For the business internship, you have the option to complete your internship at your current place of employment; however, you will need to be assigned additional duties or projects that apply to the skills learned in this major.
A semester prior to when you are ready to schedule the internship (BA 495A), you will need to submit your proposed internship to the internship coordinator for approval. The internship coordinator will have the course added to your schedule. This should be covered in your BA 420 course.
If you have any questions or would like more information about the internship option, you should contact Gina Whalen at [email protected] or Erin Brennan at [email protected].
BA 495A is a senior-level experience that provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency within their selected degree option. The purpose of BA 495A is to work within a professional environment and apply the concepts that were learned in the course work. It requires the assumption of professional duties under the guidance of a mentor.
Students should recognize this as a way to open doors to a new career by obtaining professional experience within the chosen discipline. For students without experience, the internship will enable students to validate a level of expertise. For students who are currently working, the internship will provide a mechanism to assume additional responsibilities that could lead to a promotion.
BA 495A is a graduation requirement for the Bachelor of Science in Business degree.
BA 495A is offered every semester: fall, spring, and summer.
Yes, the student should obtain an internship that will best fit the career goals and needs of the student.
While the student can contact Career Services, it is the responsibility of the student to search for and obtain the internship. Students should search for the internship with the same determination as obtaining a job. Internships provide professional experience and can also open doors and lead to permanent employment offers.
Because you are receiving senior-level credits for this course, you will pay tuition for the course.
Internships may be paid or unpaid, depending on the company and its policies regarding internships. Often, students can obtain a paid position that meets the criteria of the internship. However, some internships are unpaid and completed at not-for-profit organizations that are willing to assign professional responsibilities to interns because they lack the funds to hire additional staff.
The BSB degree requires the completion of 6 credits within this category. Students can meet this requirement by completing a 6-credit internship OR completing a 3-credit internship AND an additional 400-level, 3-credit course within their degree option.
The difference between the 3-credit and 6-credit internship is the number of hours required to be completed. The 3-credit internship requires 150 hours of professional experience during the semester while the 6-credit internship requires 300 hours of professional experience during the semester.
All the hours must be completed during the semester in which the student has registered for the internship.
ACCTG 495: Students who are completing the Accounting option may be able to take ACCTG 495 in lieu of BA 495A if their internship requires them to perform accounting-related duties for their internships. ACCTG 495 follows the same course requirements and hour commitments as BA 495A and will provide accounting students with additional upper-level accounting credits toward professional credentials. The internship must be within the accounting discipline and apply accounting skills in a professional position in order to request the ACCTG 495 option on the internship proposal. Both 3-credit and 6-credit ACCTG 495 courses are offered each semester.
Why does LionPATH indicate that my ACCTG 495 enrollment is for 12 credits when I enrolled in a 3-credit or 6-credit course?
LionPATH recognizes ACCTG 495 (3 CR) and ACCTG 495 (6 CR) as Full-Time Equivalents. Full-Time Equivalents are assigned 12 credits through LionPATH. If you register for either of these courses, 12 credits will be added to your course load. This credit designation is for LionPATH administrative purposes only. You will earn and pay for either 3 or 6 credits, depending upon your course selection. You will NOT earn 12 credits and you will NOT pay for 12 credits.
Depending upon how many total credits you are taking in your internship semester, the LionPATH addition of 12 credits may increase your credit load beyond the maximum allowable credit load for Penn State students. If that is the case, you may need to complete an additional form before you can register for the course. If this applies to you, you will be notified and provided with further instructions.
Prerequisites: It is important that students organize their course program of study and follow the recommended academic plan. The prerequisites for the internship are completion of BA321, BA322, BA420, and a minimum of 6 credits of upper-division course work in the degree option of the student. At least 6 credits of this upper-division course work must be completed at Penn State. It is preferred that the student be in the final year of the degree program so that the student has completed significant advanced course work that will enable the student to demonstrate proficiency in the field. For example, if the intent is to intern in Human Resources, it is recommended that the student has at least completed MGMT 341.
- The prerequisites are not waived. The student is representing Penn State and the BSB degree program, and the prerequisites ensure that the student has met the minimum qualifications to uphold the standards of quality and competence that is expected of Penn State students as they enter their profession.
Measurable Deliverables: The internship requires the assumption of professional responsibilities with an employer who is willing to mentor you and supervise your progress. The internship requires that you complete “measurable deliverables” that can be evaluated objectively and that are expected of a professional within the discipline. These are specific goals that will be completed during the internship.
Journals: The course requires that students submit a journal every week that describes the experiences during the prior week’s workdays. Every day that the student puts in hours toward the internship, the student is required to reflect on that day’s experiences. The daily journal entries are then submitted as one Word document each week. Details about the expected journal content are specified in the course materials. Failure to submit the journals by the deadline listed in the course syllabus will result in the hours for that week not being counted toward the internship.
Presentation: In addition to the weekly journal submissions, students are required to submit a 15-minute recorded presentation that discusses their internship, the application of their course work, and their career goals. Details about the presentation are specified in the course.
Because this is a professional, senior-level internship, the student is expected to be mentored by a professional in the discipline. The supervisor should treat the intern as any other employee under his or her supervision. The supervisor must complete a midterm evaluation and a final evaluation of the student’s performance and submit these directly to the instructor. These evaluations are provided in the course.
You cannot be supervised by a close friend, a member of your family, or a soon-to-be member of your family (including parents, spouses, in-laws, etc.). This is a standard practice in the business world and likewise for this internship program. Being supervised by a close friend, family member, or soon-to-be family member has inherent biases associated with the evaluation of performance and as such will be prohibited.
- Midterm Evaluation: The intern should schedule a meeting with the supervisor as the completed hours approach the midway mark to discuss his or her performance in meeting the agreed-upon deliverables. This does not necessarily coincide with the midterm of the semester but is based upon the hours completed. The purpose of the midterm evaluation is to provide the intern with feedback and suggested improvements for successful completion of the internship.
- Final Evaluation: The intern should schedule a meeting with the supervisor as the completed hours approach the final requirement. The purpose of this evaluation is for the supervisor to discuss the intern’s performance and provide the student with suggestions to guide the student as he or she moves into a professional career.
No, prior work cannot be used to meet this graduation requirement.
All the required internship hours must be completed during the semester in which the student is registered for the course.
Most of our students are adults with full-time positions. The internship is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate advanced skills in the profession. The reason that most students are completing this degree is to obtain a position in their chosen discipline or to qualify for a promotion.
If you are employed, you cannot use your current position for the internship. You must assume new responsibilities or a position that will demonstrate your expertise in your degree option. Students should speak with their management to identify a project they can undertake to complete this requirement.
- Wish List Project: Every company has a wish list of projects that it would like to complete but is lacking the human or financial resources for. By assuming the responsibility to complete one of these projects, the student will be able to provide the company with a benefit while fulfilling this graduation requirement. Often, this involves project management skills and indicates to management that the student has developed advanced skill sets.
- Assumption of New Responsibilities: The student can discuss with management the willingness to take on additional responsibilities within the current department or to assist in another department.
Many of our students hold professional positions and have found that the BA 495A internship project enabled them to revisit their careers and reinvent themselves or advance their careers.
- A regional VP at Merrill Lynch became an “intern” at a different office and realized that he had lost touch with the fundamentals as he had climbed the ladder. The result was that he instituted new programs at his regional offices to refresh his advisors and maintain their skills.
- A marketing manager at a pharmaceutical company asked to assume full responsibility for the marketing of a new product. The result was a promotion to director of marketing at the corporate office.
If a student can demonstrate that they currently hold a managerial position in the desired discipline/industry with a minimum of 5 years of managerial experience, then the student may potentially qualify for an exemption.
If you wish to consider this option, please read the information below before contacting the BSBIC program director, Dr. Whalen ([email protected]), with an exemption request.
You may send your résumé for consideration of an exemption to Dr. Whalen if you currently hold a managerial position and have held such a position for at least 5 years.
Note that titles alone on a résumé will not automatically qualify for an exemption. The BA 495A requirement will only be waived if a student can provide sufficient proof that they have managed direct reports or large projects with significant budget responsibility. Therefore, students requesting an exemption will be asked to provide Dr. Whalen with the names of their current and past supervisors for their managerial positions, so the information on their résumé can be verified.
If a student is approved for an exemption, they must work with their adviser to determine the additional 400-level course work that is required to be taken in its place.
You cannot schedule BA 495A. The course can only be scheduled by the instructor after the student’s proposal has been approved.
The process begins with the Intent to Intern form, followed by the submission of the Internship Proposal form. When the proposal is approved, the student will be registered for the internship course. Both forms are provided to students in BA 420.
Intent to Intern form: The student should submit this form to the Internship Coordinator, who will then provide the student with additional information concerning the internship and the Internship Proposal requirements.
Internship Proposal form: This document describes the internship that will be performed. It includes the name of the company, the position being assumed, the duties and responsibilities of the position, the name and contact information of the supervisor, and the measurable deliverables upon which the intern will be evaluated. The Proposal must be submitted to the Internship Coordinator for consideration. Upon approval, the Internship Coordinator will register the student for the requested course.
- Deadlines: The Internship Proposal deadlines are July 15 for fall Internships, November 15 for spring Internships, and April 15 for summer internships.
Deadlines for internship proposals are strictly enforced. They are set to allow adequate time for proposal revisions. You must plan ahead so you can meet the internship proposal deadline. Proposals submitted after the applicable deadline will not be reviewed or considered.
The internship course is offered every semester (spring, fall, summer). If you miss the deadline for a semester, you will not be able to complete the internship in that semester and you will have to apply for a different semester.
Internship proposals will only be considered after the applicable deadline in extraordinary circumstances communicated in writing to the Internship Coordinator (Professor Erin Brennan, [email protected]) prior to the deadline. In such situations, an extension may be granted upon the Internship Coordinator’s discretion.
Internship proposals may be rejected if they do not meet the criteria set forth by the BSBIC program. Please note, entry-level positions such as filing or clerical work will not be approved. Also, positions that consist mainly of cold calling for sales will not be approved. While every position might include occasionally performing these duties, the bulk of the responsibilities must be those that require a level of expertise in the discipline.
Internships may be denied if there are no measurable deliverables stated. Measurable deliverables do not include vague or subjective statements such as “works well with others,” “acts professionally,” and “improves knowledge.” Those are expected of all employees regardless of level and they are very hard to objectively measure. Very often, these types of goals lead to frustration because management may have a different standard than you have, and while you believe you are meeting the expectations, you may be in for disappointing evaluations. Measurable deliverables are not only goals that can be accomplished but are objective and specified so that there are no surprises.
If the internship has not been approved, you will be informed of why and what must be done to meet the requirements for the internship.
There are internship opportunities everywhere; you just have to search for them. Every organization has a wish list of things that they would love to tackle but can't because they lack the time, human resources, or finances needed. While you may prefer a paid position in a recognized corporation, do not overlook small businesses in the area or volunteer organizations.
- One of the prior interns coordinated the Girl Scout Cookie Sale in Philadelphia that required significant project management skills and human resource management skills. That project resulted in a very highly paid position with the Girls Scouts of America organization as an HR manager.
- One adult student, who was an executive in the banking industry, decided to build a school in his former village in Africa. He worked with the U.S. Foreign Affairs office and obtained funding for the project and managed the project while dealing with all the government agencies.
- Students have worked with local schools and developed “after school” programs in their localities, worked with local recreation and parks departments to start youth athletic summer camp programs, worked with drug addiction clinics, worked with the local Chamber of Commerce to create job fairs in a poverty area, created websites for churches, established a youth club, and worked with a professional soccer team in the marketing department creating a Spanish newsletter and social media releases.
These types of internships often provide more experience because the organizations value your skills and will give you a higher level of responsibility than the corporate entity. Try identifying your career goal and your passion and use those to find your internship because the skills you demonstrate may more you into your dream job.
You should always discuss your situation with your academic adviser, who can counsel you about the degree program and requirements. You can also contact World Campus Career Services about available resources. The World Campus BA 420 course contains information about locating an internship opportunity. You can also contact the internship instructor with questions.