IBL Co-op

Experiential learning is the fundamental ethos of a Maine Maritime education. All IBL students must pursue a co-operative work experience (lasting a minimum of twelve normal work weeks) at the end of their junior year. The program is supervised by IBL faculty and the job site could be anywhere in the world. Over and above the co-op experience, all IBL students are encouraged to pursue business internships at the end of their first and sophomore years as well. The IBL Department as well as the MMA Co-op and Placement Office will assist our students in pursuing co-ops and internships.


The International Business and Logistics Co-op Program and Outcomes Assessment

Catalog Description

CO-OP EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN IBL - A period of work experience, normally full-time and paid, with the private or public sector including non-profit organizations, in a job related to the student's degree program and/or career goals, and which differs significantly from previous experiences. Normally, credit will be awarded at the rate of one credit for four weeks of full-time work experience. An extensive written project is required and grading will be on a satisfactory or unsatisfactory basis. All IBL students are required to earn a minimum of three co-op credits (twelve weeks of full-time work experience). No student may earn more than four credits in cooperative education during his/her enrollment at MMA and these credits cannot be substituted for any other degree or minor program requirements. Prerequisite: Department Chair approval and drug free certification required. Cr. 3-4.

Loeb-Sullivan School Vision

To provide an educational experience that instills confidence and develops competence and professionalism in our graduates and to position ourselves as a global leader in our areas of expertise

Loeb-Sullivan School Mission

The Loeb-Sullivan School is committed to specialized programs in global supply chain management and related fields. Our commitment to quality education in our areas of expertise will earn us global recognition as a resource center for our immediate and global community of stakeholders. We will accomplish our mission:

  • By providing an educational environment that stimulates intellectual curiosity, fosters professional competence, encourages self-discipline, and develops critical thinking and effective communication skills
  • By recruiting, maintaining, and developing a faculty actively involved in applied scholarship
  • Through innovative and timely graduate and undergraduate programs that integrate the core functional areas of doing business internationally and supplemented with specialized professional courses
  • Through continuous assessment and improvement of our offerings and activities
  • By perpetuating experiential learning, the fundamental ethos of a Maine Maritime education
  • By partnering with organizations and individuals for mutual benefit and institutional growth

IBL Co-op Goals

Provide the students an opportunity:

  • For real-world experience in obtaining a job related to their academic major
  • To function effectively in the professional and social environment of a contemporary business organization
  • To apply what they learn in their classroom
  • To enhance their communication, team-work, and leadership skills

Co-op Schedule

Full-time employment with one company for a minimum of twelve (12) weeks, or the equivalent of 480 hours, and as much as sixteen (16) weeks at the employer's discretion, and as time allows. Normally, the co-op student is available from early-May and through August.

Co-op Topics

Maine Maritime Academy does not specify the precise content of this course, which is different for each student within a specific company setting, but approves employment situations only when the employer agrees that each student is employed in a position which includes a significant exposure to "business or logistics" as defined by the Loeb-Sullivan School. It is expected that students will:

  1. Work in a modern office, company or plant environment
  2. Contribute effectively to the success of the company
  3. Be involved in either business or logistics tasks
  4. Exposed to the work of various departments within the organization as deemed appropriate

Professional Component

  1. The co-op employer will determine the scope and nature of student's responsibilities and assignment/s.
  2. The supervisor of the student/employee is asked to evaluate the student's performance at the end of the work period.
  3. The student will complete a formal written report of the work experience at the company.

What should An IBL Co-op Student Do?

Each student shall:

I. Prepare for co-op by:

  • Complying with all MMA Co-op Office deadlines
  • Identifying a faculty member best suited to supervise her/his co-op
  • Registering for the co-op through the normal channels

II. Optimize the experience by:

  • Reporting for the work assignment as agreed
  • Conducting her-/himself in a professional manner during the co-op tenure
  • Maintaining a daily journal that chronicles his/her activities and assignments
  • Integrating and applying their relevant coursework to their co-op experience
  • Reflecting on what they are doing at the workplace, and critically evaluating their roles and responsibilities
  • Submitting a detailed co-op report that will contain the following, as a minimum:

Section 1:

Relevant particulars of the firm

Section 2:

Particulars of the student's project(s)/assignment(s) and responsibilities
Description of any special software learned/used during the co-op

Section 3:

A reflective analysis of co-op experience(s), which shall include but not be limited to:

  • How the student's course-work prepared her/him for the task/s?
  • How the project/assignment was done?
  • Alternate ways of accomplishing the same end result?
  • Could the student be better prepared academically for the task/s that were assigned?

Section 4:

Miscellaneous supporting documents
Organizational charts
Annual reports
Other relevant materials and exhibits such as:
Project/assignment report(s) prepared for the co-op employer while respecting the employer's confidentiality requirements

Section 5:

Personal details and evaluations
Resume
Income and expense report
Evaluations
Employer evaluation of the student/employee
Student evaluation of the co-op experience
Suggestions for future co-op students based on lessons learned, and/or recommendations for change and/or improvement

For more information, contact: Associate Dean: Dr. Shashi N. Kumar, Loeb-Sullivan School at (207) 326-2454, or e-mail: skumar@mma.edu
Co-op Coordinator: Chuck Easley, MMA Co-op Office at (207) 326-2333, or e-mail: ceasley@mma.edu

IBL Co-op's Contribution to Institutional Objectives and Program Outcomes:

MMA Institutional Objectives addressed in this course
Scale: 0-None; 1-Introductory; 2-Intermediate; 3-Advanced		Level
Demonstrate competency in written and spoken English3
Apply scientific methodology, basic concepts of math and science, and be computer proficient 
Gain a perspective of the social sciences, including knowledge about the interaction of human groups, of world and U.S. history, institutions and economic systems 
Acquire a basic knowledge of the humanities, such as literature, art, and music, and appreciate their impact to the individual and to society 
Gather, analyze, and interpret information2
Demonstrate competency in a major field and understand its relevancy2
Deal creatively and realistically with personal, community, national and international concerns3
Think logically, act rationally, and make appropriate decisions about the future based on past and present conditions and circumstances3
Understand ethics and aesthetics that provide a foundation for the development of a value system that can be translated into effective social action3
Cultivate a sense of curiosity, and a sense of beauty and practical wisdom in life2
IBL Departmental Program Outcomes addressed in this course
Scale: 0-None; 1-Introductory; 2-Intermediate; 3-Advanced		 
Build a strong foundation in core business functional areas such as accounting, marketing, finance, human resource management, operations management, legal knowledge, technology and information systems, and organizational behavior 
Gather complex information and synthesize into coherent written and oral presentations3
Demonstrate understanding of the financial position of organizations through examination of balance sheets, cash-flow statements, budgets, and key financial ratios 
Value diversity in the workplace and contribute effectively as a productive member of a team2
Analyze business ethics and aesthetics that provide a foundation for the development of a value system that can be translated into effective social action in the workplace and the community at large2
Demonstrate the ability to integrate technology and information systems in managing their strategic as well as tactical responsibilities at work 
Apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the challenges of doing business internationally 
Apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the challenges of domestic and global logistics management 
Exhibit competence, professionalism, and confidence in the workplace3