module specification

The aim of this module is to provide you with an opportunity to display a high degree of autonomy through the management and production of a piece of workplace informed individual coursework at level 6 of your undergraduate studies. The module provides you with the opportunity to apply your academic knowledge and skills within a workplace setting. This type of experience is valuable and will allow you to experience the reality of the workplace and enhance your employability skills.  The experience will also provide a rich source of material for your Professional Development Journal (PDJ).

There are several scenarios which will constitute a professional placement, and for the purpose of this module we welcome a broad range of work-placement types.  However, a pre-requisite is that it is within the Built Environment sector and approved at module level by the module team, and by the University Work-Based Learning Team (further details can be found at the bottom of this section).

The period of professional placement work you need to undertake for the purpose of the module is 15 days (3 weeks), full time equivalent. However, this period of work does not have to be taken in a discrete block. The work-placement activity needs to take place during the period between week 1 of your Level 5 Summer Semester and week 4 of your Level 6 Spring Semester. This is to give you sufficient time to prepare your coursework submissions once your work-placement is completed. Exact dates will be issued to you in advance.

By the end of the module, you should be able to demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of:

• How to effectively express and apply your current skills and abilities in relation to your career values and goals. 
• Ways to practically apply the knowledge you have gained through your course programme in a relevant workplace environment.
• The dynamic workplace environment and practices relevant to your chosen area of study and professional practice
• How to contribute towards making the workplace an efficient, effective, and inclusive environment
• The pathway towards achieving your personal and professional development goals

Please note:
● Students will be contacted prior to the semester to provide support in securing a work-based placement in good time. 
● Students are responsible for applying for opportunities and to engage with the Module Team/Work Based Learning teams to assist them. 
● The suitability of any opportunities will be assessed by the Module Team/Work Based Learning Team and all placements must meet Health and Safety requirements for Higher Education Work Placements.
● Those studying on a Student Visa will only be able to complete a work placement if it meets UKVI monitoring requirements including: approval of the placement dates and hours by the Placement Officer prior to starting the placement, submission of weekly timesheets for the hours undertaken, signed by their line manager/supervisor and continued engagement with the Placement Officer as well as the International Student Support and Compliance Team.

The syllabus is informed by the course syllabus and reading material alongside contemporary issues, research, and practice within the built environment. Topics will include:

• Consideration of suitable work based learning activities, including guidance on job application and selection processes and appropriate articulation of their abilities (via pre-semester workshops/appointments).  (LO4)
• Demonstration of confident self-presentation and self-assessment techniques for personal and professional development and resilience. (LO3,4)
• Professionalism, ethics, and inclusive work-based practice, being a critical employee, being an inclusive team worker or leader, Health and Safety in the workplace, setting personal goals. (LO2,3,4)
• Critical self-reflection on personal and professional development, application of academic knowledge and personal skills development to the work-based learning environment. (LO3,4)
• Problem solving in the work-based environment; investigation and analysis of the immediate environment; personal contribution to the work situation and analysis of the wider goals, aims and functions of the project/organisation. (LO2,3,4)
• Future career action planning following the work-based experience, reflecting, and preparing for the next steps of their development to achieve career goals through study and additional experience. (LO5)
• Updating of your Professional Development Journal (PDJ) (LO5)

Students will be supported by the university in their independent activity in connection with their search and application for work-placements.

A blended/ technology enhanced learning approach will be employed in the delivery of this module. Formal contact sessions will encourage students to discuss their experiences to inform their ideas and consider a variety of research strategies and data collection techniques. The online content will provide students with a formal, structured framework within which to approach their coursework.  Tasks will be performed through group and independent study, to develop critical thinking skills of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. Where appropriate, activities will be captured and made available to allow asynchronous access.

Workshops will be held in which students will engage in discussions about topical areas within the built environment workplace and sector which, coupled with independent research, will help guide students in the production of the work-placement portfolio of experience.

The principal emphasis throughout the module is on self-directed learning. Students will be allocated a supervisor who will facilitate one-to-one tutorials. These tutorials, between supervisors and students, will take place at appropriate intervals. Throughout the supervisor stage of the module, it remains the students’ responsibility to arrange and attend tutorials at a frequency appropriate to the stage of the work and at times mutually convenient to students and supervisors.

You will reflect on your learning which will contribute towards your online Professional Development Journal (PDJ). 

The school attaches considerable importance to the students' ability to manage their learning, make choices about, and develop, areas of their research and study. It also recognises the value and benefit to the individual of learning in the workplace and the contribution that employers can make to a student’s learning experience. The students on this module will be expected to use a range of resources including those which are specialised or advanced within their field of study/practice, to critically review evidence, supporting conclusions, and recommendations.

On completion of the module the learner, operating independently and applying their knowledge and skills, should be able to:

1. Comprehensively describe in detail a work project, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the project from various stakeholder perspectives 
2. Critically analyse issue(s) and/or complexities encountered within the work project and relate the work to the appropriate theoretical and practical frameworks that underpins the professional discipline  
3. Reflect on the knowledge and the skills developed within the workplace
4. Demonstrate, through reflective practice, the development of their professional competence and the influence of the workplace activity on their future career and personal goals  
5. Produce a structured report or portfolio to a high professional standard

The 2 module assessments test the student’s knowledge and understanding that should have been developed throughout the module. The project briefs will provide further guidance as to the scope of the 2 assessments.

Students will be supported throughout their assessment preparations through having access to 1:1 supervision and individual and group formative feedback which will be available throughout the module, during lectures, seminars, and workshops. 

Coursework 1: Individual Work-Placement Portfolio of Experience (2250 words) 75%

Coursework 1 is an individual submission in which the student submits a portfolio of experience which is based on their work-placement activity and experience. The portfolio should contain written accounts of real work activities the student undertook as part of their work-placement and be referenced against the academic and industry/practical knowledge they have gained throughout their studies. The portfolio should contain appropriate evidence, which can include photographic evidence, work products, company policies and procedures related to the activities. The portfolio must be verified by the placement employer as being a true reflection of the student’s experience.

Coursework 2: Individual Presentation (10-minute presentation plus Q&A) 25% 

Coursework 2 is an individual presentation in which the students will present a reflection on the skills and knowledge gained from their work-placement and how this has influenced their future career and personal goals.

There is no single text currently in publication that provides a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of this module.

There are several resources contained within the University Career and Employability Advice are on the University website which will provide you with help and advice in relation to aspects of this module.

The link to the Careers Portal is here (you will need to register for access) and the University Employability Advice site can be found here

Link to online reading list

In addition, you should refer to your subject specific textbooks based on the area of specialism of your work-placement.