April 29, 1998

BA 396: London Business Internship

London: June 6 - August 7, 1998

                                
Instructor: Dr. Charles Kuehl
St. Louis: 
	    Office: 481 SSB, UM-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121
    	    Telephone:  314/516-6112; fax: 314/516-6420
            E-mail: kuehl@umsl.edu
    

This course will use a portfolio system of student evaluation.  The purpose
behind this is to let you take something tangible away from your
internship indicating the nature of your experience.  By building your
portfolio you are cementing the learning experience you will have had over
the summer into a cohesive and valuable tool for future use.  One such use
is to demonstrate in clear fashion, to prospective employers, the
activities and projects you have engaged in.

The portfolio should be built as you progress through your internship; that
is, I urge you not to put off assembling your materials until your very last
days in London or until you return.  Timely attention not only will save you
the anxiety and pressure accompanying last-minute projects, by spacing
out the tasks during the period of your internship you will force yourself
to consider what you are getting from the experience as it unfolds.
STUDENT GOAL STATEMENT

This consists of two parts: the statement of your goals and the agreement
between you and your supervisor at the host organization concerning your
responsibilities.
WORK SAMPLES

Included here will be memos, letters, reports, etc. that show the work you
were asked to do.  Also included here will be samples of analysis you
conducted and/or projects you worked on.
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS

During the summer you are to conduct at least one informational interview
with a manager, other than your supervisor, within your host organization.
The purpose of the interview is to gain insights about the role of the
manager in the U.K.  Among the topics covered during your conversation,
then, are things such as educational background required for the job;
typical career progression; compensation: pre and post tax; (don't make
this personal by asking how much the individual makes and takes home,
ask instead for ranges for jobs at about his/her level); how real is the
threat of job loss (The British call it "being made redundant"); what
protection is provided for the threat; what is the future of the U.K. as a
competitor in the world market; what is that of the U.S.  You will no doubt
be able to formulate your own questions; keep in mind the goal is to
understand what it is like to be a manager in London.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS

I will ask your supervisor to fill out a performance appraisal form on two
occasions; mid-way through your stay (about July 7) and at the conclusion.
Both appraisals should be discussed with you and sent to me.
JUSTIFICATION LETTER

In 2-3 pages you should discuss and evaluate your internship experience as
a whole.  Address your original learning goals and review what you have
accomplished.  You might include an example of an experience you had
during your internship that you feel exemplifies or illustrates how you
met your learning goals.  This should be an essay justifying your
experience to your advisor.
JOURNAL

KEEP A JOURNAL!  Making daily entries of a paragraph or two is a painless
way of constructing a record of your days in London.  Summarizing the
events of the day requires a bit of diligence and discipline but pays off
handsomely.  Most of your writing will focus on your job, but some
attention can, and should, be given to the cultural or social aspects of
your experience.  I am not suggesting that you include personal items, I'm
simply saying that your journal need not be confined to work.
OTHER EVIDENCE OF LEARNING

You may include anything in your portfolio that you feel reflects your
experience of the summer.  You may wish to seek letters of
recommendation before you leave.
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