MA2SPL-Summer Placement

Module Provider: Mathematics and Statistics
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: Pre-placement training run in April 2023. Open to students in the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics and Meteorology only.
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Placement opportunity: Mini placement
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Mrs Claire Newbold
Email: c.newbold@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module gives students an opportunity to do a work placement, an internship or work shadowing with a work based employer broadly related to the general sphere of their degree studies. Based on the work experience gained, the student will deliver a self-reflective review following feedback from their employer and a poster that they will present at a student and employer networking event.

Aims:

To recognise the work-place learning that students complete during a self-organised mini- placement and/or work shadowing which will take place in their summer vacation. The module is an excellent opportunity for students to:

• complete a work placement in a relevant organisation applying their knowledge and skills gained from their academic studies for a minimum of 4 weeks;


• improve their skills, knowledge, understanding and  employability;


• reflect upon the skills they have and appreciate what skills they need to develop to help them gain a future placement and post-graduate employment.

Assessable learning outcomes:

After completing the module, the students will be able to:

• assess their strengths and weaknesses reported by their employer in their personal skills summary;


• develop their reflective skills, written communication skills and resilience in coping with constructive feedback;


• gain confidence in their oral presentation and creative skills through producing a poster and then describing their placement and its benefits to other students during a poster networking event.

Additional outcomes:

Students will gain experience of applying for a work placement or volunteering opportunity, which will prove valuable when applying for graduate jobs. The module also aims to encourage the development of the following skills:

• increased employability by developing skills such as team work, communication, IT and organisational skills in a work-based environment;


• gain confidence and self-reliance, maturity, resilience and sense of responsibility;


• build networks with professionals in a work environment;


• students will likely see the practical application of knowledge gained in their degree and have a clearer idea of the skills and knowledge required for successful employment; The overall experience will be potentially invaluable in terms of their future career development and employability.

Outline content:

The area of work undertaken on the placement will be broadly related to the students’ overall programme of study. The day-to-day content of the work will be set by the placement employer and  in agreement with the module convenor. The work placement should provide the student with invaluable first-hand experience as well as providing opportunities for independent problem solving and working in a team.

Students will organise their own mini work-based placement to take place in the summer vacation between parts one and two.. This could be a work experience placement, work shadowing, paid work or volunteering but this must be broadly related to the degree subject that student is taking or relate to their future career path.

Please note that the placement must be approved by the module convenor before the placement takes place.

Guidance will be given on effective self-reflection.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

At the beginning of the preceding  Spring Term students will attend a series of lectures given to all Mathematics students by the module convenor to discuss the module aims and the process of finding a suitable placement. Thereafter, 1:1 meetings with the module convenor can be scheduled by the students to ensure:

• the placement is suitable for the degree;


• students understand what is expected of them and attend a p re-placement preparation session (pre-requisite) given by the module convenor;


• all necessary health and safety, risk assessments and legal agreements are in place;


• the placement employer has agreed to the terms of the placement.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Seminars	2	1	3
Placement			94
Total hours by term	2	1	97
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	60
Project output other than dissertation	30
Oral assessment and presentation	10

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A.

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

The student will ask their supervisor / manager to complete feedback at the end of their placement. A template will be provided to the employer to give feedback on their team work, oral and written communication skills and organisational skills whilst on the placement. In the Autumn Term following the placement, students will submit a reflective placement review no later than Friday of week 5. The review will include the feedback they receive from their employer. The review will enable  students to:

• reflect on the feedback from the manager enabling them to assess their strengths and weaknesses;


• provide a summary of their experiences of the work placement highlighting how their skills have developed aiding their future employability.

Students will create an A3 poster describing

• their placement role and responsibilities;


• their experiences and the benefits of their work placement.

The poster will be presented by the student and shared with other students at a placement networking event in Autumn Term for students interested in completing a summer placement. The poster networking event will enhance the students’ creative skills by firstly producing a poster and secondly improve their communication skills by using the poster to prompt a discussion with other students about their placement. The content of the poster will describe the placement role completed. The poster will be exhibited at a networking event open to all students within the department of mathematics who are interested completing a summer placement.

Placement employers will be invited.

Formative assessment methods:
Formative feedback will be provided by the employers, who must agree that the student can use their placement as part of their degree.
The manager/supervisor of the student will be asked to complete a personal skills summary which will form the basis of the student's review of their skills. If the summary is not received by the student by the deadline, then an alternative formative assessment will be considered.

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:
An overall mark of at least 40%.

Reassessment arrangements:
It is not possible to retake the placement element. Re-assessment will be by re-submission of a reflective review (60%) and poster (40%).

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

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