Project Timetable

The timetable for the projects is as follows:

  • End of September – completion of initial discussions and meetings with University staff to determine suitability of projects

  • Mid to late October – an open ‘networking’ meeting for the students and host organisations, hosted at the University, to allow company representatives to meet with the students and for the students to learn about the projects [students are asked to attend with current CV’s]

  • End October – matching of groups to host organisations

We allocate the students into groups to achieve a representative mix of students and will take account of preferences expressed by:

  • the host organisations [as a result of the open ‘networking’ meeting]
  • the students, [which projects are of particular interest to them, and taking into account ny specific existing skills and experience]
  • November – the student groups are responsible for contacting the organisation they are working with, so that they can scope out the project, clarify the aims and required outcomes, and design and develop a research plan.  Following this, each student group gives a presentation to Business School staff to confirm the scope of the project, appropriateness of approach and research activity [host organisation representatives are welcome to attend].  The students will also be starting to undertake research about the topic of the project.
  • Early December – formal meeting by the student group with the host organisation to confirm aims and outcomes, agree proposed research plan and confirm timetable for activity in the new year

From late December to the last week in January the students will be on vacation and then revising and undertaking exams.

  • February to mid March – completion of agreed primary research activity within the organisation plus secondary research
  • April – the students will work separately on analysing the research undertaken to complete an individual report, including development of improvement recommendations.  This is submitted at the start of the final semester in mid April [the report is required to achieve CIPD accreditation and is a major part of the assessed work for the degree programme]
  • End of April – the student group will collate their individual research and improvement recommendations into a detailed presentation, company representatives will be invited to attend.  The presentation is marked by Business School staff as this is also an assessed part of their degree.  If it is not possible for the host organisation to attend the marked presentation the students will be asked to undertake a further presentation specifically for the company.