MM1F29-Developing Professional Excellence

Module Provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:4
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Can Ererdi
Email: c.ererdi@henley.ac.uk

Module Co-convenor: Dr Tatiana Rowson
Email: t.rowson@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The module focuses on developing students’ understanding of the graduate and placement recruitment process from the perspective of the recruiter and the organisations. The module will enable the students to appreciate the role of recruitment, the context of different organisations (businesses and sectors) and implications for different talent management strategies and needs, the rationale for employing certain process and procedures to secure a high-performing and engaged workforce. The students will also be encouraged to reflect on their own careers.  The module offers a combination of practical and applied elements as well as more conceptual and academic aspects. As a result, it enables the students to obtain a broad range of knowledge while allowing them to actively reflect on their career, employability and apply to their immediate experience.

The Module is designed to be delivered in part 1, well ahead of placement applications. Therefore, it equips the students to become career-minded from the onset and make better choices and improved applications, to strengthen the students’ success rate of obtaining successful placements and future jobs upon graduation.

This module is delivered at University of Reading, University of Reading Malaysia.

Aims:

The module aims to develop students’ professional excellence so they can thrive in their studies and careers. The module focuses on how the students can make the most of university experience to enrich their professional development. We introduce key skills and competences that helps business, management and accountants students to thrive in their studies (e.g., communication skills, business writing and time management). We move then to introduce professional development principles to the students – these include careers theories to practical skills that can help them to plan their career development over the course of their programme. The module will also introduce key career and employability skills to help the students with internships, placements or graduate position applications.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

1. Understand and be capable of navigating the recruitment and selection process


2. Appreciate the role of graduate recruitment and talent management broadly


3. Describe the context of contemporary organisations and businesses, their different needs and approaches to recruitment


4. Identify what employers look for in the recruitment and selection process


5. Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written form appropriate for professional audience


6. Reflect on strategies and resources for enhancing their skills, strengths and competencies that enables them to plan their professional career.

Additional outcomes:

Students will also

• Learn how to use reflective practice to inform their career planning and development


• Understand the elements to consider when putting together and revising their career plans


• Appreciate how occupational assessment is designed


• Develop other graduate professional skills

Outline content:

1. Introduction to the module


2. Theories of vocational behaviour and career development


3. Career narratives and understanding alignment between candidates and employers


4. Understanding Strengths in Recruitment and talent management


5. Researching and analysing organisations (Navigating the Job Market)


6. Competency frameworks (job descriptions and CV writing)


7. Recruitment in the era of AI and Digitaltechnologies


8. Ethical consideration in recruitment industry (e.g. diversity and inclusion)


9. Understanding the mechanics of psychometrics, interviews and assessment centre


10. Developing Critical and Reflexive Writing Skills and Business report writing


11. Module Summary

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The students will receive a combination of lectures, workshops, facilitated training sessions and independent study to develop their knowledge and understanding of how employers recruit placement students/graduates. The students will be able to work in-depth with Henley Careers and benefit from the insights of a number of external speakers during the module.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	20
Seminars	8
Fieldwork	7
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	70
Wider reading (directed)	50
Other	15
Essay preparation	15
Reflection	15
Total hours by term	200	0	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

There are no formal examinations.

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Method	Percentage	Deadline
Professional Excellence Portfolio word limit 2,000 (+10%)	100%	WK 20

Formative assessment methods:

Guided self-reflection exercises and activities in class or using online activities

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:

A minimum of 40%

Reassessment arrangements:

Professional Excellence Portfolio, word limit 2,000 +10% (graded)

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 26 September 2023