Run by School of Psychology

30.000 Credits or 15.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 1 & 2

Organiser: Dr Frances Garrad-Cole

This module is designed for students undertaking a two-semester work placement as part of a four-year degree with work placement. The sandwich year may be taken at the beginning or end of the level 6 year. Students are away for the whole of the academic year. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually students spend 10-12 months with a sandwich placement provider. Students normally start sometime in the period June to September of their second year and finish between June and September the following year. Students are expected to identify their own placement provider with the support of the University Careers Office and the School. The placement is not limited to locality and may be in the student’s home county or home country. All sandwich year placements must be approved by the module co-ordinator and Health and Safety Officer. Placement documents should be submitted by the deadlines in order for the necessary checks to be conducted and for the student to comply with financial requirements for student loans.

The practical element of the module comprises a block placement (of 7 to 12 months) taken at the beginning or end of the level 6 year. Students will register for the programme in the spring of their second year and will be provided with guidance on locating and applying for a placement. They will attend a series of work experience workshops during the spring to prepare them for the job search, creating applications and CVs, and preparing for the workplace environment. The student may begin their work placement at a date to be agreed between the student and employer, but not until the end of teaching for their current semester. The student will spend 7 to 12 months at the place of work and under the supervision of their employer. The onus is always on the student to find their own placement. Where students cannot find their own placement and one cannot be found for them, they will switch back to a ‘normal’ degree course. The placement should be related to the student’s degree subject and this relationship must be made clear by the student in their pre-placement forms. The placement must be approved by the module organiser and the University before work begins. The module organiser will monitor progress during the placement, mainly by email or video conference. A risk assessment will be conducted for the identified work placement.

excellent

(Grade A; mark range 70-100%)

The report is logically structured and with threads that create a holistic, coherent whole. It contains detailed and insightful descriptive text relating to the knowledge acquired by the student. Knowledge directly and indirectly related to the student’s degree subject is described with some exploration of the synergies between the various sources of knowledge. There is a well argued, critical analysis of the cultural influences on the interpretation and application of subject-specific knowledge. The report includes substantial content in which the student evaluates the learning experience, both as a retrospective description of the placement experience and as a critical reflection on how the experiences might shape future learning.

threshold

(Grade D or C; mark range 40-59%)

There are weaknesses in the way that the report is structured, resulting in repetition and/or lack of clarity. It contains descriptive text relating to the knowledge acquired by the student but with evidence that the descriptions have not been fully developed. Knowledge directly related to the student’s degree subject is described but with little emphasis on any other knowledge acquired. There is little analysis of the cultural influences on the interpretation and application of subject-specific knowledge and there is no evidence of critical evaluation. The report includes content in which the student evaluates the learning experience, mainly as a retrospective description of the placement experience with little emphasis on how the experiences might shape future learning.

good

(Grade B; mark range 60-69%)

The report is logically structured. It contains detailed descriptive text relating to the knowledge acquired by the student. Knowledge directly and indirectly related to the student’s degree subject is described. There is some analysis of the cultural influences on the interpretation and application of subject-specific knowledge but there is little critical evaluation. The report includes substantial content in which the student evaluates the learning experience, mainly as a retrospective description of the placement experience with only some emphasis on how the experiences might shape future learning.

1. Confidence in dealing with the challenges in employment life

2. Ability to work without supervision and retain effectiveness while under pressure

3. Ability to respond positively to changing circumstances and new challenges

4. Understanding and appreciation of how businesses and organisations work and ability to act accordingly

5. Recognise and apply disciplinary understanding and subject knowledge to business and organisational issues and priorities in terms of both culture and economics

		Hours

• Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Safety-Consciousness - Having an awareness of your immediate environment, and confidence in adhering to health and safety regulations
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

Resource implications for students

Support materials and access to online materials to be made available via Blackboard. No new resources required for Bangor University library.

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/ppp-3011.html

Reading list

suggested reading only:

• Bolles, Richard. What Color Is Your Parachute?: Job-Hunter's Workbook. Ten Speed, 2018.
• Douglas, Arlene, et al. Work Experience Level 5. Gill & Macmillan, 2014.
• Evans-Brain, Jane, and John Neugebauer. Employability: Making the Most of Your Career Development. SAGE Publications, 2016.
• Fanthome, Christine. Work Placements: a Survival Guide for Students. Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
• Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ. Bantam, 2006.
• Hordern, Jim. Placements and Work-Based Learning in Education Studies: an Introduction for Students. Routledge, 2017.
• Longson, Sally. Making Work Experience Count. How To Books, 1999.
• McCabe, Maria. How to Get an Internship or Work Placement. Createspace, 2013.
• Mostyn, Steven. Job Search: Fundamentals of Effective Job Hunting, Resumes, and Interviews. Sarah Mostyn, 2018.

Compulsory in courses:

• C88P: BSc Psychology with Clinical & Health Psy with Placement Yr year 3 (BSC/PHSP)
• C80P: BSc Psychology with Placement Year year 3 (BSC/PSP)
• C81P: BSc Psychology with Forensic Psychology with Placement Year year 3 (BSC/PSYFPP)
• C84P: BSc Psychology with Neuropsychology with Placement Year year 3 (BSC/PSYNP)