Specialization internship - 4th year


Objectives of the 4th year (Master 1) specialization internship 
 

Under the agreement between the HEM Business School and IAE Lyon 3, the 4th year 12 week specialization internship (Master 1) takes place in a company operating in a sector reflecting the spirit of both the Moroccan and French institutions’ programs.

During the internship, the student must take full responsibility for an issue (project) defined by the host organization and which requires reflection and a “Big Picture” perspective related to everyday work. In other words, the students shall be able to respond to a specific assignment using a methodological and rigorous approach.

This training should enable students to demonstrate their ability to identify all the components of a given assignment:
 

  • Objectives definition by specifying the general topic and identifying the specific issue related to the assignment.
  • Methodology development through situation analysis and by listing the necessary tools for the assignment.
  • Presentation of the different stages of the problem solving process.
  • Outcome analysis and solution to the problem, managerial implications at the company level with an open-ended perspective on the topic, eventually.
     

Internship Work in Progress 
 

By progress, HEM Business School means the different actions the student must undertake during the three stages.
 

The Search for an Internship (during the 1st semester)
 

The student is required to find an internship on his/her own. In his or her search, he/she is supervised by the Corporate Relations Department (ERD) of his/her Campus.

This supervision, which is done on an individual and group basis, aims at:
 

  • Explaining the procedure to follow,
  • Providing guidance in writing resumes and cover letters,
  • Following up the administration aspects of internship agreements (an internship memo and a schedule are given to students).
     

The internship agreement is an official document jointly signed by the company supervisor, the Head of RPD and the student. It specifies the duration and general conditions of the internship in the host company. No placement can be validated without the prior deposit of the internship agreement with RPD under a predetermined schedule.

The validation form is provided by a Joint Education Committee (HEM Business School - IAE Lyon). This committee designates for each student an academic-supervisor who belongs either to IAE or to HEM Business School.

The supervisor is the person who oversees and guides the student in the company and whose name appears in the training agreement
 

Step 2: During the Internship
 

During the first couple of weeks, the student gets familiar with the firm allowing for a clearer vision, and fine-tuning of the assignment. The student must report back to the supervisor, in order to discuss the precise terms of the assignment and the adopted approach, as well.

Hard work and involvement are key requirements during the internship. Any absence must be justified both with the company and the ERD. Total justified absences should not exceed one week, otherwise the training cannot be validated and the student could be required to retake it in August or September of the active year.

In addition, the student is required to inform the SAR and supervisor of any difficulties arising during the internship.
 

Step 3: At the End of the Internship


Upon completion of the internship, the student has to hand in an activity report, using the appropriate form according to the internship type. The non-validation of the report leads to the adjournment thereof.
 

Internship Report
 

The internship's report is to be elaborated individually.

Standards for drafting and presentation of the assignment report, in terms of form and content are predefined in a memo by the educational guidelines of both institutions.

The report is based on crosschecked information, an evolutionarily plan, a progressive improved writing and a careful format layout.
 

Content wise:
 

Generally, the assignment report should be organized in a manner so as to show:
 

  • The host company’s profile and the assignment’s issue to be tackled (to show how a particular task performed by the trainee fits into the company issues).
  • Methodology and management tools necessary to bring about a relevant solution to the internship's assignment.
  • The main outcome, the managerial implications and recommendations.
     

Layout:


The mission statement of the internship should, in summary, include the following:
 

  • Short and spontaneous acknowledgments
  • Page-numbered summary with CLEAR and MEANINGFUL titles (the student must select very carefully his/her titles which are an accurate quality work indicator),
  • An introductory topic presentation and internship objectives (the student’s assignement, statement of the problem)
  • Study framework: In brief, the description of the company, its organization, and history. This description should serve the assignment (show in particular how the performed work fits into the company issues).
  • Approach description, analysis of the addressed problem (tools, methods)
     

- Synthesis, Results, and Conclusion: the results, and the impact of the internship (for the company and the student).
- Lexicon (if possible)
- Bibliography
- Appendices
 

Assessment
 

The student is jointly assessed by his/her academic and company supervisors as follows:

- The academic supervisor assesses the student in two ways:
 

  • By filling a "follow up sheet", containing findings collected during coordination visits to the host company supervisor.
  • By correcting the internship report.
     

- The company supervisor hands back to the DRE office an evaluation form, scoring the student’s involvement and behavior. This form is used by the academic supervisor in the evaluation.

The student's final grade is given by the academic supervisor for the internship report.

Important: The minimum grade required to validate the internship report is 10/20.

Important! 10/20 is the minimum score required to validate the 4th year placement option (Master 1).

A schedule is established each year and is made available to students. They must comply with the set deadlines in order to validate their internship. A copy of this schedule is available upon request at the administration office.