Leeds University Business School
Congratulations on
finding your Work
Placement!
Ruth Long, Work Placement Programme Manager
This Briefing will cover
• Administrative Matters
• Explanation of Health and Safety procedures and paperwork
• Requirement of students to maintain and give contact details on
placement
• Financial entitlements – loans, council tax and travel exemptions
• Need to change programme if you haven’t done so already
• Situations when students would get an extension e.g. late start date
• Roles and Responsibilities
• The academic requirements of the module LUBS8001
• Meeting your tutor and other students in groups
Leeds University Business School
Changing your degree to the 4 year
programme
How?
You do this by completing a Change of Programme Form. This is
available from the Undergraduate Office. I can give you a copy.
Why?
Once you have completed and signed the form,
• your programme will be changed on the university database
• Student Finance will notify your LEA so that they are aware that you
need 4 years of funding.
• Your fees with be amended
• You will be automatically enrolled on LUBS8001 (unless you are
Joint Honours, in which case you need to specify this module)
• You can extend your student card for another year
Leeds University Business School
Payment of Fees
• For 2012-13 the tuition fees payable for the Year in
Industry are £920 for all students (home and
international).
• International students may initially be charged at the rate
of a student studying abroad (this is charged at 25% of
the prevailing international fee) as this is the default. If
this happens, please notify the Fees Office so that they
can charge you the correct fee of £920. If you have any
problems please contact the Work Placement
Programme Manager.
Leeds University Business School
Registration with the University
Registration is a separate process from online module
enrolment. Even though you are away from the
university you are required to register as a student. This
is an online process so you do not need to be in Leeds.
You may register from 1st August onwards and should
complete registration before the start of the academic
year. More information about is available on the
university website.
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ssc/registerterminfo.html
Leeds University Business School
Student Status
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During your placement year you are registered as a full time student. Even
though you are off-campus, the module on which you are registered
(LUBS8001) is a 120 credit module.
As a full time student you are able to use all the university facilities and
retain membership of student societies.
The university notifies the local Council of all registered students so if you
remain in Leeds you should automatically be eligible for Council Tax
exemption. If you relocate for your placement, you will need to give the
local Council of your student status. You can get a registration certificate
from Student Services.
Students working in London can apply for a Transport for London student
pass but they will need an official letter from the university. A template letter
can be downloaded from the front page of the module website.
Leeds University Business School
Health and Safety
Basic principles
1. The University has a legal responsibility for your Health & Safety as
a fee paying student. It takes your Health & Safety seriously and
expects you to do the same.
2. Your employer also has responsibility for your Health & Safety and
we seek assurances from employers regarding this.
3. A lot of Health & Safety is common sense, but a lot of it is dependent
on your working environment, therefore we expect your employer to
brief you appropriately.
Leeds University Business School
Health and Safety
Information
• Please read the Health and Safety Guidance Notes for Students on
Placement. It is also be published on the module website for easy
future access.
Documentation
To be completed by the employer:
• The Student Placement Tripartite Health and Safety Agreement
To be completed by the student:
• Student Placement Checklist
• Personal and Placement Details
Leeds University Business School
Notifying LUBS of your
placement details
Why? The Business School will write to your employer before you
start work to advise them of the academic requirements of your Year
in Industry and to gain reassurances regarding Health & Safety.
What do we need?
1. full contact details of the company,
2. your start and finish dates
3. the contact name of your supervisor (or, if your supervisor has not
been assigned yet, someone in HR). Ideally their email address.
4. If possible, the department where you will be based or your job title.
In most cases this information will be given in your offer letter or
contract. Please bring in your offer letter or contract to the Work
Placement Programme Manager who will take a copy.
Leeds University Business School
Academic Matters on Placement
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What happens if I fail a second year exam? Can I still go on
placement?
Even in the event of failing compulsory modules, the university will
still support you going on placement.
It is essential that you take resits at the earliest opportunity in
August.
If you do not attend August resits, you will have lost this opportunity
and being on placement will not be deemed an acceptable excuse.
You must notify your employer that you will need to be available for
re-sits and book the days off in advance. Most companies who offer
undergraduate placements should be reasonably supportive and will
have encountered similar situations in previous years.
Leeds University Business School
Academic Matters on Placement
Will my work placement count towards my degree?
• No, it will change the title, but not influence classification. It is a
pass/fail module.
• However, if you do fail the year the failure will be shown on your
academic transcript which lists all the modules you have taken.
• Students who fail the year in industry can revert back to their original
programme if they do not pass the year.
Leeds University Business School
What is the failure rate?
Usually between 3 and 6 students fail within a cohort of around 80
Reasons for failing include:
• Not completing a placement of a minimum of 9 months
• Procrastination
• Being so focussed on work that academic requirements are
forgotten
Leeds University Business School
How do I pass the Placement Year?
• Assessment Method A
• Assessment Method B
• Most students will be on Assessment Method A
Leeds University Business School
How do I pass the Placement Year?
• During the placement year you are enrolled on the 120 credit
module LUBS8001. You can find a summary of this module on the
module catalogue. You can find full details in the Module Handbook.
• To pass the module you need to complete an approved placement
of 9-12 months with ONE company. It is not possible to complete
two shorter placements of 6 months for instance. In the majority of
cases students will complete 12 months.
• It is a skills based module and for Method A there are 3 essential
components:
1. Skills Assessment Document
2. Online Log with supporting evidence
3. Reflective Statement
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Leeds University Business School
Skills Assessment Document
• To be completed by you and your supervisor
• To be completed twice during the year, at the beginning and end
• It must be signed off with final comments from the supervisor
We will not pass you if this is not fully completed
Why not?
• It is the only document in which another person i.e. you supervisor
confirms that your skills have improved and that you finished the
placement on good terms.
Leeds University Business School
Online Log with supporting evidence
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http://lubswww.leeds.ac.uk/placement_log
Complete it once a month
Note any supporting evidence and keep copies in a file for later
A good way to track your progress
An opportunity to get feedback and keep in touch with your tutor
• The final submission is in hard copy and includes an edited (please
proof-read the final version) print out of the log, with clearly crossreferenced supporting evidence.
• You may post the final submission. Details in the module handbook.
• Students who delay completion of the log, and try to write it
retrospectively are most likely to fail.
Leeds University Business School
Reflective Statement
• 2000 words written at the end of the year
• If you have kept your log up to date this should be very
straightforward
• In addition to skills development, you can comment on future career
plans and how the placement has affected them
• This is submitted, together with the Skills Assessment Document,
the Online Log and supporting evidence in a final Portfolio
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
The Online Log
Leeds University Business School
What does the portfolio look like?
One A4 or Lever
Arch file is sufficient
– do not submit any
more than this
The size of the file
will vary according
to the evidence e.g.
you may have
evidence in a
marketing role than
a finance role
Leeds University Business School
What does the portfolio look like?
Good cross-referencing could involve
• a list of all evidence included
• a simple colour coded system
• dividers for each month, so the
evidence can be easily found
Leeds University Business School
What does the portfolio look like?
Evidence can take a variety of forms as long as they are paper based. They
can include copies of emails, computer screenshots, photocopies of your
diary or checklists, certificates from courses, copies of reports, appraisal
documents, copies of forms that you complete regularly, copies of work you
have done, photographs etc
Leeds University Business School
What does the portfolio look like?
This evidence was a letter from a
client. The student asked the
client if they could provide this for
the portfolio and, due to his work,
they were very happy to do so.
This is a superb piece of evidence
– a satisfied high profile client has
taken the time to write positive
comments. It is also great to
show to a prospective employer
Leeds University Business School
Submission deadline
• The deadline for submitting the portfolio is 2nd September 2013
• It should be a hard copy, and can be posted. If you post it, recorded
delivery or registered post are recommended.
• Details of the address to post it to are in the module handbook
• If your placement finishes later than 19th August 2013 you can
request an extension. Normally students are allowed 2 weeks after
the placement ends to complete the portfolio
• Your placement log should cover a maximum period of 12 months.
If your contract gets extended and you work several extra months,
you do not need to include this in your portfolio, and you will not get
an extension based on this.
• You are encouraged to submit early if you finish early, so you can
complete the portfolio whilst everything is fresh in your mind.
Leeds University Business School