Final Paper: This means your 150 (3 credit) hours should be completed before submission of your final paper.
The final paper must meet the following technical criteria:
- Minimum 10 single-spaced pages of written content (this does not include your cover page, Table of Contents, or work cited pages). OR, 20 double-spaced pages of written content (not to include Table of Contents or work sample pages).
- A cover page must be included, which has the Date, the Student’s name, the name of the employer, the name of the company or agency, instructor name, the internship class name (CYSE 368/Internship), and the term (i.e., Spring 2026).
- A Table of Contents must be included.
- Pages are numbered and reflected in Table of Contents as well.
The outline provided below must be followed when writing the Final Paper.
Final Paper Sections (1-11):
1. Introduction – Why did you decide to intern at this business, agency, or organization?
- Explain at least three specific learning outcomes or objectives you hoped to achieve in your internship (from your signed MOA). Provide a general introduction to your paper. This includes that you describe the beginning of your internship to include the following at a minimum:
- Type of business or organization where you are interning, including a brief history of the organization, major products and/or services, major customers or demographics the company targets, and any other notable facts about the organization.
- Details of your initial orientation and training, including your initial impressions of the company and the internship.
2. Describe the management environment at the internship. Include aspects of supervision, general management structure, and effectiveness for your internship.
3. Describe your major work duties, assignments, and projects (reference work samples can be in this section or as an appendix). Explain how each of your internship duties or assigned projects may be necessary to the business.
4. Discuss your specific use of cybersecurity skills or knowledge in the internship. Include both the skills you had before the internship and those skills you had to learn on the job. Explain how your on-the-job experience with the content area has changed your understanding of the subject matter.
5. How did the ODU curriculum prepare you (or not prepare you) for the internship?
- Did you make any connections between what you have learned in school and the skills or knowledge used at the internship? If so, explain those connections; if not, explain why not.
- Were there experiences that reinforced what you have learned in school?
- Were there experiences that revealed new concepts, techniques, or skills that you have not yet encountered in school?
6. For each outcome or objective you explained in the introduction of your paper, describe how the internship fulfilled or didn’t fulfill the goal.
7. Describe the most motivating or exciting aspects of the internship.
8. Describe the most discouraging aspects of the internship.
9. Describe the most challenging aspects of the internship.
10. List your recommendations for future interns in this internship. What preparations do they need before beginning the internship?
11. Conclusion:
- Summarize your main ‘take-away’ thoughts from your internship experience.
- Describe how your internship experience will influence the remainder of your college time at ODU.
- Describe how your internship experience will influence your future professional path or planning.