a chance to do it again?
(Entrepreneurs or start-ups what would the individual do differently in their in the start-up phase?)
g) What advice they would have for a new MBA hire to be successful in the company or industry?
This analysis is due by 9am Monday July 22nd and represents 15% of your grade.
7.
Resume
You must update your resume with your internships experiences. This is due July 29th. This assignment
represents 5% of your grade and if your resume professionally incorporates your internship and is up to date you
receive a 100, if your resume is not updated, either due to content or failure to meet the schedule you will receive
a 0. It is advised that you begin your resume update several weeks prior to the due date to allow for edits and
adjustments.
8.
Supervisor Evaluation
Your partners/co-founders will provide a written evaluation of your performance at the end of the internship.
http://www.baylor.edu/business/mba/index.php?id=83904
This is due on or before July 29th and represents 10.5% of your grade.
9.
Internship Presentation - Final Project
Your final deliverable will cover the following items and will be done via a brief PowerPoint presentation or video
presentation. If you choose to utilize Power Point, you will be presenting to 1st semester students (in the BUS
5111 class) and if you choose to utilize a video presentation, your video will be shown to the BUS 5111 class. If
you choose to present a video you do not have to attend the BUS 5111 class, but you are very welcome to attend
in the event BUS 5111 students have questions. Your presentation should be no more than 5 slides and if you
chose to do a video please complete the answers to the questions within 5-7 minutes. Note: (are provided for
students performing entrepreneurial roles)
a) How did you decide on this internship (or entrepreneurial business or start-up) and how did you
secure the internship?
b) How did you make a positive impact on the company (for an entrepreneurial role or start-up…how
did you impact the growth and profitability of your business over the internship period)?
c) What was your primary role/responsibility within the company?
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d) What did you enjoy about the role and what did you dislike about it?
e) What did you learn about your professional strengths and weaknesses during the internship?
f) If we could better prepare you for your role, what additional skill set or talent would have made you
more effective and successful?
h) What did you gain personally and professionally from the internship?
i) What did you discover about yourself during your internship that needs improvement and what will
you do to improve?
j) If offered a position within the company would you accept (entrepreneurs do you intend to go fulltime into your venture or start-up)?
Your Final Project is due on or before August 5th. If you provide a video your work will be shown to the Fall BUS
5111 class and if you choose to present via PowerPoint you will be given an opportunity to present to the BUS
5111 class over a period of 2 weeks, after the start of the Fall semester. This project represents 17% of your
grade.
In Summary:
This will not be the easiest class you have taken…as we want you to get the maximum professional experience out
of an 8 -12 week period. Effectively done, it can be one of the most productive activities in your career
development. If you work in a small organization or a start-up venture, we may need to modify the company
analysis and interview sections or other syllabus areas based on the limits within the company/organization. This
must be discussed and approved know no prior to the delivery of your first Weekly Journal.
Grading / Weight of Assignments
Student Internship Application
Self-Appraisal
Weekly Journal
Industry Analysis
Company Analysis
Interviews
Resume
Supervisor Evaluation
Final Project/Presentation
Total
2.5%
5%
15%
15%
15%
15%
5%
10.5%
17%
100%
Grading scale:
A
AB+
B

100-95.0
94.9-90.0
89.9-87.5
87.4-82.5
BC+
C
D
F
82.4-80.0
79.9-75.0
74.9-70.0
69.9-60.0
59.9-0
Assignments turned in after the due date will receive one grade level lower for each day they are late.
One hour late is equal to one day late.
Note: In business, ethics and integrity are critical components of long-term success. Consistent with the form you
signed at orientation, in this class, you are expected to act ethically, professionally and take responsibility for your
own actions.
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BAYLOR UNIVERSITY HONOR SYSTEM
Ethics are an integral feature of all personal, social, and professional considerations. Competency in thinking
ethically and accepting responsibility for one's actions is essential to personal and professional development.
Baylor graduates are committed to their intellectual, ethical, professional, and social development throughout
life.
Baylor MBA students have affirmed their commitment to ethical and professional conduct specifically agreeing in
writing to the following:
 Affirmation of Expectations of Professional and Academic Conduct
 Guidelines for Citations and References
 Constitution of the Baylor University Honor System
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