JCU Logo
JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "LAW 398-1"
COURSE NAME: "Internship: Law Field"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Margaret Kneller
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: M 6:00 PM 7:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: GPA of 3.0 or higher; Junior Standing; Internship in the field of Law obtained through the Career Services Center
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The For Credit (FC) Internship course combines academic learning with a short-term (part-time with a minimum of 150 hours) internship. Field experience allows participants to combine academic learning with hands-on work experience. For-Credit internships are unpaid. The organization or firm must be sponsored by the JCU Career Services Center (CSC). After being selected for an internship and having the CSC verify the course requirements are met, the intern may enroll in the Internship course corresponding to the academic discipline of interest. Course requirements include attending the internship class which will is scheduled for 20 in-class hours over the semester or summer session, verification of the minimum number of hours worked in the internship by the CSC; completion of a daily internship log; in-depth interview with the internship sponsor or organization; and a 2500 to 3500 word “White Paper” presenting a position or solution to a problem encountered by their employer. This course is graded on a “pass/no pass” basis. During the Fall and Spring semesters the course will begin the 3rd week of classes; in Summer it begins the 1st week of classes and ends at end of the Summer II Mini session. Students will determine with the Registrar’s Office or their Advisor which semester corresponds most closely with the timing of their internship. This course may be taken only once for academic credit.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
During class, you will be challenged to reflect on your internship experience within the context of your host company.  By creating an intentional time to reflect on your internship, the role you have in your workplace and the experiences of your peers in their internship placements, you will develop better awareness of your strengths and weaknesses and professional skills. In addition to soft skills development, you will also have a story to tell your future employers. Students, with different major/background learn how to work in team, how to handle conflicts, and how to communicate with other participants whose field is different from theirs.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 

  • Understand the challenges of the employment market 

  • Learn how to set short-term and long-term goals 

  • Develop written and oral communication skills 

  • Develop their self-understanding, how they work in team, how they handle conflicts, how they solve problems… 

  • Develop critical thinking attitude 

  • Create a career search plan  
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Completed journal of internship activitiesDemonstrates engaged and thoughtful summary of the work and activities covered in the internship.20%
Interview with Employer & PresentationWritten summary of the interview and presentation to class for discussion. 30%
White paper on academic issue related to the field of study, & PresentationA white paper is a report on a topic that presents a certain position or solution to a problem or issue. The White Paper should be between 2500 to 3500 words, excluding the bibliography. It is due the last day of class.40%
Class ParticipationParticipation in Discussion and informal Presentation, related to Topics in the Syllabus. Attendance.10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Meeting 1.  Introduction to the For Credit Internship requirements: White Paper (references defining the format), Journal (decide format),  and the Interview.  How to define an Internship Organization.

 

Meeting 2. Identify “External Global Risks,” encountered by your Internship Organization. 

 

Meeting 3. What is Social Capital, vs. Financial Capital, other types of Capital? What types of Capital are being Created by your Internship Organization?

 

Meeting 4. Competitor Organizations: Identify local or global competitor organizations, to your own internship organization.

 

Meeting 5. Trends within the Workplace.

 

Option A: Non-Disclosure Agreements.  Option B: Smart- Remote-working, organizational “citizenship behaviors.”

 

Meeting 6.  Plan the Interview.  Presentation of a section of the journal.

 

Meeting 7.  In the context of the White Paper’s “Problem” and “Solution,” students experiment with Text-generated AI. Compare and Contrast AI-generated versus human generated Problem-Solution descriptions.

 

Meeting 8.  White Papers: students find and the class reviews examples of White Papers. A range of styles and your criteria to evaluate effectiveness, are discussed.

 

Meeting 9.  Improve your Research skills, for online sources. Experiment with different web search engines, search terms and qualifiers.

 

Meeting 10.  Students present White Paper outline and key related references.

 

Meeting 11. Oral Presentation of White Papers and Interviews.

 

Meeting 12.  Oral Presentation of White Papers and Interviews.

 

White Paper due the last class meeting.