Overview
HDCS 4393 and 4394 are the capstone internship courses for graduating seniors in the Retailing and Consumer Science program. According to Levy and Weitz, “Retailing is the set of business activities that adds value to the products and services sold to consumers for their personal or family use.” Sharing this statement about the impact of retailing, the National Retail Federation suggests that retailing is the nation's leading private sector employer with innovation that drives our economy by creating jobs for professionals across the country. Retail supports 52 million jobs in America1, offering limitless career opportunities.
HDCS 4393
The internship course is a required, senior-level capstone course in the Retailing and Consumer Science (RCS) program at the University of Houston. To meet the requirements of this course, students must be employed in an Internship (preferred), Part-Time Job, or Full-Time Job. Through this course, students are expected to combine RCS theory with practical application in their professional setting, develop professional work competencies for a specific RCS-related occupation, and explore future RCS-related career options.
Student Internship Course Requirements
Students must meet the following course requirements, in addition to working a minimum of 15–20 hours per week in their internship:
- Attend 7 class sessions throughout the semester (for Fall and Spring sections only — please note these sessions are offered in a Hybrid format. Summer sections are offered in an asynchronous format)
- Engage in professional development activities that will help the student explore professional topics, including effective communication.
- Design 5 *SMART* goals to prepare each student for strategic planning and performance reviews in their position.
- Conduct an audit of the employment site by systematically evaluating the benefits and performance of the organization and find ways to contribute to their management, merchandising, financial, e-commerce, and/or training responsibilities
- Complete a Recommendation Report (Research Project) related to their role in the organization, including a proposal, written report, and presentation.
- Submit a Self-Evaluation of the student’s own performance at their employment site. Supervisors/Sponsors will also complete an evaluation of the student's performance in the internship that will be emailed directly to the internship faculty member.
Frequently Asked Questions (For Students)
See the Frequently Asked Questions page to deepen your understanding of the internship requirements, expectations and guidelines that will contribute to your ultimate success. Please also contact one of the RCS Internship Faculty Members, Blake Mudd at bsmudd [at] central.uh.edu (bsmudd[at]central[dot]uh[dot]edu) for more information.
Host Organization Internship Requirements
A designated supervisor will supervise the intern directly at the host organization. The internship course coordinator will contact this individual regularly. Students will have a course syllabus for the class. At the conclusion of the internship, the host supervisor will submit a written evaluation of the intern to the internship faculty member. The intern will also submit a report on their own experience. The final grade will be based on the host's evaluation and the internship coordinator's evaluation of the intern's work.
For students to receive course credit, internship offers should include the following:
- Job responsibilities that support the mission of the employing organization and support the development of RCS competencies.
- A supervisor who is dedicated to the development of the student's RCS competencies will assist the student with setting 5 *SMART* goals at the beginning of the semester and will objectively evaluate the student's performance on these metrics and others at the end of the semester.
- Require students to produce a tangible product in one semester (~15 weeks) that can be added to their portfolio of RCS-related experience.
How to Submit Your Internship Opportunity
We are happy to hear you have an opportunity you would like to share with our RCS students! The RCS program prides itself on maintaining strong industry relationships to help benefit our students and alumni. If you are interested in connecting with our students and program, please contact Blake Mudd at bsmudd [at] central.uh.edu (bsmudd[at]central[dot]uh[dot]edu) for more information.
Blake Mudd
Full-Time Lecturer
Cullen College of Engineering, Technology Division
Human Development & Consumer Sciences
University of Houston
Email: bsmudd [at] central.uh.edu (bsmudd[at]central[dot]uh[dot]edu)
Phone: 713-743-4377