52714 Professional Internship
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): (72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10359 Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10361-C10364, and Category Type = Bachelor's Degree OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10365-C10368, and Category Type = Bachelor's Combined Degree OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10369 Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing) OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10370 Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing) Bachelor of International Studies OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10371 Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10372-C10377, and Category Type = Bachelor's Combined Degree OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10434-C10439, and Category Type = Bachelor's Combined Degree OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10451 Bachelor of Communication (Media Business) OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10452 Bachelor of Communication (Media Business) Bachelor of International Studies OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10454 Bachelor of Communication (Media Business) Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation)) OR ((72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10460 Bachelor of Animation Production OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C09132 Bachelor of Animation Production Bachelor of International Studies (Honours) OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10461 Bachelor of Animation Production Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10462 Bachelor of Animation Production Bachelor of International Studies)
Anti-requisite(s): 50260 Parliamentary Placement AND 54091 Professional Internship AND 58314 Social Inquiry Placement AND 58999 Professional Internship AND 94680 Entering Professional Life (6cp) AND 94681 Entering Professional Life (8cp)
Description
Students develop a structured industry experience project in the area of their major study in a self-sourced internship. This involves the negotiation of a learning contract to identify the outcomes of such experience and to design a detailed program of activities to achieve these outcomes. Supervision is provided to assist students in identifying the capabilities they need to develop in completing the placement and to provide support and advice during their industry involvement. Students are assisted to reflect on their learning experience in the workplace in the context of their chosen field of study.
Students must undertake a paid or non-paid internship of 40 hours (minimum) in the teaching session that they are enrolled in to be eligible to study this subject. The internship must also be specifically linked to the degree that they are studying.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Identify goals, strategies and resources for workplace learning and transferable skill development |
|---|---|
| b. | Analyse incidents in the workplace from an ethical perspective |
| c. | Advance the development of their professional skills in their major area of study and in communication |
| d. | Reflect on their internship experiences and observations to identify lessons and strategies to improve their future professional practices |
| e. | Demonstrate appropriate professional performance, conduct and attitudes in a working environment |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
- Act in a professional manner appropriate to communication industries (1.1)
- Apply theoretically informed understandings of communication industries to independent and collaborative projects across a range of media (1.2)
- Employ appropriate research and inquiry skills to independently gather, organise and analyse information across diverse platforms (2.1)
- Act as reflexive critical thinkers and innovative creative practitioners who evaluate their own and others' work (2.2)
- Analyse and act ethically in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society (5.1)
- Exemplify effective and appropriate communication in different communication industry contexts (6.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject is based on work integrated learning where teaching and learning occur primarily in a workplace, with a focus on experiential work-related learning. Students negotiate an internship in consultation with a tutor and workplace supervisors. In addition, they attend compulsory workshops and undertake pre-session readings and viewing activities. The early workshops assist students to evaluate their skills and undertake a diagnostic self-skills assessment so that they can better prepare their CVs and learning contracts.
Workshops help students to develop a list of attributes and isolate areas they want to personally focus on during the internship. The list assists students to identify organisations to approach and develop a strategy and documentation, including a CV and a learning contract. The workshop provides students with skills on being interviewed, preparing scenarios to demonstrate their breadth of experience and provides ways to network. Students’ final portfolio of work completed during the internship summarising their workplace experience and reflection is submitted in class and on Canvas. We encourage students to use the portfolio when applying for work as they move into their field.
Formative feedback is progressively provided online and face to face as students submit the required documents and participate in the journal activities. In addition, students meet individually with the tutor to discuss their progress on finding and completing the internship, and to resolve any problems that might arise and ultimately sign off the required paperwork.
CareerHub is used for two purposes: first, it provides students with a jobs board for potential internships; second, it is used to monitor submission of key documents as students progress towards achieving and completing their internships.
Final class discussions challenge students to reflect on and critique ethical issues that arose during internships and assist in finalising the third assignment.
All subject and assessment documents are uploaded onto Canvas and checked. Relevant copies go to the host organisation and the student is expected to keep a copy themselves.
Content (topics)
Students seek out an internship in their desired field with support from university services and their tutor. Workplace learning facilitates the development of transferable and technical skills relevant to the student’s professional field. Preparation for and reflection on the internship experience allows students to identify relevant skills and job search practices in the contemporary labour market. Reflections on the internship experience are integrated with critical considerations on the ethics of internships, paid and unpaid labour, and transitions into professional employment. Students engage with legal, industry, government and scholarly debates to consider best practice in internship programs
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Internship Proposal
| Objective(s): | a | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 25% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1-page backgrounder, Professional Skills Audit, 4-page extended learning contract. In total approximately 1200 words. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Critical Summary: Key Issues in Internship Programs
| Objective(s): | b, c and e | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1000 words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Journal
| Objective(s): | b, c, d and e | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 35% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1000 words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Internship
Students are required to spend a minimum of 40 hours working in a workplace, in an authorised work from home arrangement, or in an approved virtual internship, as agreed and according to their learning contracts. Prior to the census date, and before commencing their internships, students must have logged in to CareerHub to finalise work placement and insurance forms. These documents will be issued to the host organisations via CareerHub prior to commencing. Satisfactory completion of internships will be evidenced by Host Employer reports submitted to CareerHub. Without having secured an internship, students will be unable to satisfactorily complete the subject.
Assessment
Students must complete A1 in order to submit A3. A3 will not be marked in cases where A1 has not been submitted.