School of Computing Science
Placements Handbook
The University defines a placement as “The provision, as a planned and intended part
of an academic programme, of learning opportunities (work and/or study) typically
outside the University.” As far as the School of Computing Science is concerned this
covers assessed undergraduate ‘thick sandwich’ and SDIA/CSR Placements, and
SOCRATES/other Exchanges only. However, this document uses a wider
interpretation of ‘placement’ in including a non-assessed Undergraduate Year Out.
The term ‘Industrial Placement’ is taken to mean either a UG ‘thick
sandwich’/SDIA/CSR Placement, or an Undergraduate Year Out.
1. What type of placements are available?
Undergraduate year out
Undergraduate students in the School of Computing Science taking degrees in
Computing Science, Computing Science (Software Engineering), or Information
Systems can undertake a non-assessed industrial year out during their course,
normally between Stages 2 and 3, subject to the approval of the Degree Programme
Director. Official approval, which must be obtained not later than the end of the
summer term of Stage 2, means that the student must have a Placement Form signed
by the Degree Programme Director allowing them to undertake the placement and
defer their next stage of study for a year. It should be noted that such placements do
not form part of the degree programme and therefore are not assessed or supervised in
any way by the School of Computing Science, nor do they contribute towards the final
degree classification. However, under certain circumstances, it may be possible to
obtain credit for modules NCL2201/NCL2202 Learning from Work. Students
considering this should seek the approval of the Degree Programme Director and the
Module Leader.
It is the student’s responsibility to find their own industrial placement, although the
School will assist in whatever way it can. Placement opportunities are advertised via
student forums. For further information contact the School’s Industrial Relations
Officer, Dr Steve Riddle (steve.riddle@newcastle.ac.uk). The University Careers
Service (http://www.careers.ncl.ac.uk/students/pages/login.asp) can also
offer lots of advice and help with finding placements, completing application forms,
interviews etc. Further information about placements, including vacancies, may be
found on The National Council for Work Experience’s web page (http://www.workexperience.org/).
For students taking ‘thick sandwich’ versions of the Computing Science and
Information Systems degrees (e.g. Computing Science with Industry, and Information
Systems (Industrial Placement)) an industrial year out after completion of Stage 2 is
compulsory. Students register for the 120-credit module CSC3091 for Stage 3, and on
return to the University take what equates to a ‘normal’ Stage 3 as a Stage 4 student.
Students must pass Stage 3 in order to proceed to Stage 4, but the final degree
classification is based on the performance at Stages 2 and 4 only. Students who fail, or
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do not complete, Stage 3 may transfer to Stage 3 of the equivalent ‘non-industry’
programme in September of the following academic year. Again it is the
responsibility of the student to identify an appropriate placement, with support from
the School’s Industrial Liaison Officer. Full details of the aims, intended learning
outcomes etc. of the placement can be found at the CSC3091 module web page
(http://coursework.cs.ncl.ac.uk/module/2007/CSC3091).
Some organisations use the term “Internship” when referring to work experience this
might be for a year, or a shorter period such as the summer vacation. Some
organisations prefer to recruit from those who have had experience on Internship or
Placement programmes.
SDIA/CSR Placements
MSc SDIA/CSR students may undertake a placement as part of their course. These
are arranged and co-ordinated by the Degree Programme Director. Full details of the
aims, intended learning outcomes etc. of the placement can be found at the CSC8098
module web page (http://coursework.cs.ncl.ac.uk/module/2007/CSC8098).
SOCRATES/other exchanges
Undergraduate and MSc in Computing Science students may take the opportunity of
the SOCRATES scheme to arrange study at another European University. In addition
there are opportunities to study at other institutions that the University has exchange
arrangements with, such as McGill University in Montreal and the National
University of Singapore. The period of study can be one or two semesters for an
undergraduate student, normally at Stage 3, or Semester 3 (working on the CSC8099
project) for an MSc student. It takes the place of, and is not additional to, a period of
study spent at Newcastle. For further details students should contact the School
SOCRATES/ERASMUS Co-ordinator, or visit the School’s Socrates web site:
(http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/teaching/activities/socrates/index.php). Note
that it is possible to undertake an Industrial Placement as part of the Socrates
programme.
2. What form do Industrial Placements take?
The nature of individual industrial placements and the range of opportunities for
training and use of equipment during the placement year mean that different students
gain different experiences. This means that there is a broad range of options when
selecting a placement, and because of the variety between different placements the
year can not be “standardised”.
The companies participating in placement schemes seek to ensure that they have
access to well-qualified and trained graduates. During the placement the employer has
the opportunity to appraise a student (a potential graduate employee) over a long
period of time. It is not unusual for a placement student to be short-listed for graduate
employment by the company as a consequence of a satisfactory placement year.
Employers seek to provide placement students with experience of business activities
in order to retain and enhance excellence in their workforce. The financial investment
in placement students can be substantial. Employers expect to retain a number of
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students and must justify the recruitment policy. The salary, terms and conditions of a
placement are set by the company providing the placement.
Within the curriculum students are shown that being a professional in the IT industry
is not just a matter of possessing technical knowledge and the ability to apply it in
practice. ‘Softer’ skills are emphasised, such as the ability to work in a team or the
ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people. Students are also
made aware of the wider context in which they will operate in the IT industry and the
responsibilities they will bear as a result. For example, one strand of the curriculum
looks at what it means to be a professional and the standards of behaviour which any
professional should uphold.
3. Responsibilities
3.1 Responsibility of the Placement Provider:
3.1.1 For Industrial Placements only:
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A placement should ensure that a student is exposed to real problems and is
encouraged to develop intellectual and judgemental skills.
The student should be encouraged to develop a mature capacity to work with
people at all levels with all skills and readily to accept responsibility.
The student must be a valued member of the team who makes a real
contribution to the company.
Students expect to be assigned a number of tasks of a demanding nature which
they should pursue under supervision and they will anticipate exposure to
many relevant aspects of the industry.
Although day-to-day repetitive tasks are recognised as a necessary part of
work, they should not comprise a major proportion of the activities undertaken
on placement.
Both professional training and work-based learning opportunities should be
provided with opportunity for personal development.
Health and safety regulations and responsibilities must be made clear to the
student and applied in all working environments.
3.1.2 For UG ‘thick sandwich’, SDIA and CSR placements only:
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The Placement Provider will identify an industrial supervisor who will closely
monitor the progress of the student and report this to the School.
3.1.3 For SOCRATES/other exchanges only:
The Host will:
 endeavour to ensure that the visiting student’s experience is comparable with
that of all its other students.
 will return to the School a set of grades indicating the student’s performance in
each module taken, and on the ECTS scale.
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3.2 Responsibility of the School of Computing Science.
The School will take appropriate care to determine that the placement/exchange
opportunities are suitable and advertised widely.
3.2.1 For both SOCRATES/other exchanges and UG ‘thick sandwich’/SDIA/CSR
placements:
The School will:
 take appropriate care to ascertain that the applicable Health and Safety
regulations are implemented and supported by company/university policy.
 provide support for the student during the placement year in matters related to
the placement.
3.2.2 For UG ‘thick sandwich’/SDIA/CSR placements only:
The School will:
 identify at an early stage placement opportunities, and advertise these to
students.
 monitor placements by regular contact with both students and industrial
supervisors, which will involve occasional on-site visits.
 mediate between employer and student in the unlikely event of any
misunderstanding or difficulty concerning the placement.
 be responsible for the formal assessment of the placement.
3.2.3 For SDIA/CSR placements only:
The School will:
 make arrangements for interviews
3.2.4 For SOCRATES/other exchanges only:
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The School will furnish students with contact details at the intended host
university (for SOCRATES exchanges this will usually be a SOCRATES
coordinator).
3.2.5 For SOCRATES exchanges only:
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A member of the School staff will visit the host universities from time to time
to monitor standards.
The School will notify the University International Office of the details of
those students contemplating participating in a SOCRATES placement well
before the placement occurs. There are normally more places available than
students wishing to take them up, but should there be a genuine competition
then students will be selected on the basis of those deemed by the School
SOCRATES coordinator to be best able to gain from the experience
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3.3 Responsibility of the Student:
3.3.1 For Industrial Placements only:
The student will
 endeavour to derive maximum academic and personal benefit from the
opportunities offered by the employer/university.
 endeavour to develop inter-personal, teamworking and other relevant skills.
 take advantage of all work-based learning opportunities presented during an
industrial placement.
 take every opportunity to develop an appreciation of industrial and business
procedures and practices
 be clear regarding work objectives and targets set by the industrial placement
provider.
 Industrial placement students are employees of the company. They are
responsible to the employer for matters related to performance, time-keeping,
discipline and illness.
 Heath and Safety regulations must be strictly observed at all times. Students
must inform the School if the agreed placement arrangements are substantially
altered by the employer/university.
 Students must pursue the allocated tasks diligently and to the best of their
ability.
 Students undertaking a placement must make sure that they complete and
return
a
School
of
Computing
Science
Placement
form
http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/teaching/activities/placements/Placements_Form.doc,
giving contact details for themselves during their placement.
 If difficulties arise students should first seek advice from the placement
provider (e.g. from a mentor) and then they should inform the School.
3.3.2 For SOCRATES/other exchanges only:
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Before undertaking an exchange students will need to negotiate a programme
of study with the Degree Programme Director at Newcastle and the
SOCRATES/study abroad co-ordinator at the host university. This should be
formalised by a Learning Agreement to be signed by all interested parties.
Students should ensure that they are adequately covered by insurance, and in
particular that they have made appropriate arrangements for reciprocal health
treatment within the host country. Students may avail themselves of the
University’s insurance cover by paying an appropriate fee (contact
glenys.bailey@newcastle.ac.uk).
Students need to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements.
3.3.3 For SOCRATES exchanges only:
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Students should complete and return all forms issued to them by the
University International Office.
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4. Status whilst on placements/exchanges
If you undertake a placement which lasts a year, you will obviously not be
undertaking study at the University at the same time.
If your placement is not a mandatory part of your course, but something you have
decided to do on a voluntary basis then the following applies: You will not be
registered as a student for that academic year. Your status will be ‘Suspended Studies’
or ‘Leave of absence’. This means that you do not have official student status and
may be liable to pay Council Tax.
If your placement is a mandatory part of your course then the following applies: You
will continue to have student status. This means that you will be liable to pay an
‘intercalating’ fee (this is a reduced type of tuition fee).
Acknowledgement
The School wishes to thank Dr Mike Bird of the Department of Chemical Engineering
at the University of Bath for allowing us to base this document on their Industrial
Placement Handbook.
AMB/CP 28/10/2003, Updated 29/11/2007.
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