TG2PPY: Graphic Communication Professional Placement Year

Module code: TG2PPY

Module provider: Typography; School of Arts and Comm Design

Credits: 120

Level: 5

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Mr Geoff Wyeth , email: g.m.wyeth@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

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

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: Maxi placement

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 11 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore a placement year within a professional environment of their choice.  The placement year will give students the opportunity to build on and develop their transferable skills and personal and professional portfolio which is essential to securing graduate employment. Students enrolled on the professional placement year will be provided with specialist training and dedicated support to assist them in securing their own placement through a competitive process. 

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• To gain experience of the job application process through securing a self-organised placement 
• To familiarise students with the professional work environment, provide opportunity for students to acquire new skills and to develop awareness of the sector/industry they are working in 
• To increase employability through being able to demonstrate dedicated experience. 
• To enhance ‘soft-skills’ such as team-work, communication, time-management and planning. 
• To provide the student with the opportunity to contextualise and apply knowledge and the skills gained in the first two years of their undergraduate degree. 
• To enhance personal self-awareness and reflection, self-efficacy, adaptability, resilience. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Prepare for professional contexts: Alone, in teams or with clients, work and communicate effectively across a range of configurations and environments.
2. Contextualise academic skills in professional contexts: By the end of the placement year programme, students will have contextualised their academic learning in a placement role relevant to their programme of studies and developed their professional experience, skills and knowledge, contributing significantly towards their continuous learning and career prospects as graduates.
3. Have an understanding and appreciation of the professional environment including the employment opportunities (career paths) and requirements within the sector/industry.
4. Think critically and analytically about the work carried out on the placement and how it has contributed to the activity of the placement provider.

Module content

Students are expected to secure and organise their own placement; each placement must be approved by the module convenor, with all necessary legal, health and safety documents completed before commencement. 

The placement should be of a minimum of 9 months (40 weeks) with the content of the placement determined by the placement provider. 

The placement must provide the student with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of the working environment and provide them with situations to develop their ‘soft-skills’ (such as working on own initiative, flexibility, problem-solving and time-management). Students will receive advice and support on securing a placement from the placement co-ordinator, the module convenor and the wider Careers team. 

During the placement the student must abide by the rules and regulations of the placement provider and respond to request from the University. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The onus of this module is on independent working, including work experience, learning by observat