Professional Placement
| Module title | Professional Placement |
|---|---|
| Module code | PSY3406 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 120 |
| Module staff | Dr Hazel Mycroft (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | minimum of 9 months full time work over the entire year | minimum of 9 months full time work over the entire year | minimum of 9 months full time work over the entire year |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
Increasingly, graduate positions request that applicants have work experience applicable to the role. This year-long module will enable you to immerse yourself in a professional environment; you will learn to apply the skills learnt during the first and second years, improve personal and transferable skills, make new contacts and enhance employability. You will apply for a placement position with a relevant organisation (with the support of the module convenor) and spend a minimum of nine months full-time in the workplace. Feedback and support will be provided by the module convenor and the placement host.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will enable you to develop subject-specific and general professional skills. You will research suitable organisations, consider the opportunities that positions offer you and practice writing covering letters and CVs. This module offers an excellent opportunity for you to immerse yourself in an environment where you can develop subject-specific and general professional skills, gain a greater understanding of the use of your degree and ultimately improve your CV. You will gain feedback throughout the placement from the placement host and the module convenor and you will be encouraged to reflect on your experiences during the placement to help you to make career decisions for the future. The module allows you to apply your learning during your degree to a real world setting.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Research suitable employers and identify an employer which suits your own skills and interests.
- 2. Produce a CV and covering letter.
- 3. Interact effectively in a professional environment.
- 4. Work in a team and deal proficiently with the issues that teamwork requires (i.e. communication, motivation, decision-making, awareness, responsibility, and management skills, including setting and working to deadlines).
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Apply skills learnt during Stages 1 and 2 in a professional environment.
- 6. Learn practical skills for use in a professional environment.
- 7. Gain a detailed understanding of a sub-discipline of your core subject.
- 8. Illustrate the transferable skills gained during your degree and how these can enhance future employability.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 9. Evaluate your own performance in a role and identify skills that you would like to develop further.
- 10. Demonstrate how skills learnt during the placement are transferable to other contexts.
- 11. Understand and articulate the importance of continued professional development.
- 12. Evaluate own strengths and weaknesses in relation to graduate-level professional and practical skills, and act autonomously to develop new areas of skills as necessary.
- 13. Reflect effectively and independently on learning experiences and evaluate personal achievements.
Syllabus plan
On the professional placement, you will gain valuable experience by spending a year working within an organisation appropriate to your degree. Research into suitable placements will commence at the beginning of the second year, with the advice and support of the module convenor. You will apply for positions with relevant organisations, with the support of the module convenor. Placements can begin as soon as you have your results from the second year and should last for a minimum of nine months (leave during this time to be taken according to the host organisation’s leave procedure). You will receive at least one phone call or conference call (more dependent on your needs) and you will be expected to participate in regular email updates. You will produce a report at the end of the placement to reflect on your professional development during the placement, including the skills learnt, your own strengths and weaknesses in the role and how the placement has influenced your career aims. The module will culminate in a student conference, attended by all participating students and invited representatives of the host organisations where you will give an oral presentation to describe and evaluate your experiences during the placement.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 70 | 1120 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Student learning and teaching | 3 | One introductory lecture, in which you are told what you will gain from the module, and what is expected of you. One lecture on finding a placement and one on writing a CV. Attendance during student conference. |
| Student learning and teaching | 2 | At least one meeting to discuss the placement choice and a further meeting during the placement (usually by phone or video conference). Attendance during student conference. |
| Student learning and teaching | 5 | Attendance during student conference and involvement in student Careers Fair. |
| Guided independent study | 70 | Searching for suitable work placements and conducting additional reading in preparation for module assessments. |
| Placement | 1120 | Practical experience working with an independent organisation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discussion regarding placement choice | At least one meeting | 1-2 | Oral |
| Monthly email updates | Ongoing | 3-7, 12-13 | Written |
| Meeting during placement | 1 hour | 3-7, 12-13 | Oral |
| Host evaluation | Performance during work placement | 3-7, 12-13 | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 0 | 80 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation | 40 | 10 minutes | 1, 4-13 | Written |
| Reflective Diary | 60 | 2000 words | 1-13 | Written |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation | Oral presentation | 1, 4-13 | To be agreed with the module convenor |
| Reflective diary | Reflective diary | 1-13 | To be agreed with the module convenor |
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 redo the original assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will count for 100% of the final mark and will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Cottrell, S. (2003), Skills for Success: The Personal Development Handbook. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Fanthome, C. (2004) Work Placements: A survival guide for students. Palgrave
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
| Credit value | 120 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 60 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 05/10/2020 |
| Last revision date | 19/09/2023 |
