Business Practice (Placement/Work Experience Project)

Module description

Gaining real experience of a variety of work place situations is invaluable to you as you apply for jobs post-graduation. A recent survey by High Fliers Research Limited (2013) into the graduate recruitment market warns that the majority of graduate recruiters state that graduates with no previous work experience are unlikely to be successful during their recruitment processes. Undertaking this module is also a useful way to test the academic knowledge you have gained throughout your studies on real life events and practices. The aim of this module is to build on your experiences gained from undertaking ‘Business Practice and Analysis’ in year one and to give you the opportunity to put into practice some of the skills you have learnt through the rest of your modules so far. You may also decide to work with the organisation you select for work placement on this module when you undertake your future-facing dissertation in year three. 

Full module specification

Module aims

The aim of the module is to allow you to link theory and practice in a work based situation.  You will have the opportunity to understand more clearly how a charity, business or third sector organisation operates, and become involved in the day to day management of a particular project, you will also have the opportunity to reflect on your own learning. This in turn should give you confidence in your own work place skills and a clearer idea of your strengths and weakness and so better equipping you for full time employment. It will also help provide you with experiences that you can talk to at job interview stage. During the course of your work placement you will undertake a dedicated project for the organisation with whom you are placed. You may organise your own work placement or seek the assistance of the careers team in setting up a work placement with you.  

ILO: Module-specific skills

• 1. demonstrate achievement of the relevant learning outcomes which will be set by the student and their academic tutor and agreed by the Business BSc Programme Director. These will reflect the content and aims of the work-based project and will be stated explicitly in the student's proposal.
• 2. with some guidance identify and secure appropriate work experience.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

• 3. identify, analyse critically and evaluate relevant case studies and literature.
• 4. demonstrate clear, critical and analytical reasoning to support the development of the work-based project.
• 5. apply effective skills in designing and managing the practical and academic aspects of their research and their learning needs, accessing the appropriate support and resources as required.
• 6. develop and use clearly reasoned arguments to explain, critique and evaluate the work- based project in which the student has been a significant player.
• 7. use reflective practice to explore, identify, evaluate and record the student's learning process.

ILO: Personal and key skills

• 8. work independently, organising and maintaining your own programme of study to meet employer and academic deadlines.
• 9. apply research skills to practical work-related issues.
• 10. develop skills of analysis, evaluation and synthesis.
• 11. use reflective practice to explore and identify learning needs for own future development.
• 12. use I.T. skills to produce a document to a standard and format acceptable to the student's organisation.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

A student will be referred in all components of the student fails the module with a mark of below 40% overall.

A student if deferred via a single component will be reassessed in that component only.

Syllabus plan

• Introductory Workshop - There is an introductory workshop detailing what the module involves, the relevant paperwork required and explanations of assessment.
• Personal meetings will need to be arranged with the module lead and where necessary the employability support officer to ensure that the placement is acceptable to the university, the placement host and the student.
• The level of module co-ordinator contact time required will be determined by the student’s proposal and their employer’s requirements, and will be designed to meet both professional and academic needs.
• A study plan will be produced by the student and agreed by the academic tutor at the commencement of the module.
• A project outline plan will be developed and negotiated by the student the placement host and the module lead.
• The student will be visited by a member of Faculty staff during their placement in order to ensure that the placement host and student are happy with the arrangements and associated work package.
• Presentation Workshop - On completion of the work placement all module participants will give a presentation to their class on their placement, lessons learnt and the project they undertook, this will form part of the assessment.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Core Text

Moon, J. (2004) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and Practice. London, RoutledgeFalmer.

Rainbird, H, Fuller A and Munro A (2004) Work Place Learning in Context, Routledge

Taylor R (2010) ed  Third Sector Research, Springer

Module has an active ELE page?

No

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/fch/work-experience/reflective-writing-guidance.pdf

http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/about-third-sector - A monthly magazine for people working in the Third Sector

https://mycareerzone.exeter.ac.uk

Several resources from the University Careers Zone on interview techniques, designing cvs and completing applications 

Origin date

01/09/2014

Last revision date

02/12/2014