This module is an empty shell which can be filled with learning of your choice in agreement with your tutor. The learning must be relevant to your field of study / future career and you will be expected to show how it maps to your award / career choice.


This can be an identified and agreed course of study leading to a professional qualification or specialist skill, any Level 6 module on offer within the department of computing, or alternatively, you can apply to be a teaching assistant on a Level 4 module that you excelled in pertinent to your course of study (documenting your learning experience from doing this).


SPECIFICALLY IN RELATION TO THE EMPLOYABILITY FRAMEWORK, this module covers:


Promoting yourself for careers and beyond

CV writing, interpretation of job descriptions and customisation of CVs to person specifications.

Understanding personal skills and strengths and how to promote these

Writing effective job applications and cover letters

Interview skills including mock interviews

Develop a LinkedIn profile for professional networking


Communications methodologies with specific target audience content for both technical and non-technical knowledge recipients

Covering different types of communication and different levels

Selecting the best method of communication

Netiquette and good practice

Interview skills including mock interviews

presentation skills

Report writing, evaluation and reflection

Secondary research skills

Secondary research methods, and referencing

Research Ethics

Objectivity and subjectivity

Analysis, Evaluation and reflection

Reliability of information and Bias

Primary research

Primary Research Methods

Data quality


The University Careers team will run sessions and introduce the following:


Introduction to GradEX workshop – students will learn about the benefit of participating in GradEX and how to create a strong entry

Reviewing CPD portfolio – students will examine what they have achieved and the skills they have developed and develop an action plan for their next steps

Job Applications, CVs and Cover Letters – students will learn about the principles of submitting a strong job application, including writing a good CV and cover letter

Postgraduate Personal statements – students will learn how to write a strong personal statement for postgraduate study

LinkedIn, Social Media and Networking – students will learn how to network online and at events, including how to write an elevator pitch

Interview Skills – students will learn how to use the STAR technique to answer interview questions and how to prepare for interviews

Mock Interviews – students will be able to undertake mock interviews either through video interviewing software or face to face

Graduate Job-Hunting workshop – students in their final year will begin to think about finding and applying for graduate jobs and understand the types of roles available to them

Assessment Centres and Psychometric Testing – students will understand what will be expected of them when completing assessments centres and psychometric tests

A portfolio - A learning portfolio in an agreed field of study will be identified, agreed, carried out, and ratified by a panel on submission. This can map to an agreed professional qualification. Practically students will create a portfolio related to the identification of training certification, related to their intended career path. Students will investigate their chosen career path before undertaking study of the chosen certification, and then finally reflect on its value to their proposed future employability (Learning Outcomes 1 to 3).

1. DEMONSTRATE THAT WITHIN THE CONTRACTED FIELD OF STUDY YOU HAVE MET THE CRITERIA AGREED WITHIN YOUR LEARNING CONTRACT.

Knowledge and Understanding, Learning, Reflection, Communication

2. FOLLOW THE IDENTIFIED CERTIFICATION FROM START TO FINISH.

Learning

3. REFLECT ON THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF UNDERTAKING THE LEARNING OF THE CERTIFICATION.

Reflection

Initial one-to-one interview/discussions (1 hour) with a supervisor will be used to identify and agree a field of study, and produce a learning contract with learning outcomes, an identified process and an assessment strategy. There will be regular meetings with the supervisor to monitor progress (6 hours total) until the end of the module.

As required and agreed in the learning contract

As recommended by your supervisor. But as indicative:

Brick, J. et. al, (2018), Academic Success: A Student's Guide to Studying at University: 77 (Macmillan Study Skills), Red Globe Press; 1st edition

Reid, G. (2021), Effective Study and Learning: How to Help, Luminate

This module provides an opportunity for you to extend your studies in a direction chosen by you. You will identify whether to study some skills based training, another Level 6 module, or undertake some teaching support of a relevant Level 4 module. You will negotiate a learning contract with a designated supervisor which will then be formally ratified by a panel before you start your study.