Queen’s University Centre for Educational Development
TQEF - Case Study
Title of project: The Impact of Performance: Postgraduate Skills as an Employability Strategy
Context: Anthropology and Ethnomusicology
Institutional theme: Employability and Skills
School: History and Anthropology
Learning Environment: Postgraduate seminar, school visits, conference
Brief project summary – aims, rationale, methods used, outcomes
This project offers a practice-based, student-centred postgraduate skills training module that
addresses the relationship between academic and non-academic modes of writing and presentation
and how they can be adapted for diverse employment contexts. It examines transferable skills
through a series of seminars using role playing; dramatic techniques, vocal skills and performative
exercises to teach effective styles of delivery and communicative impact. It considers what different
employers are looking for in terms of the relationship between writing styles, content and
presentation. While the university emphasis in postgraduate study is to teach students how to
compose critical arguments and write for academic audiences, they are seldom taught how to
structure their presentational materials or style in a way that is engaging, hard-hitting and that will
give them an edge for diverse employment contexts. This one semester module gives students the
chance to examine in-depth and at length, the relationship between their discipline-specific academic
skills and their transferability for various employers, an interface that can often let postgraduate
students down when they go for job interviews, are required to write in a non-academic style or
present to other professionals or the public. The project has arisen as a result of student demand in
anthropology and ethnomusicology for this kind of training: to assist postgraduates in gaining a
broader range of interpersonal styles and improving skills in enaging with diverse employers.
In addition to nine weeks of workshop/seminar sessions and three weeks of preparing and
analysing presentations; the module integrates two practice-based contexts: postgraduate
presentations to Northern Ireland schools; and conference presentation.
In sum, the postgraduate module has the following aims:
 To engage student-centred and experiential learning activities through experts who are
critically reflexive about the nexus between academic skills and employment.
 To teach postgraduate students presentational awareness and writing styles for employers
beyond academia.
 To give students an opportunity to practise these skills in a public arena and assess their
ability in each of the relevant areas.
 To contribute to a broader range of postgraduate skills for employment purposes.
 To provide a template that other disciplines can adapt for postgraduates across the university
by developing the academic/employment skills’ interface.
The project had the following outcomes:
1.
Student Feedback: Presentations were assessed i). in questionnaires completed by
schoolteachers and pupils on the content, form and delivery of postgraduate presentations; (ii)
in questionnaires related to the impact of the presentation upon student choices for studying at
Queen’s. iii). in written and verbal feedback sessions with postgraduates iv). The effectiveness
and impact of workshop presenters was evaluated by questionnaires; iv) by a student focus
2.
3.
4.
5.
group following the postgraduate seminars
University Feedback: The broad findings of the school questionnaires were highlighted
At the Anthropology and Ethnomusicology Research cluster meetings and the
results influenced discussions about the rationale for student choice; programme
options; and regional specialisations.
Conference panel: As a case study of the effectiveness of this module and its impact upon
employability and skills, a postgraduate conference was held from 30 April -1 May 2009 at
which students presented work; participated as conference committee members; organised
panels; chaired sessions; and acted as discussants.
Final Report: The results of the programme and student evaluations are outlined in the report.
TQEF drop-in day. A leaflet was prepared disseminating the work of the project and showcased
in a poster and on powerpoint in the Great Hall.
Evaluation and Reflection
What benefits have there been for staff/students in your School/Academic Support Unit?
 It has given students greater confidence in self-presentation and therefore has improved their
chances of employment uptake.
 It has extended the remit of the University and School of History and Anthropology’s policy on
recruitment and widening student access.
 It has broadened the range of postgraduate skills and awareness of opportunities by working
with experts who have considered the academic-employment interface critically both in the
field of anthropology and beyond.
 It has given students the opportunity to practise their skills with the potential to influence
younger students and encourage them to consider applying for study at Queen’s.
Impact of the project on the institutional theme (identified above):


This project was considered to be exemplary both in the School and the University. The
principle of enhancing students’ understandings of public communication skills and their
application within external arenas for recruitment purposes has led to the School rolling out
this student ambassador component of the programme.
Within the University the success of the programme was highlighted by Professor Gerry
McCormac in the University’s Institutional Audit as a leading example of how Queen’s is
addressing the student-employer interface. The model of combining training in presentational
skills; employer expectations; and postgraduate practice with a public interface is one that can
be adapted as a template for postgraduates across the university to develop a range of
different academic/employer skills programmes.
Advice And Tips – for anyone doing similar work (were there any challenges, issues, problems?):
Organising school visits in addition to regular school career days was more difficult than anticipated.
A long lead time is needed for setting up these kinds of visits as many of the schools originally
identified and contacted to meet the widening participation criteria were not accustomed to
accommodating class talks to be held as part of the school curriculum/day.
Looking forward – where next for the project?
The School has adopted my template of the student ambassador scheme in giving postgraduates the
opportunity to engage their presentational skills in attending career days as representatives of History
and Anthropology.
Contact Details: Dr. Fiona Magowan, Director of Research, School of History and Anthropology, Tel:
028 90973740, Fax: 028 90973700, f.magowan@qub.ac.uk