- Practical and real-life experience in criminal justice, social justice, policing, investigation, or related settings.
- Support to attain work experience opportunities across private, public, and third-sector organisations (paid or voluntary).
- Students can utilise existing roles (e.g., special constable, volunteering with victim support agencies).
- Application of theoretical knowledge to real-world situations.
- Development of essential skills for a criminal justice career.
- Emphasis on reflective practice for critical evaluation and personal/professional growth.
- Engagement with experienced professionals in the criminal justice sector.
- Development of communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
- Insights into daily operations, challenges, and responsibilities in the field.
- Alignment with current recruitment processes through competency frameworks.
- Preparation for job interviews based on applied experiences.

You will answer job application-style question where you should use an example from your work experience to demonstrate your skills and abilities in relation to job role competencies. Confirmation of placement hours and evaluation of the student's performance by the workplace supervisor based on predefined criteria (form provided). A presentation in which you will outline your experiences on the placement. You will cover knowledge about the organisation and roles within it, including your own roles and responsibilities. You will be asked to reflect on your time in the workplace, particularly focusing on skills development. The presentation should include some forward reflection about the experience and how it links to future employment aspirations.

The module will encompass pre-placement taught content and guidance about how to secure a work-based placement and how to formalise existing work/volunteering into a work-based placement. Students will then undertake placement hours in the placement setting/role secured. A placement supervisor/mentor from the course team will engage and support the student whilst undertaking placement hours through informal and formal meetings. Students will also be given taught content post-placement to support them around personal reflection and undertaking the assignment.

1. Apply discipline-specific skills and knowledge in a supervised work environment.

Application and problem solving

2. Demonstrate communication and interpersonal skills in a workplace setting, including working as part of a team.

Communication

3. Reflect on personal and professional development through the work experience, identifying strengths, areas for improvement, and future career aspirations.

Personal development and entrepreneurship Reflection

4. Interpret feedback from workplace supervisors, and explain how it can be used to improve skills and performance.

Critical reasoning and collaboration

Careers connect – placement team and employability liaison manager.

Bassot, B. (2023) The reflective practice guide : an interdisciplinary approach to critical reflection. Second edition. London: Routledge.

Bottomley, J., Wright, M. and Pryjmachuk, S. (2020) Communication Skills for Your Policing Degree. 1st edition. St Albans: Critical Publishing.

Bottomley, J., Wright, M. and Pryjmachuk, S. (2020) Critical Thinking Skills for Your Policing Degree. 1st edition. St Albans: Critical Publishing.

Carter, J. (2021) Work placements, internships and applied social research. London: SAGE.

Fanthome, C. (2017) Work placements: a survival guide for students. Palgrave Macmillan.

Do you want to apply your degree knowledge, skills and experience to a real-world setting? This module provides you with the opportunity to gain practical and real-life experience in a relevant work setting. The experience can be gained in a range of private, public and third sector organisations and may be paid or voluntary work. You may wish to utilise existing part time or voluntary roles, as a basis for your work experience placement. The module emphasises the importance of reflective practice, allowing you to critically evaluate your experiences, identify areas for personal and professional growth, and enhance your readiness for a career in criminal or social justice.