| Unit name | Placement (Medieval Studies) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | AFACM0011 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Pohl |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
TB1 core unit Research Skills for Medievalists. |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Humanities |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
In this unit, we will provide you with an exciting opportunity to undertake an off-campus placement with an external partner in order to acquire key employability skills and valuable work experience in the wider field of Medieval Studies that are relevant both within and, particularly, outside of academia. The unit aims to offer you first-hand experience of working in a vibrant and innovative industry that values the study and research skills developed during your Medieval Studies degree, and which allows you to apply them in practice. As well as developing new skills, you will be able to draw on existing ones and transfer them to new scenarios with a view towards exploring and developing a variety of potential career paths. Examples of important industries that value these skills and provide an ideal context for their application include not only museums, archives, libraries and special collections, but also cultural/heritage/conservation organisations, as well as the tourism industry. Students selecting this optional unit may either arrange their own placement with an external partner of their choice (following consultation with and approval by the MA director) or they will be offered a place with one of the existing partners. The specific tasks and/or project conducted by the students during the placement will be agreed between them and the individual partner organisation (subject to approval by the MA director), and they are expected to reflect the organisation- and/or industry-specific requirements and standards. By encouraging students to work independently under the guidance and supervision of leading industry experts, the unit aims to create a dialogue between the degree and the workplace that enables them to develop a range of key employability skills and make an important investment into potential future careers. Please note that whilst every effort will be made to accommodate students’ preferences regarding placements, a specific hosting organisation cannot always be guaranteed. For international students in particular, the availability of the placement option will be subject to their individual visa requirements/restrictions.
By the end of this unit, students will be able to
Personal co-supervision by an academic member of staff and the partner contact/organisation.
1 x weekly supervision by the unit director, plus 1 day per week working at the placement (during teaching weeks).
In addition, the hosting organisation will be required to provide formative feedback on the student's performance and his/her achievements during the placement in the form of an end-of-placement report. This report will be collated and communicated to each student individually by the unit director, who will also be available for consultation to discuss and analyse the feedback through one-on-one supervision meetings. To make sure that the content of the report reflects the expectations of both the student and the organisation, a formal memorandum of understanding will be drawn up at the beginning of the placement (to be signed by the student, the organisation and the unit director) to set out mutual expectations and commitments.
Summative assessment:
3,000 word essay, related to the placement tasks/project (70%)
Reflective journal, related to employability skills and knowledge transfer. The specific content and structure of the journal will depend on the individual placement, and will thus be agreed between the student, the partner contact/organisation and the unit co-ordinator (30%)
Linked to ILOs 1-6
Formative assessment:
Presentation, related to the placement tasks/project
Linked to ILOs 1, 2, 4, 5
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. AFACM0011).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
