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Indiana University

Management Internships

Internships that are relevant for students pursuing the Management major for the BSPA degree should provide a setting where they can apply and/or develop knowledge and skills obtained in coursework and/or present an opportunity for students to develop insight into potential management related career paths in companies and organizations. Internships in all sectors, private, public, and non-profit are acceptable, but should be linked to activities and experiences that allow students to develop general management skills.

Internship opportunities should involve one or more of the following activities:

  • Strategic planning: SWOT analysis; benchmarking against similar organizations; establishing goals, objectives, measurement systems, and timelines; organizational structure and design; planning retreats; needs and capacity assessment
  • Budget Development and Analysis: Preparing budget submissions and annual reports
  • Leadership Development and Training: Exposure to the practice of leadership, including communication, delegation, motivation, supervision, etc. and effectiveness of different leadership styles on organizational performance
  • Legal Issues: Legislative outreach and development and regulatory reform
  • Organizational Innovation: Development and implementation of information systems, new delivery systems, and other efforts designed to improve the performance of public organizations
  • Human Capital Management: Job descriptions; reporting structures; compensation packages;  developing and managing employee teams; workforce diversity; staff retreat
  • Public Relations/Marketing: Communication and PR plan; communication systems and design components (logo, colors, etc.); media development (print, web, other); public sector marketing
  • Program Ma­nagement and Implementation:  Launching new or innovative programs; field- or regional-office oversight and communications; developing training and technical assistance material for new or current programs
  • Accountability and Evaluation: Organizational effectiveness; program design and evaluation; measuring and assessing performance; benefit cost analysis; code of ethics; transparency and accountability initiatives
  • Research: Systematic inquiries designed to support the above activities

Internships should also provide students the opportunity to:

Gain a better understanding of:

  • the relationship between the public and private sector
  • the connections between local citizen groups, public organizations, and for-profits
  • how public and private organizations fit into local communities and what roles they play in partnership with other organizations or companies in the area

Reflect critically about:

  • the meaning of government and its relationship to civil society and democracy
  • the positive and negative impacts private organizations may have on local communities and identify strategies for maximizing positive impacts while minimizing negative impacts

Learn networking skills and develop an understanding of the organizational landscape of private or public organizations.

Learn political and conceptual skills that will help them link their day-to-day internship activities to the larger picture of government and democratic governance systems as they relate to the private sector.