Douglas College – Business Internship Program (COBA 4885)

Business Internship Program (COBA 4885 / 485)

• Purpose & Rationale

  • Bridges classroom learning with real‐world practice; lets students apply skills, projects, and theory developed in earlier semesters.
  • Classified as a senior-level 4000-series course; therefore designed for students who have accumulated substantial program knowledge.
  • Consists of two consecutive academic phases:
  1. Preparation & Job Search (documents, strategy, job board)
  2. Internship Term (part-time, unpaid practicum + academic supervision).

• Key Metrics

  • Internship length: 160 total hours.
  • Typical weekly load: rac{160 \text{ h}}{13 \text{ weeks}} \approx 12 h/week.
  • Course weight: 3 academic credits.
  • Maximum attempts allowed per student: 2 distinct semesters.
  • Required weekly job-board applications once eligible: \ge 3.

Eligibility & Program Availability

• Programs that include the internship elective (non-exhaustive)
  • Certificates, Diplomas, Post-Baccalaureate Diplomas, Post-Degree Diplomas & selected BBA majors in:
  • Accounting
  • Finance / Financial Services
  • General Business
  • Hospitality
  • Human-Resources Management
  • International Business Management
  • Marketing & Sales
  • Project Management
  • Supply-Chain Management.
• Quick self-check: open your Program Guide. If COBA 4885 (occasionally listed as COBA 485) appears as an optional course, you are eligible.
• Students in programs without the course (e.g., CSIS Diploma) normally cannot join unless program & chair approve it as an extra 3-credit elective.
• Internship is optional, never a mandatory graduation requirement.

Recommended Timing

• Earlier applications reduce competitiveness and the quality of learning outcomes (fewer completed courses → thinner résumé → fewer employer matches).
• Advisers often recommend waiting an extra semester if a strong capstone course or project is scheduled; richer deliverables make the résumé stronger.

Phase 1 – Preparation & Job-Search Workflow

1. Self-assessment
   • Verify your program lists COBA 4885.
   • Evaluate semester load (other courses, employment, personal obligations).
2. Application Form (Career Hub ➜ Career Program Enrollment):
   • Ten-minute questionnaire + résumé upload.
   • Auto-logout warning: finish in one sitting to avoid timeout data loss.
3. Initial Evaluation Appointment (“3A”)
   • Book via Career Hub ➜ Appointments ➜ type Business Internship 3A.
   • Agenda:
     • Confirm eligibility & timing
     • Possibly e-mail program chair or SSA for course-plan clearance
     • Detailed résumé/cover-letter critique
     • Assign preparatory workshops ("Understand the Job Posting", "Résumé", "Cover Letter")
     • Outline next steps toward job-board access.
4. Document Polishing & Workshops
   • Strong documents → higher interview invitation rate.
5. Job Board Unlock
   • Exclusive, pre-screened employers; contracts already executed with Douglas College.
   • Student must:
     • Apply for \ge 3 postings per week
     • Respond to e-mails/voicemails within one business day
     • Update coordinators on application status.
6. Competition & Attempts
   • Internship offers are not guaranteed; securing one is competitive against other DC students.
   • Each enrollee gets two recruitment cycles (semesters) to succeed.
7. Offer Acceptance
   • Once an offer is accepted:
     • Sign formal offer letter
     • Submit to Internship Office
     • Receive Special Permission Override to register in COBA 4885
     • Acceptance is final (ethical fairness—cannot withdraw to free the seat for others).

International-Student Requirements

• Must possess a Co-op Work Permit (CWP) in addition to the standard Study Permit.
• Sequence:
  1. Attend Initial Evaluation ➜ department requests a Support Letter from Douglas International.
  2. Receive letter (≈1 week later).
  3. Apply to IRCC for CWP immediately; current processing time can exceed 2 months.
• Working-hour logic:
  • Internship’s 160 unpaid hours debit from CWP, leaving the regular 24 paid hours/week under the Study Permit untouched.
• Always bring existing CWP to 3A appointment; coordinator will check expiry dates.

Phase 2 – Internship Term Structure

• Schedule & Hours
  • Part-time, roughly 12 h/week, co-designed by employer & student around class timetable.
• Supervision Model
  1. Workplace Supervisor – oversees daily tasks, provides performance feedback.
  2. Douglas College Instructor – sets learning objectives, monitors academic components, awards grade.
• Academic Deliverables
  • Pre-internship meeting & learning contract
  • Weekly journal or log of workplace activities/hours
  • Mid-term and/or final evaluations
  • Final report and/or presentation
  • Minimum attendance: 160 verified hours.
• Credit & Transcript – recorded as COBA 4885 (3 credits, letter-graded).

Professional & Ethical Expectations

• Treat all communications as business correspondence; 1-business-day reply rule.
• Maintain confidentiality of employer information.
• Once registered, attend and complete all academic tasks; non-completion jeopardizes credit and employer relationship.
• If interview invitations are not forthcoming, students are expected to book remedial advising sessions.

Business Internship vs. Co-operative Education (Co-op)

Students may participate in both programs, but must manage each application stream separately and avoid schedule collisions.

Employer Landscape & Job Board Insights

• Employer types:
  • Small private firms
  • Medium to large regional companies
  • Non-profits
  • Internal Douglas College departments.
• All hosts are pre-approved against safety, mentorship, and role-fit criteria.
• Self-found opportunities may be accepted if the company passes the same approval process before any work begins.

Support Resources & Important Links

• Career Hub (left-side navigation):
  • Business Internship Information page – program overviews, semester-specific deadlines (e.g.
    current application window closes Mon July 14 for Fall).
  • Career Program Enrollment – application form.
  • Appointments – book 3A Initial Evaluation.
• Workshops – résumé, cover letter, "Understand the Job Posting".
• Student Success Advisers (SSA) – course planning & graduation audits (especially vital for last-semester applicants).
• Drop-In Advising – determines your assigned SSA if unknown.

Testimonials & Impact Stories

• Alexandra – Mortgage-industry placement; directly applied classroom theory; reported highly positive professional-growth experience with the Angela Calla team.
• Claudia – Sales-team rotation at Taimoor Industries; described the role as a "real eye-opener" that sharpened capabilities and shifted her business mindset.
• Both emphasize that timing their internships near program completion maximized transferable skill usage.

Frequently Asked Questions (Highlights from Q&A)

• Can I complete the internship in my final semester?
  • Yes, but start Phase 1 the preceding semester; you need two semesters total.
• Does GPA matter?
  • Not for Business Internship admission; it does for Co-op.
• What if my program list lacks COBA 4885?
  • Internship not normally available; discuss possible extra-credit override with program chair.
• International 24-hour work cap concerns?
  • Internship hours fall under CWP; paid off-campus work (≤24 h/wk) remains under the Study Permit.
• What if I accept an offer and then change my mind?
  • Ethical rule: acceptance is final; you must register and complete the course.
• Heavy course load + internship?
  • Strongly advised to consult SSA; prioritize academic success and personal well-being.
• Failure to secure an internship after two tries?
  • Student exits program without credit; may explore Co-op or other experiential avenues.

Action Checklist

1. Confirm COBA 4885 appears in your Program Guide.
2. Compare your earned credits to the ideal timing table.
3. If appropriate, log into Career Hub ➜ Career Program Enrollment ➜ submit application (before current deadline).
4. Book 3A Initial Evaluation; bring résumé, questions, and (if international) existing CWP.
5. Attend recommended workshops; refine documents.
6. Maintain application momentum: ≥3 quality job-board postings per week + prompt communications.
7. Upon offer: sign letter, forward to Internship Office, obtain registration override, enroll in COBA 4885.
8. During internship: log hours, meet learning objectives, collaborate with both supervisors, complete final report/presentation.
9. Finish semester with 160 verified hours to earn 3 credits and a robust professional reference.