The placement to which the module relates provides a structured opportunity to combine appropriate developmental work experience with academic study. The placement experience allows students to develop and reflect on managerial and / or professional practice in real and often complex situations, and to integrate this with the study of the relevant subject(s) of their main programme. Where relevant, they develop, reinforce and apply professional and / or technical expertise in an employment context.
To be able to undertake this module it is necessary for the student to secure a placement during Stage 2 (see 15.). The placement should be appropriate to the student's degree and experience. The length of the placement should normally be at least 44 weeks. It must be completed between the end of Summer Term of Stage 2 and the start of Autumn Term in Stage 3.
The particular combination of the student's degree programme and choice of modules together with the great variety of increasingly diverse placement situations make the "curriculum" of each placement essentially unique.
This module documents and assesses the evidence of placement learning being achieved (see 16.)
There will be a set of briefings about the placement process during Stage 2. These activities support the process of applying for placements and preparing for undertaking an assessed placement. Among the topics covered are: applying for placements, sources of placement information, employers' expectations, health and safety, keeping a log book of activities and learning, how to build a record of engagement, becoming an independent learner / reflective practitioner.
During the placement year, the placement co-ordinator, the Director of Placements their tutor or another member of staff will stay in touch with the student and the relevant employer to determine progress. The work done on the record of engagement will be discussed during the first month of the student's placement year.
Appropriate guides and sections of a module Moodle page (EC536) provide support for activities related to placements.
Those who have returned from placements will be encouraged (but not required) to pass on their knowledge and expertise to those on placements, those seeking placements, or those thinking of applying for placement degrees.
The total number of learning hours associated with this module is estimated to be 300.
This module is assessed on a Pass/Fail basis as provided for in the Credit Framework (see Section 6.1)
In approaching the assessment of this module there is a recognition that the student is engaged in full time employment for the placement year. It is therefore appropriate to make good use of the materials that the student has been working on in assessing the placement experience itself.
The assessment of this module consists of two main elements:
• A set of monthly blog reports.
• Reports from the employer and from relevant staff.
Both elements must be passed. In the event of disagreement, the Director of Placements acting as the moderator, will consider what should be done, in conjunction if necessary with an appropriate external examiner from amongst those appointed to monitor Economics degrees.
The record of engagement must be submitted by the last working day of October in Stage 3. (Requests for concessions would be dealt with as on other modules.)
The suggested textbooks are:
Brennan, J & Little, B (2002), A Review of Work Based Learning in Higher Education, Prentice
Hall
Little, B (1998), Developing Key Skills Through Work Placement, Council for Industry & H E
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
The module aims to:
• develop students' practical knowledge and understanding of successful business (A1-3)
• develop knowledge and understanding of contemporary practice and issues, deepening and/or integrating subject knowledge with practice, using the placement context (A1-3, C1-3).
• develop ability to apply some of the intellectual skills specified for the main programme in practice (B3-5).
• develop ability to analyse and draw reasoned conclusions about economic problems and relatively complex situations working in an organisational setting (B1-4, C1-3).
• develop ability to apply some of the subject-specific skills specified for the required core in practice (B1-5, C1-5).
These learning outcomes map onto Stage S of the relevant programmes, where they are also linked to relevant subject benchmark statements.The placement year is the key component of "with a year in industry" for relevant specified programmes.
The report required for this module (see 16.) is looking for evidence of (some of) these outcomes, and of reflection by the student on them as an independent learner.
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