GV2PLA-Summer Placement

Module Provider: Geography and Environmental Science
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Summer & Autumn Terms
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: The placement must be undertaken during the summer preceding the year in which the module is to count towards (i.e. at the end of P1 for it to count towards P2, OR at the end of P2 for it to count towards P3.) The placement cannot be carried out at the end of the year you want it to count towards (e.g. at the end of P2 if you would like it to count towards your P2 modules) due to the mark entry deadline dates from the Exams Office.
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Placement opportunity: Mini placement
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Nicholas Branch
Email: n.p.branch@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module gives students an opportunity to undertake a research or professional placement broadly related to the general area of their degree programme, during the summer vacation preceding Part 2 or Part 3 study. Research placements will provide the opportunity of working with a member of staff on a current project based in the UK or internationally. Professional placements would allow students to work with a professional organisation, consultancy or government organisation to gain experience of the professional sector.

Aims:

1. To gain experience of the job application process through self-organised placements


2. To gain relevant research/professional placement experience to provide a context for academic studies


3. To increase employability through being able to demonstrate dedicated experience in the university or professional sector


4. To extend knowledge and learning of degree discipline modules and to help identify future career path(s)


5. To enhance ‘soft-skills’ such as team-work, communication, time-management and planning. 

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module, it is expected that the student will be able to:

1. Gain understanding and appreciation of the research/professional environment


2. Think critically and analytically about the work carried out on the placement and how it has contributed to the research/professional activity


3. List examples of soft-skills acquired and developed whilst on placement


4. Production of a screencast


5. Production of a poster and attendance of poster networking event


6. Production of article/opinion piece

Additional outcomes:

Students may also develop the following:

1. Understand and take part in the job application process (CV, cover letter, interview) 


2. Appreciation of the internal and external factors that impact upon the running of a research/enterprise activity


3. Self-confidence within the research/professional environment


4. Identification of a future career path

Outline content:

Students are expected to secure their own placements of at least 20 days, to be completed during the summer vacation preceding Part 2 or Part 3 study. The placement length should be 20 days (140 hours), or part-time equivalent (although longer placements can contribute to this module). Placements may be paid or unpaid. Advice and support on securing placements will be available from the School and the Careers Service. Placements must provide students with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of the research/enterprise working environment, and provide them with situations to develop both the academic/technical expertise and ‘soft-skills’. Each placement must be individually approved by the module convenor, with all necessary legal, health and safety documents in place prior to commencement. During the placement the student must abide by the rules and regulations of the provider.

Students who do not secure placements before the summer vacation will be asked to transfer to another 20 credit module instead.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module will consist of at 20 days (140 hours), or part-time equivalent of placement experience (although longer placements can contribute to this module), the timing of which will be arranged between the student and research/professional placement provider. The work content of the placement will be determined by the academic/enterprise organisation with input from the module convenor(s).

The placement will be supported by 10 hours of teaching time (in the form of lectu res, seminars or tutorials) provided by the module team and placement provider to: (1) give advice on how to secure a placement and develop skills for the job application stage, (2) outline the requirements and provide guidance on completing the assignments.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	8		2
Placement			140
Guided independent study:	50
Total hours by term	58		142
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	40
Oral assessment and presentation	30
Practical skills assessment	30

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Students will be asked to prepare the following:

Screencast (30%)

The student will produce a 15-20 minute screencast detailing the purpose of the placement and work undertaken. The screencast should also have a reflective element considering their personal and skills development during the course of the placement, employer feedback (see formative assessment methods) and thoughts on future employment. 

Poster Networking Event (30%)

Students will create an A3 poster describing: (1) their placement role and responsibilities, and (2) their experiences and the benefits of their work placement. The poster will be presented at a networking event with those of other placement year and summer placement students during the Autumn term. Other students, academic staff and placement providers will be invited to attend the event.

Article / Opinion piece (40%)

Students will prepare a 2000-word article piece relating to the positive and negative aspects of placements.

Formative assessment methods:

Students will gain feedback during the job application stage on their CV and cover letter. During the placement, students will be provided with tuition and verbal feedback through both formal and informal means. At the end of the placement, the provider will be asked to complete a pro-forma personal skills summary. This summary will detail their strengths, achievements and comment on their overall performance and development of relevant skills whilst on placement (including self-management, professional conduct, communication & technical skills).

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

Satisfactory completion of the placement, which is determined by the student’s progress during the period of their placement. Submission of poster and screencast and attendance at the poster networking event. Together require a pass mark of 40%. 

Reassessment arrangements:

It is not possible to retake this module in the same format. If a student fails the overall module, the student will be asked to re-submit the screencast and poster but the mark will be capped at 40% according to University rules.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Costs associated with undertaking a placement will vary according to each student and will be the responsibility of the individual to cover. These costs may include travel, visa, living expenses and in some cases clothing and equipment. There is a limited placement bursary available for home/EU students with a household income of £42,000 or less.

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 30 March 2023