Placements

Employers are increasingly looking for graduates who have enhanced their employability by undertaking a work placement, or have a global perspective gained from their study exchanges. One of the many benefits of undergraduate study in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities is that you have the option to extend your degree to include a year-long professional work placement, a study exchange or a combination of both (6+6).

Why do a placement year?

  • A fantastic opportunity to ‘test-drive’ a career for a year
  • Gain valuable work experience in a position of responsibility and enhance your CV
  • Develop greater self-confidence and a more mature outlook
  • Typically improved performance in final year of studies
  • Additional qualification – Diploma in Professional Studies

What placements do our students do?

Students from the School of Social Sciences have a broad range of skills meaning that the placements they undertake are wide and varied.

A few recent examples are below:

Students also have the opportunity to develop their commercial and professional skills by undertaking a Year in Enterprise. During their third year, selected students can pursue their own business idea, supported by a business mentor to develop their strategy, operations, risk analysis and finances.

Placement stories

What do employers say?

Kate Thompson completed a 12-month placement with Ofgem, and was nominated for a º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ award in recognition of her achievements. Hear from James Lugar, Senior Sustainable Development Manager at Ofgem and from Kate about her time on placement.

What does it cost?

As a placement year is part of your academic studies, you will pay a tuition fee. Placement year fees are set at 20% of the yearly full-time fee for UK/EU students and £3,500 for international students taking placements in the 2020/21 academic year.