The placement (sandwich) year is a structured work experience opportunity which enables students to develop their skill set and to develop your employability confidence. The purpose of the student placement is to enable students to learn and to gain valuable experience within a work environment. Some examples of tasks that they may be involved with (but depends entirely on the placement) include working with and supporting children and their families, supporting young people, contributing to the improvement and development of wellbeing and pastoral services, and supporting academic staff with research. Placements can be undertaken abroad. They will be encouraged to source their own placement with support from the university. This experience is designed to integrate with and complement the academic studies that they undertake as part of their Psychology degree.

Students are required to submit two pieces of related assessment at the end of the placement year.

1. Placement Activity Log
Consisting of:
- a log of activity which has been signed on a monthly basis by the Workplace Supervisor
- An assessment by the Workplace Supervisor of the students’ performance on placement.

2. Reflective Account
This 2000-word report will focus on student learning experiences during the placement, how they have applied their knowledge and skills within the workplace, and how this has contributed to their continuing professional development whilst also evaluating their future development needs.

Placements take place between levels 5 and 6 of our undergraduate degrees and last for a period of 9 months (typically from September to June) with students working for a minimum of three days per week. The Placement Year is an assessed, pass/fail, year that is added to your existing programme of study.

Throughout your placement period the student will be supervised by a Workplace Supervisor (usually a line manager) within the employing organisation who will be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of activities, and they will maintain contact with the University through a Placement Supervisor (these will be appointed at the start of the first term and will normally conduct a first visit around Christmas). The Placement Supervisor will establish contact via telephone, e-mail, or video conference. Students will normally receive two visits from the Placement Supervisor during the placement year. These visits will usually be conducted remotely but can be in person if deemed necessary and appropriate by the supervisor or line manager.

Academic staff are responsible for briefing students prior to the placement, monitoring the placement and debriefing the student after it. They are also responsible for marking assessment work in respect of the placement. University staff will also be available to respond to problems of a more urgent nature which may arise between visits and meetings.

1. Apply psychological theories, concepts and skills effectively across a variety of workplace contexts while on placement.

Application and Problem-solving

2. Understand, critically assess and reflect on the personal and professional skills used and developed in the placement setting.

Reflection

3. Demonstrate personal development and reflective practice during placement, evaluating the development of transferable skills and identifying future learning and employability needs.

Personal Development and Entrepreneurship

Students are required to have secured a placement and completed the relevant paperwork before starting.

There is no set text for this module, but the following might be a useful general read:

Fanthome, C. (2004). Work placements – A survival guide for students. London: Palgrave Macmillan (available as an eBook via the library webpage)

Please refer to the Psychology Placement Year Handbook before going out on placement.

Students on all undergraduate Psychology awards at Staffordshire University can opt to undertake a placement (sandwich) year; a structured work experience opportunity which enables you to develop your skill set and to develop your employability confidence. The purpose of the student placement is to enable you to learn and to gain valuable experience within a work environment. Placements can be undertaken abroad. You will be encouraged to source your own placement with support from the university. This experience is designed to integrate with and complement the academic studies that you undertake as part of your Psychology degree.