AD2PPY: Professional Placement Year

Module code: AD2PPY

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 120

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Ms Rebecca Jerrome, email: r.m.jerrome@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): This module is only available to students in the School of Agriculture Policy and Development. (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: Maxi placement

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

By selecting a professional placement year you'll undertake a minimum of 40 weeks full time employment to gain relevant work experience in your chosen industry. You'll apply the theoretical knowledge and practical skills gained throughout Part 1 and Part 2 of your degree, benefitting the placement organisation and your own professional development. Placements must be approved by the University before they commence, and you'll be supported through the application and approval process by a Placement Coordinator. A maximum of two different placements can be undertaken with a minimum duration of 20 weeks full time per placement.  

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Exercise knowledge and awareness of their placement organisation and their contribution
2. Demonstrate problem-solving skills
3. Apply the successful use of IT
4. Develop effective team working skills
5. Demonstrate efficient communication skills (written and oral)
6. Apply the knowledge and skills acquired during Part 1 and Part 2
7. Utilise career management skills including job search and effective applications

Module content

The nature of the placement will vary widely depending on the host company, but students should integrate into the relevant organisation and become a useful asset. See the Blackboard site for this module for further information. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

One year industrial placement to gain relevant work experience in an industry related to the student’s degree programme. 

Study hours

This module is a placement or study abroad module and therefore the teaching and learning activities will predominantly, or entirely, take place away from the University of Reading. Your host organisation will normally advise you of the associated hours of your placement or year abroad. If the module includes any in-person activities at the University of Reading, these will be confirmed to you before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

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

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs