MA911-7-SL-CO:
Professional Placement
2024/25
Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (School of)
Colchester Campus
Summer & Long Vacation
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Tuesday 22 April 2025
Wednesday 01 October 2025
0
03 October 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MSC G304PP Data Science with Professional Placement
This is a module available only to students in the Department of Mathematical Sciences undertaking a two years Masters course including a placement.
The module enables students to undertake a placement with an external Placement Provider.
The work placement will enable students to hone their professional and transferable skills as part of their continuing academic studies. Students will develop the skills sought by graduate employers and apply their academic knowledge in a practical working environment.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide the student with the opportunity to apply their academic learning outcomes in a work-related context
- To enable students to develop employability skills in a work-related environment
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- A detailed understanding of work processes and a critical exploration of work ethics
- The ability to engage in a self-reflective process of adapting their taught skills to a work environment
- The capacity to effectively work in a team within a work environment
- To enable students to develop effective work-based skills throughout the placement
The syllabus will be determined on an individual basis for each student. The Placement will be subject to approval by both the Placements Team and the Department. The Department and the Placement Provider will agree the focus of the placement via the Learning Agreement to ensure the learning outcomes are met.
The Department and Placement Provider will agree the focus of the placement via the Tripartite Work Placement Agreement or Erasmus plus Agreement (as appropriate), and this will ensure that the student is able to meet the module learning outcomes set out in the previous section of this form.
The learning and teaching methods will be dependent on the placement and will be recorded for an individual student on the training agreement signed by the Placement Provider, the student, and the University.
Each student will be assigned to an Academic Supervisor in their Department, and a Placement Supervisor named by the Placement Provider.
Students will liaise with their Academic Supervisor and their Placement Supervisor on a regular basis throughout the period of their placement. In particular, The Academic Supervisor and the Student are required to have a formal progress meeting during the Spring term to track progress and engagement. Also, liaison between the Students and their supervisors can carry out as necessary after the placement has ended in order to allow the student to complete the assessed work for the module.
Students will additionally be provided with the contact details of administrative staff in the Department who will be contactable throughout the placement; and with the details of the relevant Faculty Placements Team who will be available to students throughout their placement to provide advice and support in relation to generic work-based learning issues.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Coursework |
Work Placement Report |
|
20% |
Additional coursework information
The assessment for the work placement will comprise of the following 3 components:
1) Work placement search report: A report detailing their role and the rationale behind their job search and in securing the work placement, including any interviews attended and preparation. This should include 1) their CV, 2) a justification of their choice of organization in terms of company values, work to be carried out and relevance to their career and 3) how their work and skills can contribute to the running of the organization. 1,000 words (at the start of the placement)
2) Interim Work log: regarding their placement experience (type of work place, issues and benefits of team work, tasks to complete, work set up and workflow processes, difficulties encountered and how they were solved, variations in work/tasks requirements, etc.). This must consist of at least two separate entries written during the first half of the placement. Length: around 1500 words (middle of the placement)
3) Reflective essay: A reflection on how the work placement has helped develop the student’s employability skills and how theskills acquired in academic modules played a role in their work placement. Are there aspects of the placement and workflow processes that could be improved? The essay should cover the overall experience and can include recommendations that can be submitted to the employer. Length: around 3000 words (end of the placement)
The department will require confirmation from the employer that the student has successfully completed the work placement, which will be confirmed by the Placements Team.
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Berthold Lausen, email: blausen@essex.ac.uk.
Professor Berthold Lausen
maths@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Yinghui Wei
University of Plymouth
Available via Moodle
Of 2 hours, 2 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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