Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
In-Company Work Placement
Teaching staff
Cristina Prats cprats@uic.es
Introduction
The University’s training programmes have a strong professional orientation, which makes internship periods in companies highly important. Internships are an additional means of student training in terms of knowledge and skills, and are carried out under an agreement with the company and under the supervision and monitoring of both the University and a company representative.
The objectives of the internships are both to facilitate the student’s integration into the labour market—allowing them to integrate and apply theoretical knowledge in different professional contexts—and to enhance the development of skills, competencies, attitudes, and aptitudes. Internships are conceived as a key component of the student’s education and represent the starting point for reflecting on future professional development.
Academic supervision of the internships is carried out through both the university tutor and the company tutor. This supervision is continuous and is formalised through various reports and meetings with the university tutor. The internship department provides personalised follow-up for each student, reviewing tasks performed, competency development, and the student’s attitude and level of engagement within the company.
Objectives
The objective of these internships is to ensure students’ entry into the labour market by helping them integrate and apply theoretical knowledge in different professional contexts. Internships also promote the development of various skills, competencies, attitudes, and aptitudes.
- Apply the knowledge acquired in the classroom
- Develop professional maturity through work experience in a company
- Develop skills and aptitudes in a professional environment
- Foster proactivity and commitment in the job search process
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB6 - To possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
- CB7 - Apply the knowledge acquired and the ability to solve problems in new or unfamiliar settings within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to one's field of study.
- CB9 - Communicate conclusions, and the knowledge and ultimate reasons that underpin them, to specialist and non-specialist audiences in a clear and unambiguous manner.
- CE1 - Devise appropriate financial planning from the initial phase of a startup to its later phases of business consolidation, with consideration for business analysis, business models and economic and financial analysis.
- CE10 - Interact with the entrepreneurial ecosystem and establish relationships with its actors, institutions, incubators, accelerators and investor networks, among others.
- CE2 - Analyse entrepreneurial business ventures from multidisciplinary contexts in order to detect new market opportunities that can be transformed into commercial products or services.
- CE3 - Interpret and master different startup financial cycle models and apply them by drawing up the most efficient financing, be it venture capital, private equity or other forms of financing.
- CE7 - Identify and develop new business opportunities, taking into account pioneering and innovative technology-based business models.
- CG1 - Work as part of multidisciplinary teams as a proactive member, helping to resolve conflict or problems that may arise.
- CG2 - Possess planning and organisational skills, whilst having the flexibility to adapt these plans to new situations.
- CG3 - Generate new ideas and critically evaluate alternatives against numerous criteria whilst bearing in mind the multiple actors involved.
- CT1 - Be able to communicate effectively in a professional context.
- CT2 - Have the capacity to reflect and think critically in interdisciplinary contexts.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Apply entrepreneurial and financial knowledge in real organisational contexts.
Analyse business opportunities and operations in multidisciplinary environments.
Develop and evaluate innovative solutions to practical business challenges.
Work effectively in teams and professional settings.
Communicate insights and outcomes clearly to different audiences.
Reflect critically on professional experience and personal development.
Syllabus
Calendar:
Curricular internships take place from January to May for the 1st call (evaluation at the end of May) and from February to June for the 2nd call (evaluation at the end of June).
To be evaluated in the 1st call, students must have completed the minimum required hours by the end of May.
If they have not met this requirement, they will automatically be evaluated in the 2nd call at the end of June where the maximum possible grade will be 7.0.
- First Assessment Period: Ends on May 29. To meet the required hours, you should have started your internship before 1 March.
- Second Assessment Period: Ends on June 26. You need to start your internship before April 1st to complete the 375 hours on time.
Submission of the agreement: students must submit the internship agreement or employment contract duly signed before starting the internship, or within 7 days of its start.
Duration of the internship
The subject "Work Placement in a Company", with 15 ECTS, requires the completion of the internship for a minimum of 375 hours in the second semester.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Reporting and monitoring
Internships follow-up will be conducted through regular communication between the university tutor, the company tutor, and the student. This process includes several required reports to ensure proper evaluation.
1- Reports Submitted by the Student
- Initial report -"Internship Description",The student must provide an overview of the company, the department, and their assigned tasks and responsibilities. (See template in Section IX).
- 2. Final Report:- "Student Final Report", where the student must demonstrate their knowledge of the company, the sector, and the tasks performed during the internship. It should include an analysis of a company process or project, a description of a challenge or difficulty encountered and how it was addressed, an explanation of the main contributions made to the company, as well as a self-evaluation and reflection on the internship experience and its connection to the Master’s courses. This reflection should include a self-assessment of strengths and areas for improvement. (See template in Section IX).
Submission Guidelines:
- All reports must be submitted online via the Moodle platform.
- Deadlines must be strictly followed. Late submissions will result in a grade penalty (see Section VII Teaching Guide).
2- COMPANY: Report from the company's tutor.
The company tutor will complete a final report to evaluate the student's progress, suitability for the role, and professional performance.
- "Final Report - In-Company Tutor": This report assesses the students’ competencies, commitment, and overall performance. It also includes feedback on areas for improvement and highlights the students’ strengths
Submission and Guidelines:
The report must be sent directly by the company tutor to the UIC Barcelona tutor.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Evaluation System:
The External Internships in Companies subject will be assessed based on the following:
- Continuous Evaluation (10%)
Assessed by the academic tutor, based on the student’s attitude, proactivity, job search process, follow-up interviews, and overall commitment. - Company Tutor’s Report (50%)
Evaluation provided by the company tutor, based on the student’s performance in key competencies, skills demonstrated, and areas for improvement during the internship. - Student’s Final Report (40%)
Submitted by the student at the end of the internship. The evaluation will consider:
- 80% Content quality
- 20% Format and structure
Important:
(i) Passing the Student’s Final Report is a mandatory requirement for it to be considered in the final grade calculation alongside the other two components.
(ii) If the student fails the Final Report, the final grade for the subject will be the grade obtained in the Student’s Final Report, regardless of the scores in the other components.
Situations that imply a qualification of "fail" in the internship
- Insufficient internship hours: If the student has not completed the required internship hours by the report submission date, they will be evaluated in the second call.
- Expulsion from the internship by either the company tutor or the university.
- Plagiarism of the Internship Report:
If plagiarism occurs in the first call, the student must rewrite the Report for the second call.
If plagiarism occurs in the second call, the internship will be graded as "failed."
- Lack of a valid internship agreement: Internships conducted without a signed collaboration agreement between UIC Barcelona and the company or without an employment contract will not be recognized.
- Early termination of the internship after evaluation: If a student, after being evaluated in May, voluntarily terminates their internship without a justified reason, their grade will be changed to "failed." The university reserves the right to modify grades until August 31.
Penalties Affecting the Final Grade:
The following situations will result in a penalty to the final grade:
- Late submission of the Internship Report or the CV: A 0.1-point deduction per day of delay will be applied.
- Unilateral withdrawal from the internship: If a student abandons the internship after signing the agreement without approval from the Internship Service or faculty, the maximum grade they can receive will be 5.0.
- Withdrawing from an accepted offer: If a student accepts an internship offer and the agreement is already being processed but later decides to reject it, a 2-point deduction will be applied.