Humanities in the Workplace (Penryn)
| Module title | Humanities in the Workplace (Penryn) |
|---|---|
| Module code | HUC2001 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Jeremy De Waal (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 50 |
|---|
Module description
This module will enable you to study on one or two subject-related placements, totaling at least 40 hours. It will allow you to develop an understanding of how the skills and knowledge acquired as part of a Humanities degree are applicable to the workplace and to extend relevant work-based skills and knowledge in a reflective way. The module will also include exploration about the value of the humanities and debates about its relationship to economics.
The module provides an opportunity for you to develop an understanding of a business or work environment through practical work and to gain experience in the use of technologies and applications commonly used in organisations.
Module aims - intentions of the module
Two-Hour Workshops: Will be held jointly with POC2047 These will focus on getting started, CV writing, the interview experience, applications and letter-writing, corporate and commercial awareness and managing expectations.
One-to-one consultations: you will have one-to-one consultations with the Humanities Work Placement Co-ordinator, in which an appropriate placement will be discussed. You will also have the opportunity of scheduled consultations with a discipline-based supervisor, and the option of a feedback session with a Careers Advisor.
Seminars: you will participate in a series of 3 x 1 hour seminars led by a module tutor. These sessions will explore questions about the transferability of skill sets acquired in humanities studies into the workplace and situate these questions within broader debates about the value of a humanities education.
Independent work experience and study: with the assistance of the Humanities Work Placement Co-ordinator, students will be required to organise their own placements, including preparing appropriate CVs and cover letters, and to navigate successfully interviews and employment tests. They will work for at least 40 hours in an agreed professional setting and will reflect on that experience within the context of the module's assessment. It is the responsibility of the student to keep the Module Leader informed of progress in the workplace and of problems that have arisen.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Reflect critically on practical experiences gained, and the impact they may have on your views and actions
- 2. Establish connections between the skills acquired as part of a degree in the Humanities and the skills required in the workplace, while situating these connections within broader debates about the value of a humanities education.
- 3. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the social, cultural and political considerations which influence employment settings, using appropriate discipline-specific theoretical perspectives to analyse those settings
- 4. Produce job applications that represent your strengths and target specific employers in an appropriate manner
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate your skills in the research, selection and evaluation of specific jobs and the structural context of those jobs
- 6. Use appropriate discipline-specific critical approaches to evaluate the social and cultural and political aspects of an employment setting
- 7. Communicate (in writing and in speech) in a manner appropriate to the particular workplace context
- 8. Critically analyse and reflect upon the communicative practices (textual and verbal) used in the workplace
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 9. Develop / enhance practical work-based skills and experience
- 10. Negotiate the different types of working relationships with staff within the workplace, and others - directly or indirectly - relevant to the placement
- 11. Identify and reflect on personal challenges and to learn from their resolution
- 12. Use a range of technologies and applications relevant to most work places
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the two-hour workshops will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Introduction to the module and CV training
- Work Placement Fair and networking opportunity
- Researching the Perfect placement and interview training
- Work Placements in practice and experiential learning.
- The strong portfolio
- Applying academic learning to the workplace.
The 3 one-hour seminars will examine the transferability of humanities skill sets to the workplace and debates about the relationship between economics and the value of a humanities education.
Work experience can take place at various points in the year, in one or two blocks or continuously (with a maximum 15 hours per week during term time). The module is designed to enable the work placement(s) to take place at any point between the last workshop and the assessment.
Assessments: The Reflective Placement Report will be based on the same template used for POC2047, without the attached CV. This report will be marked by the employability team which delivers POC2047. The 1500-word essay will be humanities-facing and will be marked by the module convenor. Student consultations for the respective assessments will be directed accordingly.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | 91 | 40 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 14 | 7 two-hour workshops (held together with POC2047 in term 1) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 3 | Seminars |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 2 | Feedback |
| Guided independent study | 91 | Research, reading and essay preparation |
| Placement/Study abroad | 40 | Work experience |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| CV writing, interview experience, applications and letter-writing | Workshop | 4-5 | In workshop |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio / Reflective Placement Report | 50 | 1500 words | 1-3, 6-12 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
| Essay | 50 | 1500 words | 1-3, 6-12 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio/Reflective Placement Report | 1500 words | 1-3, 6-12 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Essay | 1500 words | 1-3, 6-12 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Bulatis, Z. (2020),Value and the Humanities: The Neoliberal University and Our Victorian Inheritance, Palgrave.
- Cottrell, S. (2003), Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook . Palgrave Study Guides. London
- Drees, W. (2021). What are the Humanities For?. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.
- Fanthorne, C. (2004), Work Placements – A Survival Guide for Students . Palgrave Study Guides. Macmillan, London.
- Kolb, D. (1984), ‘Experiential Learning: Experience as a source of Learning and Development.’ PHI, New Jersey.
- Longson, S. (1999), Making Work Experience Count . How to Books.
- Moon, J. (1999), Learning Journals: A handbook for academics, students and professional development . Kogan Page. London
- Nussbaum, M, (2016) Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities .Princeton University Press, Princeton.
- Small, H. (2013) The Value of the Humanities. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
- Preparatory materials provided as part of the workshops, including guidance on writing a CV, application letters and an occupational profile. Facilities are available in the Career Zone in the Exchange Building at the Penryn Campus. Discipline-based supervisors will provide bibliographical guidance.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/01/2016 |
| Last revision date | 29/01/2023 |
