Course Overview

The MSc with placement offers students the opportunity to complete a placement year (30 weeks) during Year 2. The aim of the placement experience is to provide a route for students to develop genuine and practical problem-solving skills in a professional context, to apply learned concepts into practice within their fields of specialism, and to enable students to gain a better understanding of your own abilities and employment potential.

If you are an international student on a visa, your CAS will have a course duration of two years, subject to meeting the UKVI’s standard requirements.

Please be aware that placements:

• are not guaranteed;

• are typically unpaid;

• include a programme of support to assist students in researching, applying for, and finding an appropriate placement;

• must be verified and approved prior to commencement; and

• will be monitored for quality and attendance.

Placement preparation & support

• As part of Postgraduate degrees with placement, students are enrolled in a compulsory Placement Preparation Module (which include a series of workshops) that take place in Term 1 of Year 1. The workshops and activities in this module are designed to help students find and secure a placement and develop key employability skills and knowledge to succeed in the world of work.

• Attendance on the Placement Preparation Module is compulsory with a requirement that the student attends 80% of the timetabled workshops and fully engages with the module requirements and with the Careers and Placement teams.

• The Careers and Placement teams will support students by providing advice on topics such as exploring career paths, CVs, Cover Letters, and interview skills.

Placement Year

• During the placement year, students will undertake a placement with an employer and complete a 40P credit Placement Module.

• To be eligible for the Placement Module, students must have successfully passed taught modules (students do not have to have completed the Consultancy Project (RBP040L052) or the Dissertation (RBP040L051) before the commencement of the placement), met the requirements of the Placement Preparation Module, and secured an approved placement.

• A placement is not guaranteed. The University will offer guidance and support and recommend students to interested organisations; however, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to secure a placement.

• The placement can be full-time or part-time (a minimum of 3 working days, 21-24 hours per week) and can be carried out in-person or remotely, and through work-based projects.

• The placement will ideally be tailored to your interests and aspirations but ultimately meets the needs of employers and must provide relevant experience in line with the learning outcomes of your academic programme. Whereas the roles offered may vary, the emphasis should be on securing a placement within promising growth areas of your discipline and, on both applying and developing existing knowledge and skills in the work place as well as gaining new knowledge and skills.

General Eligibility

You should usually hold a second-class honours degree (certain programmes may require a 2:1) from a recognised British or overseas university.

Part Time Work Details

20 Hours of Work permit weekly for international students.

Language Requirement

• If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 6.5 (including a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent is normally required.