Business School Industrial Experience

Module title	Business School Industrial Experience
Module code	BUS3002
Academic year	2025/6
Credits	120
Module staff	Mrs Nicky Thomas (Lecturer)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11	11	6

Number students taking module (anticipated)	300

Module description

Summary:

This module allows you to undertake and to learn from an extended work placement during the third year of a four year With Industrial Experience “WIE” programme. To progress to this module, you will have completed the employability modules BSD1002 and BSD2002 in your 1^st and 2^nd year, and will have secured a suitable (33 week minimum) placement which has been approved by the Business School.

Having developed the careers management skills necessary for a competitive graduate labour market, this is an invaluable opportunity to put the theory learned into practice in the workplace and to focus on your professional skills development.

Throughout your “industry” year, you will receive guidance from an academic “WIE tutor” and the Careers team, who will support and encourage you to fully maximise the developmental opportunities provided by your work experiences. Your personal development will also be supported through the completion of an assessed placement “WIE PORTFOLIO”, submitted in stages as you advance through your placement year.

Additional Information:

Internationalisation

You can undertake a work placement in the UK or elsewhere in the world. Overseas placements will be considered on a case-by case basis.

External Engagement

The placement provides the chance for you to develop professional relationships with new colleagues, and connections within your placement organisation and with other stakeholders. You will have the opportunity to research and examine the context of your placement organisation as part of the assessment.

Employability

Through your workplace activities and module assessment, you will apply and continue to develop your professional and career skills.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Through this module students learn and develop their professional and career skills by completing a minimum 33 week work placement during the third year of a 4 year programme.

Students will have used the careers skills they have developed in 1^st and 2^nd year, together with the support of Careers team and Business School, to secure a suitable placement which must be approved by the Business School Careers Team in advance of placement start date.

The aims of this module and the placement year are to support students to develop:

Relevant work-based skills and knowledge;
An understanding of work-place skills and their significance in personal career development/progression;
An appreciation of a business environment through practical experience;
Business/industry awareness and acumen;
An insight into career development techniques.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Evaluate commercial awareness in the context of the placement organisation/industry.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

2. Identify, develop and evidence relevant professional skills through work-based experiences;
3. Manage time and tasks effectively to meet work and academic commitments;
4. Build beneficial relationships/networks within the employer organisation and with an academic tutor.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Develop/enhance techniques to gather and articulate evidence to support self-promotion during appraisals/job applications/interviews;
6. Reflect critically on personal and professional growth, identifying strengths, areas for development, and future career aspirations.

Syllabus plan

While your daily experiences will vary depending on your placement, you will be responsible for maintaining regular contact with the university through your WIE academic tutor (potentially different from your academic personal tutor).

To manage your workload effectively, you will need to plan and incorporate the university WIE PORTFOLIO tasks into your schedule alongside your work commitments. Throughout the year, you will have access to various points of contact and support from other students and university staff, as well as a formal meeting with designated staff within your placement organisation.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
12	25	1200

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Workshops by Careers team	7	Monthly online workshops providing support through the development of your WIE PORTFOLIO.
Contact hours with WIE Tutor	4	Regular online meetings with a dedicated WIE Tutor to provide support and feedback on your WIE PORTFOLIO tasks and personal development.
3-Way meeting with Manager and WIE Tutor	1	Online meeting with WIE Tutor and manager to support your personal development and WIE PORTFOLIO tasks.

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Goal setting	100 words	2,6	Verbal and written formative feedforward
Skills reflections	500 words	2,5,6	Verbal and written formative feedforward
Regular meetings with WIE tutor		1-6	Verbal feedback
Commercial Awareness	Plan	1	Written formative feedback

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
WIE Portfolio	100	Submitted at stages across year encompassing: Goals 300 words Skills reflections 1,500 words Skills scans 2 x Checklist and 300 words Commercial awareness - 10 minute recorded presentation	1-6	Rubric feedback provided following October, January, March & June stage submissions of the PORTFOLIO. Feedback from WIE Tutor.

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
WIE Portfolio	Re-submission of WIE Portfolio	1-6	Referral/deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Students who do not achieve 40% on the reassessment attempt will be transferred to the three-year variant of their programme. This module will still appear on such a student’s transcript as a FAIL and the student will no longer have “with Industrial Experience” in their degree title.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Guidance on:
- Professional skills
- SMART goal setting
- STARe reflections
- Developing and leveraging networks
- Time and task management
- Commercial Awareness

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Web-based and electronic resources:

ELE
Refer to With Industrial Experience ELE site and resources from BSD1002 and BSD2002.
The Business School’s Graduate skills to thrive - UEBS Academic Development Resources (UEBS_Acad_Dev_Resources) | ELE

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

Other resources:

Preparatory materials provided by the BSD1002 and BSD2002 skills development sessions, including guidance on critical reflection techniques, employability competencies and making the most of placement opportunities are also provided on the ELE site

Key words search

Placement, Selection, Reflection, Employment, Competencies, WIE, Skills, Goals, Career, Commercial Awareness.

Credit value	120
Module ECTS	60
Module pre-requisites	Satisfactory completion of the compulsory Placement Preparation modules BSD1002 (with minimum 50% mark) and BSD2002. Students cannot take BUS2004 Business Internships & Placement module and BUS3002 module.
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	6
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	01/09/2011
Last revision date	14/05/2025