Introductory description

The purpose of the portfolio is to provide a record of how students' time was spent during their year away and to conduct a critical evaluation of their own personal experiences.

It should also demonstrate an awareness, appreciation and understanding of the wider cultural and business-related issues in the relevant industries/sectors/countries in which they undertaken their year away.

This will be the only module completed in resect of their year away and counts towards 10% of their overall degree.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The syllabus is student-led, requiring reflection on personal experiences and reference to research in relevant areas such as expatriate training, learning styles and inter-cultural issues.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Show that you have met the requirements of the relevant year away detailed in your cohort handbook e.g. CATS load, level and duration of work placement.
• Place your experiences of a business degree in the context of your awareness of issues and skills which are important in the workplace
• Critically evaluate your own experiences

Indicative reading list

R. Meredith Belbin, Team Roles at Work (second edition) Routledge, 2010
K Fatehi, Managing Internationally, Succeeding in a Culturally Diverse World, Sage, 2007.
GP Ferraro, The cultural dimension of international business (ninth edition), Pearson, 2023.
LA Samovar, RE Porter, ER McDaniel, CS Roy, Communication between cultures (ninth edition), Cengage Learning, 2016.

International

This information will depend specifically on the nature of the work placement or modules chosen at the partner institution. Students who study or work overseas will immerse themselves in the day-to-day life and culture of their chosen country.

Subject specific skills

• Demonstrate an awareness, appreciation and understanding of important employability skills and the wider cultural and/or business-related issues relevant to the country, and/or company or sector in which you have spent your year.
• Develop a critical awareness of your own experiences, positives and challenges
• Demonstrate an understanding and reflection of how you used competencies during your year away, by selecting 6 out of 12 of these skills:
  Communication
  Relationship building
  Ethics, professionalism and accountability
  Teamwork
  Decision making
  Analysis and Critical thinking/ problem solving
  Adding value, Innovation and Creativity
  Technical competence
  Adaptability
  Resilience
  Commercial awareness
  Leadership

Transferable skills

Demonstrate:
Reflective writing
Critical thinking