FCS 429

 

                           INTERNSHIP

 

Department of

Family & Consumer Sciences

 

 

 

 

                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FCS 429 Internship                                                                            

Semester

Instructor:         Dr. Barbara Frazier

Office:              3406 Kohrman

Phone:              269-387-3719

email:                            frazier@wmich.edu

 

Please call or email for an appointment.

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Course description

 

The Internship option is designed as a capstone experience to acquaint upper level students with management level training in their field of study.

 

Course goals

 

  • To gain professional training in organizational settings
  • To apply classroom theory in the workplace
  • To develop professional skills and personal aptitudes necessary for entry into workplace or advanced educational training

 

Course objectives

 

·        To obtain professional work experience in a formal training program in the student’s area of study.

·        To further develop professional behaviors that are necessary for success in the workplace

·        To apply academic and professional skills to contribute to the development of the organization.

  • To use critical thinking, self-evaluation, and professional communication skills to assess the impact of the internship on professional development.

 

 

Course requirements

 

The FCS 429 student must:

 

1.         Be a declared FCS major in good standing, and have late junior or senior standing. FST, FSA, ITD and TEX (Merchandising) majors must complete all required FCS 202 credits before enrolling.

 

2.         Be employed in a faculty approved training program or management level or position directly related to the major.

 

3.         Complete and submit the Approval Form prior to the start of the session.

 

4.         Work 300-600 hours in a semester or session (FAS, DI, FSA, TEX, ITD), or 120-360 hours (FST).

 

5.                  Complete and submit Internship Project and course assignments by the scheduled due date (see Appendix for important dates).

 

 

Course policies

 

1.         Work hours cannot be "banked" and carried over to another enrollment period, or "borrowed" and counted in advance. 

 

2.         Students who encounter problems situations pertaining to FCS 429 should discuss situations with the instructor immediately to avoid jeopardizing the final course grade.

 

3.         Student should notify Program Coordinator IMMEDIATELY IN WRITING of any changes on the job that pertain to FCS 429 (Examples; change in supervisor, change in responsibilities, reduction of hours, business relocation, or extended illness).

 

4.         A grade of "Incomplete" will not be given for reasons other than those stated in the current Undergraduate Catalogue.  Reasons beyond the student's control include:  Firm going out of business, hours cut by employer (must be documented by employer as to why), or severe illness, but exclude personal vacation, requested hours off, etc.

 

5.         The Program Coordinator is available to discuss students' concerns and progress anytime during the semester.

 

Evaluation

 

Students enrolled in FCS 429 will be evaluated on a Credit/No Credit basis.  Students meeting the following requirements will be given credit for the course:

 

1.                  70% or better on combined employer evaluations (70 of 100 points).

 

2.                  Completion of required number of work hours.

 

3.                  Successful completion of Internship Portfolio and Assignments

 

 

 

Employer evaluations

Evaluation by the person you designated as your supervisor on your Approval Form is an important part of your professional growth in this course. This course focuses on the development of professional behaviors. The process of becoming an effective professional in your field involves attaining competency in ‘soft’ skills.  Seventeen professional abilities have been identified by the FCS faculty as those abilities which exemplify the professional behaviors valued by professions in Family and Consumer Science professions.  They are:

Maturity - Attends to details in appearance, thoughts and abilities. Conducts self in a professional manner.

Integrity/Honesty - Conducts interactions and completes assignments with honesty, integrity and personal ethics.

Adaptability and reaction to stress- Positive attitude toward change. Is able to handle unusual/stressful events calmly.

Respect for diversity - Recognizes, accepts and respects diversity and individual differences.

Teamwork skills - Has skills needed to work with others and achieve best results

Enthusiasm and initiative – Shows interest in work and workplace. Is a self-starter. Seeks additional learning opportunities and challenges. Takes pride in completed work.

Reliability - Shows up when scheduled, ready to work.

Responsibility – Demonstrates ability to plan and manage time and resources to achieve goals. Exerts a high level of effort and perseveres towards goal attainment.

Commitment and motivation- Starts projects, works diligently and completes tasks.

Creative thinking - Generates new ideas.

Listening skills - Listens to understand and learn. Is able to hear suggestions, evaluate, and apply suggestions to work.

Communication skills – Clearly communicates thoughts, ideas, and information. Uses correct grammar and spelling in both written and oral presentations.

Interpersonal communication – builds rapport, respects differing opinions, sets appropriate personal/professional boundaries.

A – with clients/customers

B – with co-workers at each level in the organization

Focus – Shows effort that results in high quality product or service.

Problem solving skills - Recognizes problems and devises and implements plan of action. Initiates alternative approaches when appropriate.

Leadership skills - Is able to define goals and objectives, communicate expectations of others to achieve desired results.

Openness to learning - Demonstrates the desire to apply and adapt new knowledge and skills to develop as a professional.

 

Your supervisor will be asked to indicate evidence of development in each of the above areas, and provide comments that can help you strengthen your skills. You are strongly encouraged to arrange a time to discuss the evaluation with your supervisor.

 

Your supervisor will also be asked to provide an overall assessment of your performance using a 1-10 scale, where 10 equals ‘outstanding’.  This part of your assessment will be used to determine a part of your grade in the course.  Midterm evaluation scores will be multiplied by 4 to determine points; final evaluation scores are multiplied by 6. 

 

Evaluation materials will be mailed directly to your supervisor approximately two weeks prior to the due dates (see “Important Dates to Remember” in Appendix). You will receive a letter at the same time, reminding you to contact your supervisor to discuss your evaluation.  It is important that you take the initiative to see that the evaluation is completed and returned on time.  If your employer has not received the evaluation form 7 days before the due date, please contact the instructor to arrange for another to be sent.