Leeds University Business School Congratulations on finding your Work Placement! Ruth Long, Work Placement Programme Manager

Leeds University Business School

Congratulations on finding your Work Placement!

Ruth Long, Work Placement Programme Manager


This Briefing will cover

• Administrative Matters• Explanation of Health and Safety procedures and paperwork• Requirement of students to maintain and give contact details on

placement• Financial entitlements – loans, council tax and travel exemptions• Need to change programme if you haven’t done so already• Situations when students would get an extension e.g. late start date• Roles and Responsibilities• The academic requirements of the module LUBS8001• Meeting your tutor and other students in groups


Changing your degree to the 4 year programme

How?

You do this by completing a Change of Programme Form. This is available from the Undergraduate Office. I can give you a copy.

Why?

Once you have completed and signed the form, • your programme will be changed on the university database • Student Finance will notify your LEA so that they are aware that you

need 4 years of funding. • Your fees with be amended • You will be automatically enrolled on LUBS8001 (unless you are

Joint Honours, in which case you need to specify this module)• You can extend your student card for another year


Payment of Fees

• For 2012-13 the tuition fees payable for the Year in Industry are £920 for all students (home and international).

• International students may initially be charged at the rate of a student studying abroad (this is charged at 25% of the prevailing international fee) as this is the default. If this happens, please notify the Fees Office so that they can charge you the correct fee of £920. If you have any problems please contact the Work Placement Programme Manager.

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ssc/fees.htm


Registration with the University

Registration is a separate process from online module enrolment. Even though you are away from the university you are required to register as a student. This is an online process so you do not need to be in Leeds.

You may register from 1st August onwards and should complete registration before the start of the academic year. More information about is available on the university website.

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ssc/registerterminfo.html


Student Status

• During your placement year you are registered as a full time student. Even though you are off-campus, the module on which you are registered (LUBS8001) is a 120 credit module.

• As a full time student you are able to use all the university facilities and retain membership of student societies.

• The university notifies the local Council of all registered students so if you remain in Leeds you should automatically be eligible for Council Tax exemption. If you relocate for your placement, you will need to give the local Council of your student status. You can get a registration certificate from Student Services.

• Students working in London can apply for a Transport for London student pass but they will need an official letter from the university. A template letter can be downloaded from the front page of the module website.

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/studentservicescentre/counterservices/counciltax.htm


Health and Safety

Basic principles

1. The University has a legal responsibility for your Health & Safety as a fee paying student. It takes your Health & Safety seriously and expects you to do the same.

2. Your employer also has responsibility for your Health & Safety and we seek assurances from employers regarding this.

3. A lot of Health & Safety is common sense, but a lot of it is dependent on your working environment, therefore we expect your employer to brief you appropriately.


Health and Safety

Information • Please read the

Health and Safety Guidance Notes for Students on Placement. It is also be published on the module website for easy future access.

Documentation

To be completed by the employer: • The Student Placement Tripartite Health and Safety Agreement

To be completed by the student: • Student Placement Checklist • Personal and Placement Details

http://lubswww.leeds.ac.uk/internalonly/undergraduate/fileadmin/user_upload/H_S.doc

http://lubswww.leeds.ac.uk/placement_log/index.php

http://lubswww.leeds.ac.uk/internalonly/undergraduate/fileadmin/user_upload/Student_Placement_checklist.doc

http://lubswww.leeds.ac.uk/internalonly/undergraduate/fileadmin/user_upload/PERSONAL_AND_PLACEMENT_DETAILS.doc


Notifying LUBS of your placement details

Why? The Business School will write to your employer before you start work to advise them of the academic requirements of your Year in Industry and to gain reassurances regarding Health & Safety.

What do we need?

1. full contact details of the company,

2. your start and finish dates

3. the contact name of your supervisor (or, if your supervisor has not been assigned yet, someone in HR). Ideally their email address.

4. If possible, the department where you will be based or your job title.

In most cases this information will be given in your offer letter or

contract. Please bring in your offer letter or contract to the Work

Placement Programme Manager who will take a copy.


Academic Matters on Placement

What happens if I fail a second year exam? Can I still go on placement?

• Even in the event of failing compulsory modules, the university will still support you going on placement.

• It is essential that you take resits at the earliest opportunity in August.

• If you do not attend August resits, you will have lost this opportunity and being on placement will not be deemed an acceptable excuse.

• You must notify your employer that you will need to be available for re-sits and book the days off in advance. Most companies who offer undergraduate placements should be reasonably supportive and will have encountered similar situations in previous years.

•


Academic Matters on Placement

Will my work placement count towards my degree?• No, it will change the title, but not influence classification. It is a

pass/fail module. • However, if you do fail the year the failure will be shown on your

academic transcript which lists all the modules you have taken.• Students who fail the year in industry can revert back to their

original programme if they do not pass the year.


What is the failure rate?

Usually between 3 and 6 students fail within a cohort of around 80

Reasons for failing include:• Not completing a placement of a minimum of 9 months• Procrastination • Being so focussed on work that academic requirements are

forgotten


How do I pass the Placement Year?

• Assessment Method A

• Assessment Method B

• Most students will be on Assessment Method A


How do I pass the Placement Year?

• During the placement year you are enrolled on the 120 credit module LUBS8001. You can find a summary of this module on the module catalogue. You can find full details in the Module Handbook.

• To pass the module you need to complete an approved placement of 9-12 months with ONE company. It is not possible to complete two shorter placements of 6 months for instance. In the majority of cases students will complete 12 months.

• It is a skills based module and for Method A there are 3 essential components:

1. Skills Assessment Document

2. Online Log with supporting evidence

3. Reflective Statement

•

http://webprod1.leeds.ac.uk/banner/dynmodules.asp?Y=200910&M=LUBS-8001


Skills Assessment Document

• To be completed by you and your supervisor• To be completed twice during the year, at the beginning and end• It must be signed off with final comments from the supervisor

We will not pass you if this is not fully completed

Why not?• It is the only document in which another person i.e. you supervisor

confirms that your skills have improved and that you finished the placement on good terms.


Online Log with supporting evidence

http://lubswww.leeds.ac.uk/placement_log• Complete it once a month• Note any supporting evidence and keep copies in a file for later• A good way to track your progress• An opportunity to get feedback and keep in touch with your tutor

• The final submission is in hard copy and includes an edited (please proof-read the final version) print out of the log, with clearly cross-referenced supporting evidence.

• You may post the final submission. Details in the module handbook.• Students who delay completion of the log, and try to write it

retrospectively are most likely to fail.


Reflective Statement

• 2000 words written at the end of the year• If you have kept your log up to date this should be very

straightforward• In addition to skills development, you can comment on future career

plans and how the placement has affected them• This is submitted, together with the Skills Assessment Document,

the Online Log and supporting evidence in a final Portfolio


The Online Log


The Online Log


The Online Log


The Online Log


The Online Log


The Online Log


The Online Log


The Online Log


The Online Log


What does the portfolio look like?

One A4 or Lever Arch file is sufficient – do not submit any more than this

The size of the file will vary according to the evidence e.g. you may have evidence in a marketing role than a finance role



Good cross-referencing could involve• a list of all evidence included• a simple colour coded system• dividers for each month, so the

evidence can be easily found



Evidence can take a variety of forms as long as they are paper based. They can include copies of emails, computer screenshots, photocopies of your diary or checklists, certificates from courses, copies of reports, appraisal documents, copies of forms that you complete regularly, copies of work you have done, photographs etc



This evidence was a letter from a client. The student asked the client if they could provide this for the portfolio and, due to his work, they were very happy to do so.

This is a superb piece of evidence – a satisfied high profile client has taken the time to write positive comments. It is also great to show to a prospective employer


Submission deadline

• The deadline for submitting the portfolio is 2nd September 2013• It should be a hard copy, and can be posted. If you post it, recorded

delivery or registered post are recommended. • Details of the address to post it to are in the module handbook• If your placement finishes later than 19th August 2013 you can

request an extension. Normally students are allowed 2 weeks after the placement ends to complete the portfolio

• Your placement log should cover a maximum period of 12 months. If your contract gets extended and you work several extra months, you do not need to include this in your portfolio, and you will not get an extension based on this.

• You are encouraged to submit early if you finish early, so you can complete the portfolio whilst everything is fresh in your mind.

Documents

Leeds University Business School Congratulations on finding your Work Placement! Ruth Long, Work Placement Programme Manager