Close Menu

COMP3911

Course Title: 
Internship in Computing I
Credits: 
3
Educational Level: 
III
Semester offered: 
I,II & Summer
Associated Programme: 
B.Sc. CS
Core Course: 
yes
Course Aims: 

This internship course will provide students an opportunity to develop a professional understanding of computing so that they are prepared for employment. During this course students will develop the ability to apply the concepts learned in the classroom in an actual working situation and discover the value of work and the rewards of accomplishment. The course also provides an opportunity for students to develop positive work habits, to test aptitude for or interest in a selected field and ensures a natural transition to the highest level of professional preparation as a complement to the education/training goals of the department.

Syllabus: 

The exact nature of the internship depends upon the interests of the student and the specific needs of the cooperating organisation. It is assumed and expected that the intern will be involved in some area of computing and thereby gain valuable experience in his/her selected field of study.

Internships contribute to the education of the whole person by emphasizing the importance of work and by providing opportunities for self-reflection. The internship should be chosen to build on the student's own interests and to relate what he/she has learned in school to its application in the workplace. In addition, the internship should help the student evaluate him/herself as a worker and as a potential employee in a particular professional field. Through the internship, the student will enhance his/her feelings of self-worth and confidence in performing in the workplace. While on the job, the student should not only apply lessons learned in school to his/her particular job tasks, but he/she should also explore vocational possibilities and seek to discover what kinds of work he/she enjoys. In addition, the student will be able to build on his/her résumé and professional portfolio. Internship experiences should also offer the student access to potential mentors in his/her professional field.

Responsibility of the Student:

The student is required to spend about l50 working hours (e.g. 12 hours per week for approximately 13 weeks during semester 1 or 2, or 40 hours per week for approximately 4 weeks) working on a project or projects of the participating organisation’s choice. Where the students are registered for the course in semester 1 or 2, the hours allotted for the internship exercise should be selected by the student, at times when no classes are scheduled. 

The student must:

  • meet regularly with the Departmental Internship  Coordinator (IC) and periodically with fellow interns to discuss his/her internship experiences
  • maintain a journal indicating dates and hours worked, and a brief description of the work performed 
  • submit a final report summarising and evaluating the internship experience; and 
  • complete a résumé and interview at the Office of Placement and Career Services, UWI (Mona)

Any problems encountered during the internship should be discussed immediately with the IC so that appropriate action can be taken.

Responsibility of the participating Organisation:

Participating organisations will be vetted by the Internship Coordinator to ensure that they are suitable.

The organisation will:  

  • provide a mentor and appropriate work environment
  • expose the student to the type of work which he/she would encounter in an entry level professional position
  • provide appropriate personnel to oversee the project(s) assigned to the student, and the resources needed to accomplish the work
  • treat the student as it would any employee, and
  • expect the same degree of responsibility from the student, even as the student is not an employee of the firm

The mentor will be asked to: 

  • provide a written evaluation of the student’s performance to the IC  at the end of the internship; 
  • provide the student with a periodic evaluation of his/her performance; and 
  • consult with the  IC when and if necessary.

Although an internship is a learning experience, it is expected that the student will normally earn some compensation for work performed that may contribute to income generating activities, either in the form of a wage, stipend, or reimbursement of expenses.

Responsibility of the Internship Coordinator (IC):
The IC will:

 

  • organise preparation seminars for students at the start of each semester., featuring presentations from the Office of Placement and Career Services, industry personnel and alumni
  • arrange preliminary meetings with mentors where students are briefed on expectations and responsibilities specific to the organisation;
  • meet/correspond with students: student group meetings (weekly) via online journal, videoconference, etc.  for students to share experiences;
  • review reports from the organisation;
  • review reports from the student;
  • serve as a liaison between the Department of Computing (DoC) and the participating organisation;
  • oversee the progress of the intern ;
  • make suggestions to both the student and the organisation on ways to enhance the benefits of the internship;
  • meet regularly with the intern to discuss his/her experience;s 
  • help resolve any problems the organisation and the student might have; and 
  • review all the reports submitted by the participating organisation and the student. 
Course Assessment: 

There will be two components of the course’s assessment: the internship mentor’s evaluation and the student’s work during the internship and his/her final submission at the conclusion of the internship. Students must pass both aspects of the course.

The internship mentor will provide a written evaluation of the student's performance. This assessment will be done using a 5 point Likert scale. An assessment/evaluation form will be provided for this purpose, and the form will be returned to the DoC in a sealed envelope. The internship coordinator will assign a grade not exceeding 25% of the possible marks based on this assessment, and on the student’s journal which would detail the tasks assigned to the student and their level of completion.

The student will be evaluated on:

  • Quality of work;
  • Use of time (efficient/effective use of time to complete tasks);
  • Ability to take initiative (ability to work independently);
  • Grasp of subject (understanding of applicable standards and procedures);
  • Judgement skills (ability to make appropriate work-related decisions);
  • Interpersonal relations/teamwork (effectiveness in working with peers and supervisors);
  • Adaptability (ability to alter activities to accommodate change);
  • Problem solving/critical thinking skills;
  • Punctuality, attendance;
  • Verbal and written  communication skills;
  • Whether the goals of the internship were met (qualitative response);
  • What skills the student developed (qualitative response);
  • The observed primary strengths of the intern (qualitative response);
  • Recommendations for improvement (qualitative response);
  • What is your overall assessment of the student’s performance? (qualitative response); and
  • Other relevant observations.

75% will be based on the following:

  • Regular communication with the DIC (weekly reports) - 15%
  • Attendance at and participation in required internship meetings (weekly) - 10%;
  • Oral presentation summarizing the activities completed during the internship - 20%
  • Documentation of the internship experience in an internship portfolio (30%) which includes:
  • A final report summarizing the internship, relating it to courses done, and reflecting on the experience. The final report will have an appendix containing the student’s journal entries from the internship (guidelines will be provided).
  • An updated résumé that incorporates the internship experience.
  • A "company evaluation form” rating the participating organisation. 
  • Proof of consultation/debriefing with the office of placement and career services, UWI (Mona).
Course Prerequisites: 

Permission of the Head of Department.

Top of Page