GV2PPY-Professional Placement Year

Module Provider: Geography and Environmental Science
Number of credits: 120 [60 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

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

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore a placement year within a professional environment of their choice.  The placement year will give students the opportunity to build on and develop their transferable skills and personal and professional portfolio which is essential to securing graduate employment. Students enrolled on the professional placement year will be provided with specialist training and dedicated support to assist them in securing their own placement through a competitive process

Aims:

1. To gain experience of the job application process through securing a self-organised placement


2. To familiarise students with the professional work environment, provide opportunity for students to acquire new skills and to develop awareness of the sector/industry they are working in


3. To increase employability through being able to demonstrate dedicated experience.


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


5. To provide the student with the opportunity to contextualise and apply knowledge and the skills gained in the first two years of their undergraduate degree.


6. To enhance personal self-awareness and reflection, self-efficacy, adaptability, resilience.

Assessable learning outcomes:

1. Have an understanding and appreciation of the professional environment including the employment opportunities (career paths) and requirements within the sector/industry.


2. Think critically and analytically about the work carried out on the placement and how it has contributed to the activity of the placement provider.


3. Reflect on their personal growth and professional performance in the work place; demonstrating industry specific and transferrable skills.


4. Apply the skills and knowledge acquired in their taught courses to tasks in the work place whenever possible.


5. Be familiar with the health and safety regulations relevant to the field in which they have been employed.


6. Maintain a weekly learning log during their period of employment.


7. Prepare a written report of up to 2500 words outlining the company and placement role; providing an account of the activities and tasks undertaken,and critically reflecting upon the placement experience.


8. Create an A3 poster providing an outline of the placement role & responsibilities, their experiences and benefits of the work placement. The poster will be presented at a networking event with those of other placement year and summer placement students. Other students, academic staff and placement providers will be invited to attend the event.

Additional outcomes:

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


2. Understanding of the internal and external factors impacting on the running of an organisation.


3. Understand and build the key attributes and skills required of a graduate level role.


4. Identification of future career path(s).

Outline content:

Students are expected to secure and organise their own placement; each placement must be approved by the module convenor, with all necessary legal, health and safety documents completed before commencement.

The placement should be of a minimum of 9 months (40 weeks) with the content of the placement determined by the placement provider.

The placement must provide the student with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of the working environment, and provide them with situations to develop their ‘soft-skills’ (such as working on own initiative, flexibility, problem-solving and time-management). Students will receive advice and support on securing a placement from the placement coordinator, the module convenor and the wider Careers team.

During the placement the student must abide by the rules and regulations of the placement provider and respond to request from the University.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The onus of this module is on independent working, including work experience, learning by observation, training and doing.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Placement	400	400	400
Total hours by term	400	400	400
Total hours for module	1200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	90
Oral assessment and presentation	10

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

The student is required to undertake the following on completion of their placement:

1. Submission of a reflective and evaluative report of up to 2500 words


2. Submission of an A3 poster, and attendance of a networking session

Both assignments will be assessed by the student’s Placement Tutor.

Formative assessment methods:

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 throughout the year, submission of the written report and presentation. Successful completion of a placement does not contribute to the student’s final degree classification.

Reassessment arrangements:

Resubmission of report or transfer to equivalent degree programme without a professional placement year.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Costs associated with undertaking a placement, in addition to the reduced tuition fee (15%), 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. UK students may be eligible to receive maintenance loans/grants from their Student Finance Authority to help with the cost of study. There is a limited placement bursary available from the University 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