TRS5782 - Professional Development and Placement

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
demonstrate the application of religious concepts and theories in the workplace;
demonstrate reflective evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses across a range of key employability skills;
apply employability skills in the workplace and perform to a satisfactory standard;
write an action plan for developing employability skills.

Content:

A professional development programme comprising:
• Introduction to Professional Development Planning and Placements at Level 5
• Workshop sessions including:
o Working in contexts of religious significance and involving application of religious awareness
o Team work
o Assessment centre tasks
• Briefings on EPO procedures skills and preparation for attachment/assessment
• Interview with Placement Tutor
• Placement with suitable organisation(s), normally six weeks in total • Reflection and evaluation of the placement.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Learning and teaching takes place through tutor-led discussion amongst placement tutees, and through a day conference and workshop sessions, covering (as may be applicable to specific placement plans): researching future careers (through Prospects website http://www.prospects.ac.uk/); production of curriculum vitas, including instruction on using CV Builder database by members of the Careers Service; practical activities exploring how to get a Placement, advice on the Placement experience and planning for this, blogging and the digital humanities. Individual tutorials with Placement Tutor/Progress Tutor are provided before the placement starts. Students to write a blog while on Placement (to feed into the final Report). A day conference will be held soon after students complete their placements.

Induction meeting
Hours: 2
Intended Group size: 40

Day conference
Hours: 4
Intended Group size: 150

Workshops x 3
Hours: 6
Intended Group size: 40

Tutorial
Hours: 0.5
Intended group size: 1

Guided independent study Hours: 37.5

Work placement
Hours: 150

Further details relating to assessment
It is expected that students will maintain a blog to underpin the reflective report; the first week’s diary is important in allowing tutors to assess whether or not a student needs some form of additional support/intervention by the University and is therefore mandatory. Employers submit their own report on the Placement (P/F) to the EPO for consideration, and this is passed to the tutor supporting the student – this may be shared with student on completion of the module, in order for them to undertake further reflection re their skills for employability. (Employer does/does not give permission for this to happen). The employer report assesses the student according to overall performance, graduate skills and employability skills.

The tutor who supported the student on placement normally marks the Placement Report.

Other relevant matters
Students are encouraged to undertake a placement abroad, if they wish and as long as it is approved by the EPO. The University cannot pay for travel abroad.