module specification

This module focuses on aspects of psychology and personal development which are useful for gaining and maintaining appropriate employment, and for successful career planning. This module takes a practical approach to considering employability. It combines short presentations with practical in-class activities, independent self-discovery, collaborative group work, and discussion. Module content will be focussed around employment-related skills, attributes, and attitudes (e.g., effective communication; resilience, and self-motivation) and around career planning and career development (e.g., mentoring, and effective self-presentation).

The aims of this module are aligned with the qualification descriptors within the Quality Assurance Agency’s Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. Specifically, this module aims to provide students with the opportunity to critically consider the nature of employability and to assess, reflect upon, and develop their own employability skills, attributes and attitudes. Students will be introduced to self-assessment and career planning tools and resources that will support this process. Finally, this module aims to give students the opportunity to apply their learning in an employment context, and to identify and plan for their ongoing training and development needs.

Students will be introduced to experiential learning and reflective practice as a learning and development tools, both of which are central to this module’s learning and teaching strategy. In addition, the syllabus will comprise the following interlinked areas:

• Developing self-awareness (e.g., identifying personal preferences and attributes; employability; self-motivation; psychological literacy)
• Interpersonal skills (e.g., preferred team roles, effective communication; self-presentation)
• Professional development (e.g., digital presence, well-being at work, career planning)

This module uses a combination of tutor-led presentations and workshops together with a collaborative and experiential learning strategy in which students will complete a range of tasks and will present the product of, and their learning from, these activities. Classroom-based learning will be supplemented by both offline and online resources for independent study, encouraging a blended-learning approach to the material, and with a work placement (minimum 10 hours), encouraging practical application of the concepts discussed in class.

Tutor-led presentations and collaborative and experiential learning activities will be used to support students in developing their knowledge and understanding of the academic content of the module. These learning opportunities will also support students in applying this knowledge to a practical problem, and in developing and reflecting upon their learning and personal development. Independent study and a work placement (minimum 10 hours) will be used to extend learning of both academic content and its practical application.

The work placement may be paid or voluntary, and may be linked to paid employment or voluntary work that the student already engages in. Students may identify and arrange their own placements, but students wishing for support in gaining a work placement opportunity will be supported by the University’s Careers and Employability Service. There are no constraints on the content on the placement: students are asked to reflect upon which of the module topics relate to the activities, interactions and outcomes of their placement. Students will be offered opportunities to discuss their placement activities and gain feedback on their reflection through in-class discussion, online discussion boards, and interactions with university staff (e.g., Learning Managers, Careers and Employability Service).

The range of learning and teaching opportunities offered on this module will be used to support students in achieving the module learning outcomes, and in completing the assessments for this module (e.g., assistance in class for interpreting psychological self-assessment inventories; facilitated group discussions reflecting on the learning from activities; support in gaining and making the most of work placements).

Personal development and employability attributes will be a central theme across the module. Students will be given opportunities to develop and practice their team-working, time-management, written and oral communication skills throughout the module, for example, through collaborative experiential learning tasks, class activities, and discussions. Reflective learning will be developed through tutor-facilitated in-class discussions and by group and individual formative feedback.

To make the most of the teaching and learning opportunities provided, students are responsible for maintaining good attendance at sessions, for completing independent study tasks, and for actively contributing to in-class activities and discussions.

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

1. Understand and articulate their employment-relevant attributes, skills, attitudes and preferences.
2. Effectively present and promote themselves to potential employers, collaborators, investors or recruiters.
3. Demonstrate an ability to apply the underlying concepts and principles of employability addressed in this module in an employment context;
4. Identify their need for further training, skill development or new competences to facilitate their successful career, and create a career planning strategy to address these.

This module is assessed by a portfolio and a work-based experience report.

Portfolio learning activities will be based around the curriculum topics, and will emphasise the practical application of these topics to the student’s own employability, personal development, and career planning. Activities could include evidence of engagement in self-assessment and professional development activities (e.g., a completed learning style inventory preferences diagram; a Career Anchor or Belbin Team Role self-assessment outcome); and reflective writing tasks (e.g., reflection on employment motivation or online presence).

This module is assessed by a portfolio and a work-based experience report.

Portfolio learning activities will be based around the curriculum topics, and will emphasise the practical application of these topics to the student’s own employability, personal development, and career planning. Activities could include evidence of engagement in self-assessment and professional development activities (e.g., a completed learning style inventory preferences diagram; a Career Anchor or Belbin Team Role self-assessment outcome); and reflective writing tasks (e.g., reflection on employment motivation or online presence).

The work based experience report will require students to describe and reflect upon their experience of work experience. Specific focus will be placed upon exploring whether self-assessed skills, attributes and attitudes were evidenced in practice (e.g., Does an apparently excellent leader lead well in a practical context?), or whether applications of module learning in an employment context resulted in expected outcomes. (e.g., Did changes in approach to communication produce better communication outcomes?). The content of the work based experience report will necessarily vary according to the nature and opportunities offered by each student’s work experience, but students will be encouraged to identify ways in which the module topics could be applied to their own experiences.

The module assessment strategy is designed to encourage students to explore the relationship between psychological and personal development concepts, and their application in the context of employment and entrepreneurship. The portfolio aims to address learning outcomes 1, 2 & 4. The work-based experience report aims to address learning outcomes 3 & 4.
 

Connor, M., & Pokora, J. (2012). Coaching and mentoring at work: Developing effective practice (2nd ed.). Maidenhead, Berkshire: Open University Press.
Cooper, C. L., Quick, J. C., & Schabracq, M. J. (Eds.) (2009). International handbook of work and health psychology (3rd ed.). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cottrell, S. (2015). Skills for success, personal development and employability (3rd ed.). Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. [CORE]
Kirton, B. (2011). Brilliant workplace skills for students & graduates. Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education Limited. [CORE]
McMillan, K., & Weyers, J. (2013). How to improve your critical thinking and reflective skills. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Moneta, G. B. (2014). Positive psychology: A critical introduction. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Pemberton, C. (2015). Resilience: A practical guide for coaches. Maidenhead, Berkshire: Open University Press.
Ready, R. & Burton, K. (2015). Neuro-linguistic programming for dummies. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
van Nieuwerburgh, C. (2013). An introduction to coaching skills: A practical guide. London: Sage Publications Ltd.
Wempen, F. (2015). Digital literacy for dummies. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2005). Developing management skills (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2015). Developing management skills (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Connor, M., & Pokora, J. (2012). Coaching and mentoring at work: Developing effective practice (2nd ed.). Maidenhead, Berkshire: Open University Press.
Cooper, C. L., Quick, J. C., & Schabracq, M. J. (Eds.) (2009). International handbook of work and health psychology (3rd ed.). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cottrell, S. (2015). Skills for success, personal development and employability (3rd ed.). Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. [CORE]
Kirton, B. (2011). Brilliant workplace skills for students & graduates. Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education Limited. [CORE]
McMillan, K., & Weyers, J. (2013). How to improve your critical thinking and reflective skills. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Moneta, G. B. (2014). Positive psychology: A critical introduction. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Pemberton, C. (2015). Resilience: A practical guide for coaches. Maidenhead, Berkshire: Open University Press.
Ready, R. & Burton, K. (2015). Neuro-linguistic programming for dummies. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
van Nieuwerburgh, C. (2013). An introduction to coaching skills: A practical guide. London: Sage Publications Ltd.
Wempen, F. (2015). Digital literacy for dummies. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2005). Developing management skills (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2015). Developing management skills (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. [CORE]
Williams, K., Woolliams, M., & Spiro, J. (2012). Reflective writing. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Winstanley, D. (2005). Personal effectiveness. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Williams, K., Woolliams, M., & Spiro, J. (2012). Reflective writing. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Winstanley, D. (2005). Personal effectiveness. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.