This module permits students to study on a year-long placement during the third year of a four-year programme.

This module aims to enable students to:

• Gain benefit from being in a workplace by learning from a structured reflection on their experience
• Provide the opportunity to develop an understanding of a business environment through practical experience; to encompass NGOs, SMEs etc.
• Gain experience in the use of technologies and applications commonly used in organisations
• Add to their employability by developing vocational experience through:
  • seeking and successfully gaining a workplace
  • being in a workplace for a significant period, and reflecting on that experience
  • adding directly to employment-related transferable skills
• Develop work-related interpersonal awareness and competence through reflection on the experience of working with others and as part of an organisation
• Enhance key transferable skills through the managing of their learning in an independent context, time management, problem-solving and giving an oral presentation
• Gain in personal development through being in a work environment and then transfer the skills acquired to both academic work and future vocational work

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

Module-Specific Skills:

1. Demonstrate understanding of the workplace, gaining knowledge of what their particular placement organisation does, its management, measures taken towards sustainability and how it seeks to achieve its goals.

2. Show an ability to use appropriate language and presentation skills to analyse their experiences and to communicate conclusions, both orally and in writing

3. Demonstrate an ability to reflect critically on practical experiences gained, and the impact they may have on the student's views and actions

Discipline-specific skills:

4. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the process of experiential learning by reflecting on and evaluating the experience of working in an organisation/company

5. Show an ability to reflect critically on the independent learning and self-management that work requires

6. Understand the social, economic, cultural and administrative considerations which influence employment settings

Personal and Key Skills:

7. Show an ability to identify and adapt to working and related practices in an employment setting and reflect critically on them

8. Develop / enhance practical work-based skills and experience

9. Negotiate the different types of working relationships with staff within the workplace, and others - directly or indirectly - relevant to the placement

10. Demonstrate the ability to identify and reflect on personal challenges and to learn from their resolution

11. Demonstrate ability to use a range of technologies and applications relevant to most work places

12. Be aware of the processes involved when applying for employment

13. Draw up an action plan for the development of their skills, knowledge and experience at each stage in the process (before / during / after the period of work experience)

Students will be required to maintain regular contact with the FCH Director or other designated teaching staff while preparing for and on the placement.

Details of Learning and Teaching methods:

Linkage to ILO's:

While students are in Exeter, this module will use the following range of methods:

• Seminar - induction session

• Seminar - creating CVs and letters of application

• Seminar - interview technique

• Handbooks and guidance notes for the work placement

• 20-minute oral and illustrated presentation (using PowerPoint) by each student about the period of the work experience, with class discussion

While students are on the work experience, this module will use the following range of methods:

• Individual study and research (e.g. on the particular workplace and comparable ones)

• Work experience for 7-9 months

• Self-based learning through compiling a reflective paper-based or web blog journal during the period preparing for going on the work experience and while actually on it

• Opportunities for email and telephone contact with FCH staff and other students on work experience

• On-line discussion board

Placements are organised by the students, but must be approved by the FCH Director.

Students should start seeking placements during the summer at the end of their first year, as some companies open their application process in July for starting the placement in the third year of the degree.

Placements require a completed Letter of Intent, signed by all parties, before students can go on the placement.

Students who are unable to achieve a placement, or who fail this module, revert to the three-year FCH degree programme and have no reference to UK work experience in their degree title.

• Induction session (term 2, year 2)
• Writing CVs and Letters of Application (term 2, year 2)
• Interview technique (term 2, year 2)
• Preparation for the employment (terms 2 and 3, year 2)
• Commence compiling a reflective journal while preparing for the work experience (term 2, year 2; continued through year 3)
• Work placement (year 3)
• Complete the reflective journal (submitted in its final form at the beginning of term 1, year 3)
• Write an essay on the experience (submitted at the beginning of term 1, year 3)
• Student presentations on the work experience (term 1, year 3)

Indicative basic reading list:

• Cottrell, S. (2008) The Study Skills Handbook, 3rd edn. (Palgrave Macmillan) (main library - 378.170281 COT)
• Fanthome, C. (2004) Work Placements: A survival guide for students. (Palgrave Macmillan) (main library - 371.2270941 FAN)
• Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods (Further Education Unit) (St Luke's Library - 374 FUR)
• Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as a source of Learning and Development (Prentice-Hall) (St Luke's Library - 370.152 KOL)
• Longson, S. (1999) Making Work Experience Count (How to Books) (St Luke's Library - 370.113 LON)
• Moon, J. (2006) Learning journals: a handbook for reflective practice and professional development (Routledge) (St Luke's Library - 153.42 MOO)
• Northedge, A. (2005) The good study guide (Open University) (main library - 029.6 NOR)
• Race, P. (2003) How to study: practical tips for university students (Blackwell) (main library - 378.17 RAC)
• Schön, D. (1990) Educating the reflective practitioner: toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions (Jossey-Bass) (St Luke's Library - 378.013 SCH)

Indicative web-based resources:

• The reflective journal should be based on the guidance in the student pack provided at the induction session, available at www.exeter.ac.uk/fch/work-experience.php
• Useful material on many aspects of learning from work experience is available at www.exeter.ac.uk/employability and especially http://www.exeter.ac.uk/employability/students/valueofworkex.shtml
• For guidance on writing reflective material, see  http://www.exeter.ac.uk/fch/work-experience/reflective-writing-guidance.pdf