Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The work placement aims to:

- demonstrate how skills gained through academic study can be applied in work situations
- assist with developing longer term career plans
- provide the opportunity to recognise and record the development of workplace skills
- facilitate personal development in a non-university setting
- develop students who can independently self-manage, proactively interact and ethically apply their knowledge and skills in a work-related context

The module offers students the opportunity to undertake work-related learning in a variety of different environments, allowing students to enhance their employability and personal enterprise skills as well as contributing towards meeting the aims of the host organisation.

There is also an opportunity to participate in a conference creating and presenting a poster on the work carried out by the student at their placement.

Outline Of Syllabus

Students will join the module at the start of semester one and will be able to some extent balance their work for the module across both semesters, with marks being allocated only in semester two. Students will typically complete 150 hours of work for their host organisation and usually around half this will be at the host organisation itself. Different host organisations may require other constraints e.g. number of contact visits made.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

The module is intended to develop graduate skills drawn from the Newcastle University Graduate Skills Framework, for example, planning and organisation, teamwork, communication, and personal enterprise.

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of the module students will be able to:
1.       Reflect on and accept responsibility for managing own learning and development in a workplace environment
2.       Use existing and new knowledge to enhance personal performance in a workplace environment, identify and analyse the impact and communicate this process
3.       Use graduate skills in an effective manner in a workplace environment, identify and analyse the impact and communicate the personal development that has taken place.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module combines practical working experience and academic work. In the course of the work experience students will practise and develop a range of research skills depending on the exact project they are working on. The small group teaching will cover a range of employability-related material and activities.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

•       The reflective log gives students the opportunity to reflect on their work experience, and to consider how it contributed to enhancement of their employability and personal development.

•       The employment assignments are short exercises linked to classes on labour market information, networking, self-awareness, CVs, applications, interviews, and a conference poster. The assignments will particuarly develop and assess students’ job application ability and skills.

•       The host organisation supervisor evaluation of student competence enables students’ application of all module knowledge and skill outcomes in carrying out their duties at the placement to be assessed in situ and considered as part of the overall module mark.

General Notes

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