CS353-120 Work Placement Year
Introductory description
The Work Placement year enables students to spend a year in a professional environment, gaining practical experience relevant to their degree. Students undertake a substantial period of work with an approved organisation, applying their academic knowledge while developing professional skills and workplace experience.
The year supports the development of practical skills, professional awareness, and career readiness.
Module aims
The module aims to provide students with the opportunity to:
- Undertake an undergraduate work placement in a commercial, professional, industrial, or equivalent environment
- Develop experience of, and confidence in, essential workplace skills
- Apply and further develop skills previously acquired in an academic setting
- Enhance language and communication skills, where applicable
- Develop independence, responsibility, and professional awareness in preparation for employment
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 placement will be agreed on an individual basis in consultation with the department and the host organisation, and must be approved by the Intercalated Year Co-ordinator.
Each placement is defined by an approved role description provided by the host organisation. While the specific activities will vary, students will undertake the agreed role and engage in appropriate reporting to both the placement supervisor and the department.
Placements are normally undertaken in a commercial, professional, industrial, or equivalent environment. There is no fixed requirement for specific Computer Science roles, recognising the diversity of opportunities and the value of broader professional experience. Academic relevance is ensured through the approval process.
Students must complete a minimum of 1,200 hours of work activity to maintain equivalence with a 120 CATS module. Any changes to the approved placement must be authorised by the Intercalated Year Co-ordinator.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Apply critical, analytical, and interpersonal skills in a professional context
- Demonstrate understanding of the workplace environment and their role within it
- Evaluate their professional experience and the development of transferable skills in relation to prior and ongoing study
- Reflect critically on their personal and professional development
Subject specific skills
Students will be able to:
- Apply concepts and methods from their degree in a professional context
- Relate work-based activities to their academic discipline
- Integrate practical experience with prior academic learning
Transferable skills
Students will be able to:
- Work effectively in a professional environment, including teamwork and time management
- Communicate effectively with a range of professional audiences
- Demonstrate adaptability, initiative, and professional responsibility
- Reflect critically on their personal and professional development
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Placement | 1,200 hours (100%) |
| Total | 1,200 hours |
Private study description
No private study requirements defined for this module.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A2
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective report | 50% | No | |
|
Students are required to submit a 3000-word reflective report on their Work Placement Year |
|||
| Evidence of satisfactory completion of at least 1,200 hours of work activity | 50% | No | |
|
The right to remedy failure of the Reflective Report is conditional on having provided evidence of satisfactory completion of at least 1,200 hours of work activity |
|||
Assessment group R
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective report (Resit) | 100% | No | |
|
Students are required to submit a 3000-word reflective report on their Work Placement Year |
|||
Feedback on assessment
Written feedback via Tabula
Pre-requisites
Students must meet the following requirements:
- Successful completion of at least Level 5 of the relevant degree programme
- Securing a placement (or a maximum of two placements) with a combined duration of at least nine months
- Compliance with DBS or Enhanced Disclosure requirements where the placement involves work with children or vulnerable adults
- Where the placement is in a non-English-speaking country, satisfactory completion of appropriate language preparation, as confirmed by the Intercalated Year Co-ordinator
Courses
This module is Core optional for:
- Year 3 of UCSA-G504 MEng Computer Science (with intercalated year)
-
UCSA-G502 Undergraduate Computer Science (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 3 of G502 Computer Science with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of G502 Computer Science with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UCSA-I1NA Undergraduate Computer Science with Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 3 of UCSA-G407 Undergraduate Computer Systems Engineering (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 3 of UCSA-G409 Undergraduate Computer Systems Engineering (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 3 of UCSA-G4G4 Undergraduate Discrete Mathematics (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 3 of UCSA-G4G2 Undergraduate Discrete Mathematics with Intercalated Year