The module seeks firstly, to develop advanced understanding of career and professional practice in job sectors related to environmental and geography disciplines; and secondly, to develop selected skills in employability, career management and personal development planning for final year undergraduates on the geography awards.

There are two parallel teaching and learning strands to this module:
One strand uses a series of presentations by professionals with a background / training in geography or related disciplines to develop an awareness of (i) the range and diversity of potential careers opportunities open to graduates from the geography awards; (ii) the challenges facing the job sectors the speakers are drawn from; (iii) the range of knowledge and transferable skills that geography graduates can bring to the workplace and society.

In the second strand students will work in small groups to carry out a scoping exercise in order to identify an action plan to address a geographical, environmental or sustainability issue / challenge that an organisation or local community may be facing. This enables students to further develop their interpersonal, reflective, transferable and research skill, and demonstrate their ability to apply geographical concepts and ideas to the real world.

In addition, the students, working in groups, develop their inter-personal, reflective, transferable and research skills by producing an action plan to address a specific geographical, environmental or sustainability issue/challenge within the local area.

1. A 1500 word review which critically examines the challenges facing a specific geography / environmental job sector and the knowledge and skills that a geography graduate can bring to it (60%) [Learning outcomes 1 & 2]

2. Group Project (40%) preparing an action plan to address a geographical, environmental or sustainability issue / challenge that an organisation or local community may be facing. The assessment will consist of a negotiated artefact (e.g. poster; vodcast; scoping report) accompanied by a short supporting documentation justifying the choice of artefact and including research reference list. Each group member is expected to make an individual contribution equivalent to 1000 words to the group project submission [Learning outcome 3] – Final Assessment


Additional Assessment Details:

The review will be based on a job sector represented by one of the visiting speakers.

The group project assessment will consist of a negotiated artefact (e.g. poster; vodcast; scoping report) which the group will agree with the module tutors at the start of the project. This artefact will accompanied by a short supporting documentation justifying the choice of artefact and including research reference list

Groups will receive formative feedback on project proposals at an interim stage and on their plans for their critical review.

3 x 2 hour Careers and Skills auditing workshops (6 hours)
4 x 2 hour Practitioner presentation and discussion sessions (8 hours)
3 x 2 hour project workshops (6 hours)

Independent Study Hours
(a) Work towards researching and producing the critical review: 70 hours

(b) Work towards the project, research into and execution of group-based project on geographic/environmental issue and the production of the agreed artefact plus associated documentation: 60 hours

Bolton Gillie E J (2014) Reflective Practice: Writing and Professional Development
(4th edition) Sage: London

Cottrell, S. (2015) Skills for Success. The Personal Development Planning Handbook (2nd edition). Palgrave

Fasulo, M. & Walker, P. (2007) Careers in the Environment. McGraw Hill

Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES) (2007) Them & Us - A publication for Geography, Earth and Environmental Science Staff and Students. Higher Education Academy: GEES, Cheltenham

Littleford, D, Halstead, J. and Mulraine, C. (2004) Career Skills. Palgrave Macmillan

Parkin, S. (2010) The Positive Deviant: Sustainability Leadership in a Perverse World. Earthscan

Rook, S. (2013) The Graduate Career Guidebook. Palgrave

The Environmental Careers Organisation (2013) The ECO guide to Careers That Make a Difference: Environmental Work for a Sustainable World. Island Press

Trought, F. (2012) Brilliant Employability Skills. Prentice Hall

Access to the Staffordshire University Careers Networks, its advisors and resources including on-line resources such as eCoach

None.

1. DEMONSTRATE A CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES FACED BY GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT PRACTITIONERS IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND THE KEY SKILLS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THESE
[Analysis, Knowledge & Understanding]

2. DEMONSTRATE AN ADVANCED UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH THE RANGE OF CAREERS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO GEOGRAPHY GRADUATES AND THE PERSONAL, TRANSFERABLE AND KNOWLEDGE SKILLS THAT YOU CAN BRING TO THE WORKPLACE
[Analysis, Knowledge & Understanding, Reflection]

3. DEMONSTRATE CAREER MANAGEMENT SKILLS, GROUP WORK AND RESEARCH SKILLS BY CONTRIBUTING TO AN APPROPRIATE ACTION PLAN TO ADDRESS A GEOGRAPHICAL / ENVIRONMENTAL /SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE FACING AN ORGANISATION OR LOCAL COMMUNITY
[Application, Communication, Problem Solving]