Work Related Learning - Student Placement Experiences

The BA (Liberal Arts) degree aims to equip students for a wide range of employment opportunities at graduate level. Courses within College are designed to have relevance for the world of work; and the opportunity for direct experience of that world is a key feature of the degree. In each year, four weeks are dedicated to work-based learning.

What is work related learning? This is an integral part of the degree programme in which students have the opportunity to engage actively in an employment context to relate their academic studies to the work environment. Either by site visits or work-shadowing, students have the opportunities to learn through study, observation, practice and reflection; and to relate that learning to their concurrent in-college courses and their future career pathways.

The WRL programme has the following rationale an objectives:

• to allow students to practice research skills appropriate for selecting, evaluating and presenting information about a placement business/organization.
• to provide opportunities to shadow and assist management personnel or become involved in a project/campaign within a placement business/organization.
• to develop interpersonal and communication skills appropriate for working as part of a team or management structure.
• to develop an awareness and appreciation of flexibility in career choices and opportunities, and hence the importance of transferable generic skills.
• to encourage students to make links between academic and experiential learning and so become convinced of the importance of life-long learning.
• to develop personal attributes of maturity, self-awareness and confidence.

These objectives are achieved in different manners in each year. In Year 1, students take part in a series of site-visits to range of different organisations and business sectors. In Years 2 and 3, students are placed individually in a range of companies and organizations.

STUDENT PLACEMENT EXPERIENCES - CASE STUDY LINKS BELOW