PY1PPY: Preparing for Placement Year Part 1

Module code: PY1PPY

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 0

Level: 4

When you’ll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Mrs Shannon Wake , email: shannon.wake@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: No placement specified

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 11 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This non-credit bearing module aims to give you a head start by laying the foundations for successfully securing a placement ahead of your placement year. This module will familiarise you with the expectations and processes for the placement year. It will equip you with a practical toolkit to prompt reflection on your skills and personal placement goals and begin researching and evaluating opportunities that align with these goals, ensuring you are ‘placement application ready’ in your second year.Ìý

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:Ìý

1. Identify the benefits, requirements and expectations of the placement year ÌýÌý
2. Reflect on skills and placement year goalsÌý
3. Conduct research to identify and evaluate placement opportunities that align with these goalsÌý
4. Identify skills, knowledge and experience gaps and create a personal action plan outlining the necessary skills and steps to be ‘placement application ready’ in second year.Ìý

Module content

Content provided will include a range of online resources, briefings, tutorials, lectures and networking events including peer support, and will also include an element of self-guided personal study time in order to prepare effectively for placement application and recruitment at the start of year 2.Ìý

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Placement support modules will mainly include briefings and interactive workshops, with the opportunity to engage with group work and peer support e.g. Marketplace Events with employers, Placement Application Labs with staff and peers, opportunities to visit poster presentations and meet returning placement students.Ìý

Online resources will be made available to all students.ÌýÌý

Study hours

At least 4 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

There is no assessment on this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

There is no assessment on this module.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

By the end of year 1 students will create an action plan either written / podcast / vlog or blog outlining a:Ìý

1. Short reflection of their aims for their placement year e.g. consideration for the role type / sectors or companies they intend to apply toÌý
2. A reflection on any skills, experience and knowledge gaps they may need to address / build and develop before they apply for their intended placementÌýÌýÌý
3. Outline any interventions and or support they intend to engage with over the summer vacation, in order to help prepare them further for their placementÌýÌý

Reassessment

Additional costs