ECN334 Internship in Economics

The internship is a mean of demonstrating the relevance of the knowledge and skills from the study program to work life, and for the student to gain work experience in the process. The student will work with an external partner organization (EPO), a private firm or public agency, on an agreed set of work tasks to be performed, the deadlines for deliverables, and the duration of the internship. Through the student's initiative with the EPO's guidance and a faculty member's supervision, the student will apply their knowledge and skills to address an identified problem with the EPO's interests.

A student can earn internship credits working with an EPO in two manners. First, the student, through their own initiative, can find an EPO that is willing to host and work with them during the internship. Second, the student applies for an internship with an EPO with which the School of Economics and Business has already entered into an agreement. To ensure the academic content of the internship, the student must find an academic supervisor who will approve the academic work plan and supervise the tasks according to that plan.

The course consists of an internship period for 12-13 weeks during the Autumn semester where the student is present at the organization at least two days per week throughout the internship period. There are two aspects associated with the internship:

1. The student must complete the assigned tasks specified in the terms of the internship (work-related tasks and deliverables, if relevant).

2. Students must complete the academic tasks (if different than the work-related internship tasks) that are specified in the study plan of the internship project developed in collaboration with the academic supervisor (e.g., consultation meetings, interim assignments, and submission of a final project report). An oral presentation of the final report can also be required. These activities require approval by the faculty supervisor. Finally, a self-reflection report on what was learned may also be required as well as an evaluation of the experience.

The student must demonstrate that the work-related tasks assigned by the EPO have academic relevance to the knowledge and skills that the student has learned and developed through their study program.

Knowledge:

After completing the internship, the student shall have:

- Gained insight into the daily operations of an organization, and the practical challenges and opportunities that face it;

- Developed renewed awareness of the relevance of the study program, and the courses and specializations therein, to understand and address a real-world problem through the application of theory and methods to the specific context of the internship.

Skills:

During the internship, the student shall:

- Develop the ability to carry out work tasks as specified in the work plan within the contract;

- Gain work experience and demonstrate the ability to work independently on tasks to meet agree deadlines; and

- Seek out, identify and acquire research-based knowledge relevant to practical problem solving.

General competence:

Through the internship, the student shall:

- Improve written and communication skills; and

- Interact with work colleagues and consult with an advisor to solve a problem and reflect on his/her own professional development.