Overview

The practical element of the module comprises a short placement (of at least 75 hours) usually taken during the summer vacation between level 4 and level 5. Students will register for the programme in the spring of their first year and will be provided with guidance on locating and applying for a placement. They will attend a series of work experience workshops during the spring to prepare them for the job search, creating applications and CVs, and preparing for the workplace environment. The student may begin their work placement at a date to be agreed between the student and employer, but not until the end of teaching for their current semester. The student will spend at least 75 hours at the place of work, under the supervision of their employer. The onus is always on the student to find their own placement. Disabled students may require reasonable adjustments in acquiring a suitable placement (Code of Practice on Inclusive Provision for Disabled Students, p26). The placement should be related to the student’s degree subject and this relationship must be made clear by the student in their pre-placement forms. The placement must be approved by the module organiser and the University before work begins. All students should be given the opportunity to share disability-related information. The school’s placement co-ordinator may need to offer students the opportunity to talk through the sensitive issues that sharing such information raises and may need to explain to students their responsibility to share any relevant information on an application form. Reasonable adjustments for disabled students must be as recommended in the student’s Personal Learner Support Plan (PLSP), and any additional adjustments identified when planning the placement must be discussed with Disability Services.

Learning Outcomes

• Ability to respond positively to changing circumstances and new challenges

• Ability to work without supervision and retain effectiveness while under pressure

• Confidence in dealing with the challenges in employment life

• Recognise and apply disciplinary understanding and subject knowledge to business and organisational issues and priorities in terms of both culture and economics

• Understanding and appreciation of how businesses and organisations work and ability to act accordingly