A PORTFOLIO weighted at 50%; A 2ND PORTFOLIO weighted at 50%.

Placement Portfolio - To include work produced during the work placement, which will comprise: A report by the student on the experience [2,000 words]
A work placement diary [1,000 words]
An employer's assessment form (total approx 3,000 words, 50% weighting, learning outcomes 4-7)

Career Portfolio - To include a before and after CV (approx 500 words) a written report (approx 750 words) covering analysis of personal strengths and weaknesses and how they were addressed or used to advantage, research into employment opportunities and plans for employment. It should also contain samples of original content/cuttings chosen as material to support job employment applications (total approx 2,500 words, 50% weighting, learning outcomes 1-4)

The purpose of this module is to provide a focus on career development by embarking on a professional practice placement and developing student portfolios and employability.
This module provides the opportunity to complete three weeks (120 hours) on professional work placement. Students are encouraged to arrange placements with employers or organisations working in those areas of journalism or allied fields which provide possible career options such as newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations, websites, press offices, PR companies or departments, book publishers and business to business periodicals. You may carry out a single placement of 120 hours or a combination of placements adding up to 120 hours reflecting your range of interests. The module is self-directed with no classes except for an introductory session at the start of year 1 and individual tutorial guidance, advice and support throughout provided in person and online.
Completion of the placement will provide students with an opportunity to analyse how employability can be developed and enhanced and to understand how to get jobs and freelance work. They will have a weekly lecture or seminar to explore these issues. Some lectures will involve guest speakers from industry bodies such as The Press Association, the BBC, the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), the NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists), the BJTC (Broadcast Journalism Training Council), Sky and the CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations).
Seminars will be used for discussion and to outline and develop what students will be required to do produce for assessments - working on producing content for publication or broadcast, a

1 x lecture (2 hour) = 2 hours, disseminating and explaining the key aspects of the work placement and matching aspirations to assessment requirements.
Individual tutorials (average total 2 hours per student) = 1 hour, providing guidance and support based on individual student need, feedback and aims. 146 hours of independent learning, developing a grasp and contextual overview of the industry based on the learning experience of identifying and realising placement opportunities enhancing the learning outcome indicators of analysis, problem solving, communication, application and reflection. A minimum of 120 hours will be spent in the work placement itself. A notional 26 hours will be spent researching, identifying and negotiating placements and producing placement reports for assessment. Students have leeway to use all or part of their placement time in either or across both semesters according to the availability of placement slots and class attendance.
This will be followed by 12 weekly one-hour career development lectures or seminars, delivered by journalism team tutors and guest lecturers = 12 hours. This will be supplemented by group tutorials (4 hours per student).
Independent research, study and content and CV production supplemented by group tutorials will total
134 hours.

Blackboard
StaffsLive
Library

Hudson G. and Rowlands R. (2007) The Broadcast Journalism Handbook (Harlow: Pearson Education)
James M. (2009) The Popular Music Press Handbook (Abingdon: Routledge)
Rudin R. and Ibbotson T. (2002) An Introduction to Journalism: Essential Techniques and Background
Knowledge (Oxford: Focal Press)
Steen R. (2008) Sports Journalism: A Multimedia Primer (Abingdon: Routledge) The Unsigned Guide
(2009) (Manchester: mcr:music)
Willings Press Guide (2008) (Chesham: Cision)
www.guardian.co.uk www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk www.jobs4journalists.co.uk www.pressgazette.co.uk www.journalism.co.uk www.sportsjournalists.co.uk www.broadcastfreelancer.com www.broadcastnow.co.uk www.jobsinbroadcast.co.uk www.themusicdirectory.co.uk www.musicweek.com www.prweekjobs.co.uk
Other texts advised on an individual basis depending on student interests and placements

1. UNDERSTAND THE RANGE OF RELEVANT CAREER OPTIONS AVAILABLE AND WHAT EMPLOYERS EXPECT.
[Knowledge & Understanding]

2. APPLY INDUSTRY-STANDARD TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS TO PRODUCE APPROPRIATE SAMPLES OF SELF-ORIGINATED CONTENT FOR A SPECIFIC OR SPECIFIC TYPE OF EMPLOYER.
[Application]

3. ANALYSE AND ADDRESS PERSONAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN CONCERT WITH RESEARCHING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFECTIVE APPLICATION TO AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INDUSTRY.
Analysis

4. SHOW SOUND JUDGEMENT OF THE RANGE OF SITUATIONS ENCOUNTERED IN THE PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
[Learning]

5. EVALUATE THE APPROPRIATENESS OF DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN THE JOURNALISTIC WORKPLACE.
[Problem Solving]

6. COMMUNICATE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PLACEMENT IN A STRUCTURED FORMAT IDENTIFYING OUTCOMES.
[Communication]

7. DEMONSTRATE EMPLOYABILITY IN A JOURNALISTIC CONTEXT AND TRANSFERABLE SKILLS APPROPRIATE TO OTHER DISCIPLINES.
[Reflection]