This is a full-year module available to students taking PHAIS UG courses in Art History, Philosophy, or any of the Interdisciplinary Studies courses. It enables you to undertake a full placement year with an external Placement Provider, who will be your host organisation for the period of the placement (a minimum of 40 weeks). During the placement, you will complete a number of assessments which enable you to utilise and develop the links between the knowledge and skills developed in your academic course and the work-based skills developed in carrying out your placement role.
You are responsible for securing the placement, with support from the School and University. The main support is provided by the Faculty Placements Team, and you should contact Karen Gooch ( kgooch@essex.ac.uk ), the Faculty Placement Manager, at the earliest opportunity.
Placements have to be approved by the School's Placement Officer and have to be secured by 1st June of your second year of study (i.e., the academic year prior to taking up the placement). If you cannot secure a suitable placement in time, you will be transferred onto the equivalent three-year course without placement. If there are issues with this timing, you should contact the School's Placement Officer as quickly as possible – while no guarantees can be provided, special exceptions may be granted.
An acceptable placement should include the following elements:
- Ability to apply subject-specific reasoning and learning;
- Provide opportunities for practical learning in an organisation relevant to the your career aspirations;
- Enable you to assume an appropriate degree of responsibility;
- Be at graduate level (using the DLHE criteria) or clearly related to graduate-level work, such as to improve the chances of the placement holder to gain graduate-level work after completing it;
- Pay at living wage or above (or the equivalent if undertaken abroad).
You should contact the School's Placement Officer at the earliest opportunity to ascertain that the placement you aim to apply for is suitable.
- Module Supervisor: Steven Gormley