Placements

The University’s Corporate Plan 2002-07 indicates that:

“The University will continue to equip its students with the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm necessary to learn successfully and to secure employment” which will be achieved through “the penetration of work-related learning across the curriculum and orientation of the majority of courses towards the requirements of professional careers in the public and private sectors. Over half of the University’s graduates earn professional recognition as well as their degree. Nearly 90% of full-time undergraduates have the opportunity to do assessed work-related learning as part of their course. The University’s graduates are well-prepared for employment, with First Destinations data above its benchmark”.

External agencies such as the QAA and other Professional and Statutory Bodies, as well as external examiners, consistently commend the University on its provision of placement opportunities and the benefits these have on student achievement and future employability.

The University has developed a series of policies, good practice guides and other documentation to support its placement activity, which are complementary to the Placement Learning section of the Quality Assurance Agency's Code of Practice.

Placement Policies:

Three policy statements affecting key aspects of the University’s placement activity have recently been approved by the University's Academic Board:

Health and Safety Policy for Work Placements
Policy on Disabled Students and Placements
Policy on Harassment and Placement Students

These policies are supported by two questionnaires:

Questionnaire for UK-based placement providers
Questionnaire for non-UK placement providers

Handbooks for Students, Placement Providers and Visiting Tutors:

The following documents outline the suggested content of Placement Handbooks:

Placement Handbook: Students
Placement Handbook: Placement Providers
Placement Handbook: Visiting Tutors

Good Practice Guides:

The following guides outline existing good practice in the University in the preparation of placements, in support of students during placements, and evaluation and support activities following placements.

Good Practice Guide: Preparation for placements
Good Practice Guide: During placements
Good Practice Guide: After completion

Supporting information:

Legal requirements and placements
Typology of placements

Placements Conference:

A one-off conference on placements was held on 15th September 2005. Further details can be found here.

Employability Case Studies in Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism

The Higher Education Academy for the Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism subject area has been developing a series of good/practice case studies relating to Employability. Based on a number of factors, the Academy identified the placement process on the BA (Hons) Sport and Leisure Management degree offered by Chelsea School as the example they wished to highlight from placement learning nationally. Further details of this and other case studies can be found on the HLST subject area's website.

Work Placement Toolkit

A 'Toolkit' has been developed with useful information about student placements by the London Centre for Arts and Cultural Enterprise. This link takes you to their website with three separate toolkits - free for all to use - for students, universities and creative/cultural organisations.

last updated 6th February 2007
Academic Standards and Partnership
AcademicStandards@brighton.ac.uk 
primary target audience: staff