INTERN-A-M Internship abroad Master

• Topics

  This course combines an international internship with an academic content. Internships that are placed in an academic frame act to enhance one's understanding of how academic theory and practice interconnect. When internships are held abroad, theories assist in managing and learning from one's intercultural experiences. The course contains approximately 150 work hours in a company combined with an academic component that amounts to approximately 70 work hours before, during and after the internship.

• Learning outcome

  Upon successful completion of the course, the student will have attained the following:

  Knowledge - The candidate

  • has theoretical and practical knowledge about intercultural teamwork
  • has knowledge about how theories from economics/business administration and practice interconnect

  Skills - The candidate

  • is able to observe, describe, and reflect on diversity in the workplace and how it influences intercultural teams
  • is able to do an analysis or suggest improvements at the organization where the internship takes place, using acquired academic methods and theories

  General competence - The candidate

  • has increased sensitivity towards diversity in the workplace and is better prepared to work in intercultural teams
  • is able to reflect on and assess the validity of knowledge and skills acquired during his/her studies in light of practice

• Teaching

  When the student has found an internship, it must be approved before the student can attend a pre-departure seminar that introduces the course. See the following link for information on the application process: https://www.nhh.no/en/for-students/international-career-center-icc/icc---for-students/internship-abroad-programme/internship-abroad-courses/ (copy URL).

  There is a seminar in April/May for students who do an internship during summer or the autumn semester, and one in November/December for those who do the internship in spring the following year.

  The academic course content amounts to approximately 2.5 ECTS of the total course and has two objectives: 1) for the student to be able to reflect on how intercultural diversity at the workplace influences teamwork, using theories from the field of intercultural communication and cross-cultural management, and 2) for the student to be able to test acquired academic knowledge from economics and business administration in practice.

  Before the internship starts, the student attends a 4 hours pre-departure seminar. The rest of the course module is online (on Canvas).  

  During the internship, there are two obligatory tasks related to the course module: To write a reflection blog for part 1) and to work on a research topic that links theory with internship practice for part 2). If possible, we recommend that the latter relates to a concrete task provided by the workplace. The course administrator needs to be informed about the chosen topic for part 2) no later than two weeks into the internship.

  After the internship, the student has 2 weeks to send in a draft of the final report which discusses the findings of both parts 1 and 2. After review, the student has another 2 weeks to hand in the final report on the date decided upon by the course coordinator.

  The student is offered a 2 hours re-entry workshop after returning to NHH.

• Requirements for course approval

  a) the internship workplace and mentor were approved, the student b) attended the pre-departure seminar and c) the student completed all obligatory tasks on Canvas during the internship.

• Assessment

  A final report (part 1: 1500 words, part 2: 3000  words (+/- 10%))  that relates academic theories and practice. The final report is handed in online via Wiseflow together with an evaluation form from the workplace (added as an attachment).

• Grading Scale

  Pass - Fail

  In order to pass, the student must have written a well-structured and well-written report with adequate content and length. For part 1), the candidate must demonstrate good reflection and cultural sensitivity skills.  For part 2), the candidate must demonstrate an ability to use relevant academic theories and skills in practice, and to critically reflect on and assess those same theories and skills in light of practice. Both parts of the final report must pass in order to pass the course. Assessment is further based on the evaluation from the workplace.

• Literature

  Brett, J., Behfar, K., & Kern, M. C. (2012). Managing multicultural teams. In G.K. Stahl, M.E. Mendenhall & G.R. Oddou (Eds.) International Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior (pp. 289-298). New York: Routledge.

  Litterature of one's own choice (ca.100 pages)