module specification

This module focuses on extending students' learning experience by providing them with an opportunity to tackle real-life problems, appropriate to their academic level, by undertaking a short period of professional activity in the workplace. The placement needs to be approved prior to being undertaken, by the work placement coordinator. It is expected that the student should work for 140 hours, for which they will be required to provide evidence (completed in the summer or part-time over the Autumn or Spring semester). The suitability of the opportunities will be assessed on an individual basis. Where required, students will be supported in finding suitable opportunities and with all aspects of their job search and applications. However, it is the students’ responsibility to obtain suitable employment, and roles cannot be guaranteed. DBS checks and or Hep B vaccination may be required for some placements (NHS or School-based).

This module aims to provide the student with an opportunity to: Increase their personal and professional development and gain experience of the culture and structure of a working environment; evaluate, and critically reflect on, the workplace as well as the student's role and contribution to it; and to apply previously learnt academic knowledge to the task in hand. Explore employment options and consider future career plans. It will also ensure that suitable health and safety requirements are in place and the work activity will be approved by the module team in advance.

The Designated placement tutor assist students in securing those positions, and monitor students on placement. Placement tutors also have the responsibility of briefing students on the opportunities, responsibilities and expectations inherent in a placement, and giving guidance to prospective employers about the conduct of the placement. Prospective placement students receive advice from the Careers Service with respect to completion of application forms, preparation of CVs and interview techniques. The Module Leader, other academic staff in the school and staff working with the University’s Employability Unit assist students in finding a suitable work placement and provide further support.

Students can apply to do a short-placement in the Universities own Laboratory. At the start of the academic year students are all notified via the VLE with instructions on how to apply. They are interviewed as a practice for the workplace and if successful work under the close supervision of a member of the technical Team with an overall student co-ordinator.

Should a student wish to do a short placement module outside the University Lab, then when they make their L5 or L6 module choice there is a notification for them to contact the Placement module leader to discuss the options and whether the placement provider is suitable (relevant to their course in some way).

The placement is normally the employer that they work part-time for during their studies, though some students do have other contacts. There is a minimum of 140 hrs (comparable to a taught module contact time) the student must be able to carry out on the placement, though these can be done over the whole academic year. The placement provider must provide written approval for the student to complete the placement work with the name, contact and job role of the person responsible for the student sent to the module leader from a recognised employer e mail address. The provider must also complete with the student a Learning Agreement which is submitted .

Suitable work placements should offer students a range of learning opportunities appropriate to their academic level and career aspirations and should be, wherever possible, related to their subject specialism. The placement should enable the student to build on previous experiences and learning gained in their academic course and elsewhere, and should have outcomes consistent with those for their course as a whole. During the placement the student will have an opportunity to develop transferrable skills appropriate for the workplace and also ideally be able to apply theoretical material and practical techniques learned in an academic setting within the working environment.

Successful operation of a work placement requires adequate communication between the student, a nominated university contact (the Academic Group Employability Co-ordinator/ "academic supervisor"), who will normally be a member of the academic staff group responsible for the student's degree course and a nominated employee in the workplace (the "placement supervisor").

When a work related learning opportunity is gained, students will be required to complete the “Work related learning approval form”. At the start of the placement students will also be required to complete the “work-related learning agreement.

Students working in the NHS will be required to be immunized against Hep B. Students seeking work placements in Schools or similar Education establishments or in the NHS for some placements will be required to have Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) checks completed before taking up such placements.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. generate and implement a plan of conduct within a supervised work environment whilst demonstrating effectiveness, rationality and organisational skill, working both independently and in a team.

2. demonstrate and intergrate consistent and appropriate communication with colleagues, superiors, and placement supervisor(s) together with demonstrable adherence to health and safety, legal and ethical obligations;

3. critically evaluate and reflect upon her/his performance, abilities and achievements in the work place and evaluate critically the structure, major activities and responsibilities of the organisation and critically reflect upon how the experience relates to their personal, career and academic development and identify future skill and knowledge development needs.

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