This module provides learning opportunities that enable students to acquire the skills and qualities that will enhance their career prospects, horizons and personal success, thus preparing the student for the expectations of the world of work, namely:
1. Have the ability to carry out inquiry based learning and critical analysis
2. Be work ready and employable - be technologically, digitally and information literate - and understand the importance of being enterprising and entrepreneurial
3. Be able to apply Staffordshire Graduate attributes to a range of life experiences to facilitate life-long learning.

Enhancing Career and Personal Success is a Staffordshire Graduate Employability Programme module designed to introduce the learner to a range of transferable career-enhancing skills that will developed at appropriate points in other modules during the programme of study.

Indicative Content
1. Attend a series of events (the precise number will need to be agreed with the module leader/programme leader/personal tutor as appropriate reflecting the subject context). These may include:
- University-wide events and lectures – programme specific and/or industry related to any area of the University curriculum.
- Events external to the University which are either relevant to the core BA/BSc programme and/or of interest to the student (e.g. plays/films/concerts, public lectures, exhibitions)
2. Make a presentation as part of a team
3. Create a personal development statement as part of a reflective portfolio
4. Attend a series of interactive student-centred workshops which will focus on the management skills. In these workshops students will review the skills and qualities they already possess, with reference to how these skills relate to those attributes regarded as critical by employers.
5. Reasoning skills
Understanding the component parts of a reasoned argument.
Assembling said parts into a sound argument
Identifying poor arguments e.g. propaganda, unsupported claims, simple opinions etc.
Critically assessing the quality of arguments.
Critically assessing the quality of evidence used in the construction of arguments.
Using web databases for research purposes
Identifying high quality academic sources for use as evidence in academic work/arguments.
Using web sources in a professional manner.
6. Advanced academic writing to include professional writing for business and the application of research findings to written work
7. Combination of research techniques with reasoning skills to inform the construction of sound, balanced arguments based on high quality sources of evidence.
8. Project Management Skills to include the role of the project Manager, project planning, project control and project closure

Assessment Details
Part I: Research dissemination (30%)
The research dissemination part will assess learning outcomes 1 and 4.
Students will choose one topic and will complete the task/answer the question by undertaking academic research and disseminating their research findings by writing a research paper (1000 words, individual)(20%) and present their research findings during a group oral presentation (10%).

Students will engage in a formative assessment which will provide them with the opportunity to practise academic writing and to gain feedback before they will submit their research paper.

Part II: Personal Development Plan (30%)
The PDP part will assess learning outcome 2.
Students are required to reflect, using reflective writing techniques, on the progression/development towards Staffordshire Graduate Attributes and associated skills and to review areas for further personal career development. Based on the analysis of strengths and weaknesses students will then prepare a Development/Action plan for each Staffordshire Graduate Attribute.

There are formative assessment points during the module for the student to receive feedback on their PDP and progress from an assigned tutor. This will give them an indication of their current performance in relation to the Learning Outcome before submitting the PDP for summative assessment.
The PDP is submitted at the end of the module for assessment.

The student will be expected to attend a number of events attended as directed by the tutor and reflect on them to create a portfolio of evidence/entries. These events may vary according to student need and timing of occurrence, but will be considered as being suitable and beneficial learning opportunities. Each Portfolio entry will involve a description of the event, what was learnt from it and how it impacts on a student’s aspirations/ thoughts on the development of career skills. Students should also draw on personal learning from across their programme. Tutors will determine the number of events to be included in the Portfolio, which will be communicated to the student at the outset of the module.

Specific references should be made in the reflective portfolio to describe international/global aspects relating to either their study programme and/or to events attended and their relevance in the global context.

Part III: Project Management (40%)
A 1500 word individual Project Management assignment will assess learning outcome 3.

72 Contact Hours and 228 Independent Study Hours.

The emphasis is upon ‘learning by doing’, where learning takes place through personal experience, social interaction and reflection. The learning programme is reflecting the view that learning can take place outside as well as inside the classroom. Development of subject, skills knowledge and understanding will be supported through lectures, study materials and students self-directed study. Cognitive abilities will be developed through seminars and workshops that will include active learning processes, activities and discussions that are applied to the management context.

A range of resources, including, University library and IT facilities, the Internet, journals and databases

Cottrell, S. (2011) Critical Thinking Skills: Developing Effective Analysis and Argument, Palgrave: Basingstoke
Cottrell, S. (2010) Skills for success: Personal development and employability, Palgrave, Basingstoke
Maylor, H. (2010) Project Management (Fourth Edition - media), Pearson Education, Harlow, England
Trought, F. (2011) Brilliant Employability Skills: How to stand out from the crowd in the graduate job market. Prentice Hall
Van Emden, J. and Becker, L.(2010) Presentation skills for students, Palgrave, Basingstoke