Undergraduate work placements
Having professional work experience alongside your degree is now more important than ever in an increasingly competitive graduate job market.
- 59% of graduates that were hired by top undergraduate employers were former interns and placement students (Ratemyplacement, 2020)
- 44% of placement students were hired into graduate jobs by their placement employer (ISE Survey, 2019)
- >1/3 of recruiters advise that graduates with no work experience are unlikely to be successful during the selection processes for the top employers’ graduate programmes (High Fliers Research, 2018)
In the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences there are a number of ways you can complete a work placement as part of your degree programme:
With Employment Experience
The 'with Employment Experience' programme gives all HASS students the opportunity to undertake a work placement in the UK or abroad during their 3rd year, before returning for their fourth and final year of study. You will be trained and upskilled throughout your 1st and 2nd year through a series of bespoke workshops, 1-to-1 support, newsletters, and more.
- Follow this link to learn more: With Employment Experience
Work Experience: Building Skills and Unlocking Opportunities module
Our faculty-wide second- and third-year module is available to all HASS students and offers the opportunity to gain credit-bearing work experience in a broad range of sectors. You will receive skills, employability, and academic taught content to help prepare you for the placement search and to ensure you secure an opportunity that aligns with your ideas!
- More information about our Work Experience module
Archaeology
Students on our Archaeology programme have ample opportunity to undertake credit-bearing work placements and gain professional experience as part of their degree. Modules such as Archaeological Fieldwork Project (ARC2003) and Archaeology Professional Placement (ARC3003) allow students to source and undertake relevant work placements in preparation for pursuing a career in archaeology and the heritage and cultural sector.
Modern Languages and Cultures International Placement
Undergraduate students in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures can spend their third year working, studying or doing a work-study split year abroad as an integral part of their degree. You will receive various support activities throughout your 1st and 2nd year to help you decide what to do and search for opportunities. Through a combination of workshops, 1-to-1 support, newsletters, peer mentoring, and more, we aim to help you on the road to your international placement year.
LLB Law Professional Placement
Law students on this course will spend their 3rd year on placement. Your workplace contract will be organised directly with your employer.
- More information on our Law Professional Placement module: LAW3701
The experience of going abroad for a year in employment has been life-changing for me. I gained a tremendous amount of work and life experience and learned how to fully appreciate another culture and linguistic environment.
Peter
BA History with Employment Experience
Contact us
Email: hass-placements@exeter.ac.uk
