FMS8359 : Professional Placement (Semester 2)
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Sarah Leahy
- Owning School: Modern Languages
- Teaching Location: Mixed Location
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The aims of this module are:
• To familiarise students with a professional environment of the screen industries.
• To understand the organisation’s role as a cultural business, including aspects such as audience development, relationships with funders, and regional/national/international position.
• To acquire and develop knowledge and professional skills, both specific to the cultural industries and transferable to other sectors.
• To develop an understanding of the opportunities and issues facing the sector in terms of policy and the market, and in relation to the wider context of cultural industries.
• To encourage students to reflect upon and analyse the issues in relation to the specific case of the organisation in which the placement took place.
Outline Of Syllabus
The Professional Placement is a work placement of approximately 50-60 hours, undertaken within an approved organisation operating within the screen industries. Students will benefit from an induction and will be mentored throughout the duration of the placement. Students will attend a series of workshops during the module that will support their professional development and employability.
Prior to the placement, an individual contract will be agreed between student and the mentor, in order to set out specific goals (learning objectives) for the time spent in the organisation and how these might be achieved, and to set up mentoring agreements. These goals should be agreed by the individual student in conjunction with their mentor, but students should note that they will be required to work on whatever tasks or projects are necessary at the time of their placement. Students will keep a diary where they will record the activities they undertake and evaluate their success in achieving their learning objectives.
NB: The timing of the placement will be arranged between the student and the host organisation. Hours may be spread out over several weeks or take place in one intensive period. The placement should not interfere with students’ other classes or assessments.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 30 | 1:00 | 30:00 | Assignment planning and drafting. |
| Placement/Study Abroad | Employer-based learning | 60 | 1:00 | 60:00 | Students will spend 60 hours working for a host organisation operating in the screen industries. |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 30 | 1:00 | 30:00 | Skills practice; approaches to reflective learning. |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 36 | 1:00 | 36:00 | Reading, viewing, and other relevant research activities. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | Present-in-person: sharing experiences, informal student presentations, focus on assessment. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Present-in-person: Workshops will introduce the aims of the module and support students prior to and during their placements, focusing on professional skills. |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 30 | 1:00 | 30:00 | Recording learning diary; working with models of reflection. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Present-in-person or online: Individual appointments for students for mid-placement catch-up and assessment preparation. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The majority of contact hours of this module will be devoted to working in an approved cultural organisation. During this time, students will be offered training as appropriate, and mentoring in order to ensure they are achieving their individual goals set out with their mentor and the module leader prior to the start of the placement. Students will also be supported by a series of workshops and individual tutorials with the module leader. Workshops will focus on specific employability skills (e.g. presenting yourself using a variety of media and in person; job interviews; what to expect in the workplace). These will enable students to prepare for their placement and support them during it. They will also give students the opportunity to share their experiences, and to consider how they will approach the reflective assignment. Individual tutorials will provide further support in the development of their assignment.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 2 | A | 30 | A report of 1000 words presenting the organisation and the main activities, and situating it within the sector. |
| Reflective log | 2 | A | 40 | A 1000-word reflection on the experience of the placement to include a learning diary completed during the placement. The diary component may be presented as an audio or audiovisual recording of no more than 20 minutes. |
| Oral Examination | 2 | A | 30 | This will take the form of a job interview. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assessment is in three parts.
The first part is a report (1000 words) based on the host organisation, which will outline the key vision, aims and activities of the organisation as a whole, and will also situate this within the wider sector (e.g. film distribution, independent film production, media arts festivals). This will ensure students gain a global understanding of their host organisation beyond their specific role, as well as knowledge of the wider sector within which the organisation operates.
The second part is a learning diary and reflective log. During the placement, students should keep a diary outlining tasks undertaken and new skills/knowledge acquired, which they will map against their intended learning outcomes as agreed with their mentor in the contract prior to the beginning of the work placement. This diary, which should be submitted as part of the log, can be presented in written or as an audio or audiovisual recording and will form the basis of a written critical reflection on the student’s experience of the placement, which should consider how the experience matched expectations, what specific knowledge and skills have been acquired or developed during the placement, what challenges arose and how these were dealt with, and how the experience will feed into future career plans. This will provide students with a record of their achievements and require them to reflect critically on their performance and experience.
The third part will take the form of a job interview, as if students were applying for a post at their host organisation. This will focus on key employability skills.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- FMS8359's Timetable