Extended Project and Trainee Period

• A few relevant methods or theories outside the syllabus of the study programme.
• A real-life organizational/business context.
• Internal/external factors affect problem-solving and how these factors change over time.
• How well methods and theories apply in a concrete problem solving context.
• The concept of competences, as well as on their own competence profile.
• Relevant career themes and conditions on the current and future labour market.
• Identifying how they can create value on the labour market and in society.

• Decide on the problem to be treated during the trainee project, including describing and delimiting the problem.
• Do a systematic search, reading, and focused literature review on a topic relevant to the project.
• Identify, assimilate, and apply methods or theories outside the syllabus of the study programme.
• Select and justify the choice of relevant theories and methods for solving the problem. 
  
• Collect data and/or empirical information as a basis for solving the problem. 
• Use the data or empirical information for a business economic/administrative analysis. 
• Reflect on the usefulness of the obtained results; recommend and discuss implications of the results. 
• Consider where their own subject knowledge can be brought to action in settings outside the classroom.
• Connect practical experience to the learnings of their own education.

• Collaborate with others to solve practical problems in firms or institutions.
• Communicate problem descriptions and solution proposals to coworkers and managers. 
• Apply a systematic and theory-driven approach to practical problem solving. 
• Manage own professional development with respect to finding and applying new tools or techniques.
• Expand their professional network.
• Take the initiatives to bring their competences into play in practical settings.
• Develop cooperative relationships.
• Take responsibility for their own career development.

The student is required to present a project report that clearly reflects the student's utilization of relevant theoretical and methodological disciplines from the fields associated with the study programme. This utilization should be reflected in the choice of literature that serves as a basis for the solution of the problem and the reflective analyses. While the scope of the literature list will vary depending on the organization and problems in question, the Extended Project and Trainee Period requires that the student identify and discuss supplementary literature beyond the study’s syllabus, for example 10 research articles, selected chapters of a textbook, and an introductory book for a particular method (approximately 250 pages in total). Together with the study’s syllabus, this extended reading must be sufficient to support a literature review that serves to guide a choice of theory or method amongst alternatives.

The workshops have a separate curriculum of 20-40 pages.

The distribution of the project work in the organization is decided in agreement with the organization where the internship takes place. The Extended Project and Trainee Period is usually distributed across one semester (5 months), including supervision, project work in the organization, and the writing of the final assignment. However, the period may also be placed prior to a semester in for example August or as a combination. Regarding requirements for this, look under “Examination regulations". 

The student must attend workshops in Career Management Skills. Throughout the Career Management Skills modules, the students will practice bringing their competences and resources to action in their project company as well as reflect on their experiences during the semester. The themes of the course include knowledge on competences, awareness of one’s own competences, network and cooperative relations, strategy and planning as well as an understanding of the current and future labour market.  

The Extended Project and Trainee Period may take place in a private/public company, an association or an NGO, and it must take up approximately 370 working hours corresponding to roughly 50 days. A proposal for a trainee period may be rejected if the workload is insufficient or if the workload exceeds this amount without designating a suitable timeframe for the work related to the project. The student is responsible for making contact to the organization in which the internship takes place. The student cannot receive a salary for carrying out these tasks. The student is allowed to receive funding to cover documented expenses during the trainee period. The student may have a job in the organization during the Extended Project and Trainee Period. At the company/organization, an employee must be appointed as a liaison between the university and the student. This person will also assist in resolving practical issues related to implementation of the project.   

The student may seek supervision in relation to solving the tasks at the company and writing the final report. The time allocated for supervision (for communication, meetings, and preparation for meetings) is given in the norm catalogue. Prior to starting the trainee period (undertaking the actual project work in the organization) the student must have an introductory meeting with a supervisor. The student is free to contact a supervisor at his or her own request. At the introductory meeting, the student should detail the project/work tasks that are expected to be carried out and their relevance in relation to the academic field within the chosen MSc in Economics and Business Administration profile. It is strongly recommended that the internal (SDU) supervisor is not closely affiliated with the organization in question. The work/problems/tasks undertaken by the student during the project must allow the student to test and develop relevant competences. 

The work to be performed during the internship must include appropriate tasks, i.e. the student's work must have a specific academic content and include not only general office (or similar) work. The content of the internship must be related to one or more specific topics within the area of business economics or business administration as covered in the mandatory courses of the MSc program profile. Proposals for actual working tasks/problems are prepared by the student in collaboration with the contact person in the trainee organization. Schedule for the working days/hours is made in agreement between the student and the organization/company.  

There must be a written agreement between the student and the organization in which the internship takes place concerning the learning purpose of the internship as well as organization of the work in the organization and the target for the final report. The agreement must be approved by the supervisor and the profile responsible (see examination conditions).  

The project and trainee agreement is available at the programme’s page on www.sdu.dk. It must as a minimum contain the following information:  

• Name of organization/company at which the internship takes place.

• Name and title of contact person at the study site.

• Period for internship.

• Working hours per week.

• Description of work content of the internship.

• Goal for the project report.