97900 International Internship

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2015 is available in the Archives.

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Description

This subject provides students with the opportunity to complete a three-week to four-week internship, practicum or entrepreneurship placement with an international organisation. It is offered in July and Summer sessions, however the specific internships available may vary. The international placement in a company, organisation or institution gives students the opportunity to work on tasks and projects, and learn about the work practices and functions of the organisation. Through the experience of living and working abroad, the subject also enhances students' communication skills and understanding of another culture and society. Students' intercultural awareness is further enhanced through a pre-departure workshop and reflective activities after they return to Sydney.

Subject objectives

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject provides an immersive, practical learning experience in a host organisation in an international location. The pre-departure workshops will allow students to work in groups to explore aspects of intercultural learning and to help prepare them for their practical experience in a different society and culture. During the in-country program, students will participate in a program with the host organisation designed to give them practical work and problem-solving experience. Students will also collaboratively and individually reflect on their own and other students’ experiences and learning in workshops after returning to Sydney.

Content

The subject will include content on notions of culture, in particular workplace cultures and intercultural awareness.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Completion of the international internship/practicum program

Assessment task 2: Cultural Reflections Report

Assessment task 3: Multimedia Presentation

Minimum requirements

Students must actively participate in all activities of the in-country host institution program. Attendance at the pre-departure and presentations workshops is essential in this subject because important information is only available through the essential interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor. An attendance roll will be taken at each workshop. Participation of the in-country host institution program will be monitored. Students who fail to attend 85% of classes will be refused to have their final assessment marked (see Rule 3.8).

References

The following list of references provides examples of encounters and journeys in a range of cultures. There are also some sample references on preparing for internship experiences:

Baldwin, J.R., Faulkner, S.L., Hecht, M.L. and Lindsley, S.L. (eds) (2006) Redefining Culture: Perspectives across the Disciplines, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Bestor, T. C. 1998 Neighbourhood Tokyo, Documentary Educational Resources, Massachussetts (video documentary, in UTS Library).

Bonvillain, N. (2011) Language, Culture and Communication, 6th edn, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Goodall, H.L. Jr., Goodall, S. and Schiefelbein, J. (2009). Business and Professional Communication in the Global Workplace, Boston: Wadsworth.

Gower, R.K. & Mulvaney, M.A. (2012) Making the Most of Your Internship: A Strategic Approach. Urbana IL: Sagamore.

Guilherme, M. et al. (eds) (2010) The Intercultural Dynamics of Multicultural Working, Bristol: Multilingual Matters.

Hofstede, G. and Hofstede, G.J. 1995 ‘Intercultural Encounters’ in Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, 2nd edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 319-362.

LeBaron, M. (2003) Bridging Cultural Conflicts: A New Approach for a Changing World, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

LeBaron, M. and Pillay, V. (2006) Conflict Across Cultures: A Unique Experience of Bridging Differences, Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing

Martin, J.N., Nakayama, T.K. and Flores, L.A. (eds) (2002) Readings in Intercultural Communication: Experiences and Contexts, 2nd edn, Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Neugebauer, J. & Evans-Bain, J. (2009) Making the Most of Your Placement. London: Sage.

Pink S. 2007 ‘Walking with Video’ in Visual Studies, Vol. 22, No. 3, December 2007, (pp. 240-253), http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14725860701657142?journalCode=rvst20#preview (accessed 07 October 2014).

Scott, J. 2006 ‘God, We’re Not Immigrants! A Reflection on Moving and Staying’ in Portal Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies, vol. 3 no. 1, pp. 1-6. Available online at: http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/ojs/index.php/portal/article/view/150 (accessed 6 Nov 2014).

Slimbach, Richard, 2005 ‘The Transcultural Journey’, Frontiers. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, vol. XI (August). Available online at: http://www.frontiersjournal.com/documents/RSlimbachFrontiersAug05.pdf (accessed 6 Nov 2014).

Sorrells, K. (2013) Intercultural Communication: Globalization and Social Justice, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.