Industrial Placement - 2024 entry

This module will provide you with extensive practical work experience in a business or commercial setting that is of direct relevance to your development as an experienced mathematician. You will apply the knowledge and skills from taught modules to scientific, business or industrial problems at a professional level. You will be encouraged to use imagination and creativity in problem solving and to develop communication skills, planning and time management and team-working skills.

Placements will involve a substantial role in the host organisation. Individual placements are subject to availability and approval by the module leader.

Placements are normally for one year, and must be at least 6 months. International placements are acceptable. It is not required that you are paid a salary for the placement.

This module aims to provide you with the experience of working in science, business or industry in order for you to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in an academic environment to a professional work setting.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

1. demonstrate the acquisition of new knowledge and practical skills linked to mathematics and its applications; specific skills will depend on the particular placement

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

2. apply academic skills from your degree programme to the analysis and solution of problems in a workplace setting;
3. write a concise technical report.

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge

4. keep a reflective journal;
5. present technical information visually for non-experts;
6. discuss the key features of a learning experience;
7. appreciate the constraints imposed on a work situation;
8. respond to work appraisal;
9. reflect critically on your experience;
10. appreciate business pressures in a commercial setting;
11. work within the hierarchy of a commercial organisation.

Although the content of this module varies with the placement, its structure is fixed as follows.

Before Commencement of the Placement:

It is up to the student to choose a suitable Placement Organisation that has sufficient work to be undertaken.

Assistance in making this choice may be provided by the Faculty Employability Officer and the University Career Zone. The chosen Placement Organisation and the work to be undertaken are both subject to approval by the Module Convenor, who draws up a formal agreement to be deposited with the Faculty. Usually, this agreement will be made on the basis of an exchange of letters between the Placement Organisation and the Module Convenor, which sets out aims and objectives, duties and obligations of all parties involved. Once this agreement is complete, the Module Convenor will make the student aware of the named link person in the Faculty and the named link person in the Placement Organisation who are responsible for their pastoral/tutorial support, and of the nature of this support. Where the Placement Organisation is overseas and the language spoken is not English, the student may be required to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in the language concerned in tests set by the Foreign Language Centre. Before commencement of the placement, the student will be issued with a copy of the Faculty Placement Handbook by the Module Convenor.

During the Placement:

Progress during the placement will be monitored and can include meetings via Teams with the module coordinator, the link person in the Placement Organisation (optional), and the student to discuss matters of interest and/or concern.

After Completion of the Placement:

On return from the Placement Organisation, the student produces a presentation, which may be poster or PowerPoint, allowing them to share their experience with others having been on placement.

Re-assessment is not available for this module. If you are unable to secure an industrial placement for this module, or you do not pass the module, then your programme registration will be transferred to the corresponding three-year BSc. programme.

Placement dependent.

Reading list for this module: