Humanities in the Workplace (Penryn)
| Module title | Humanities in the Workplace (Penryn) |
|---|---|
| Module code | HUC2001 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Alyson Mercer () |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 50 |
|---|
Module description
No prior knowledge skills or experience is required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students.
For this module you will complete 40 hours of work experience with an employer of your choice. The aim of this module is for you to gain employment experience, skills for finding and securing the perfect job, and to see how your academic learning translates into a post-university environment. 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. Consequently your assessment will be a report detailed below, which enables the practical application of your academic knowledge.
We will have a series of workshop sessions to help you with the skills required for finding/securing your work placement, including CV writing and practical sessions talking about day-to-day issues within your placements.
You will arrange your placements yourselves using the assistance of the Employability resources on campus and may undertake your placement at any point up until the end of April. This will allow you to undertake work experience in the other parts of the UK/world if you so choose.
Module aims - intentions of the module
Held jointly with POC2047. This module will help you to gain experience in a graduate level working environment building contacts, skills and knowledge to help you start out on your career post university, or to try out a field that you think you might be interested in but need to understand more.
From workshops through to assessment, the module encourages you to think critically about the work that you are doing, considering your personal learning journey over the course of your studies. You will develop your personal management skills and experience, practicing specific skills for employment
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate an understanding of what your placement organisation does, how it is managed, the culture within the organisation and what influences this.
- 2. Demonatrate an awareness of the experiential learning process and some ability to reflect on and evaluate learning from the workplace.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Develop your knowledge and understanding of a career path relevant to your degree and career aspirations.
- 4. Identify what relevant, subject specific skills you already have, along with identifying those that you can develop during the rest of your degree to enhance your employability in careers of interest to you.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Identify the skills needed in relation to particular job/career opportunities, and with reference to the work placement in particular.
- 6. Analyse your own personal management skills, identifying ways to improve through personal development planning
- 7. Present yourself effectively in CVs, applications, oral presentations and interviews.
- 8. Demonstrate a capacity for independent working.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Introduction to the module and placements
- CV adviceResearching your placement
- Developing your skills
- Evidencing your skills
- Researching your placement provider
- Work Placements in practice and experiential learning.
- Applying academic learning to the workplace.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 97 | 40 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 14 | 4 x 1.5 two-hour workshops and 7 x 1-hour seminars (held together with POC2047 in term 1) |
| Guided independent study | 97 | Independent study including preparation for placements and workshops |
| Placement/Study abroad | 40 | Work placement |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| CV writing, interview experience, applications, approaching organisations, and letter-writing and demonstrating professional behaviours | Workshops | 1, 4-5 | Verbal |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective Placement Report | 100 | 1500 words | 1-8 | Verbal and written comments on review |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective Placement Report | Reflective Placement Report (1500 words) | 1-8 | 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 |
