Year in Civic Leadership
Spend a year developing your skills in civic engagement, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
Make a real impact in local, national and global communities. With the Year in Civic Leadership you'll gain valuable experience working with a local community organisation, group or employer engaged with community work.
The Year in Civic Leadership enables you to:
- Deliver projects designed to address social and environmental challenges
- Think critically about how to make a positive impact in your community
- Develop skills in civic engagement, leadership, and entrepreneurship
- Apply the skills and lessons you've learned in your degree
- Build your professional network
- Develop key professional attributes sought after by graduate employers
- Enhance your employability and self-awareness
What is the Year in Civic Leadership? A placement year for undergraduate students to work with a social enterprise or responsible business/start-up; a non-profit organisation, political movement, or charity; or in the public sector, such as a local authority or council. You'll be given a range of activities and responsibilities similar to a graduate position and design a collaborative project with your placement host to explore different aspects of a specific social issue. You'll also take three taught modules across the year.
Avneet Dhariwal (BA History)
Placement with Social Ark, a non-profit organisation based in Tower Hamlets, East London
Most important was the insight I gained into the third sector as prior to this I was unaware of the versatility of roles and importance of the work conducted by those within the field. This opportunity has inspired me to pursue work within the third sector and set up my own social enterprise in the future.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Year in Civic Leadership open to?
Who is the Year in Civic Leadership open to?
The Year in Civic Leadership is available to all undergraduate students (except students on degree programmes with a compulsory Year Abroad) who:
- Achieve 60% average in their second year of study and can provide evidence of their average in the first year
- Demonstrate their ability and enthusiasm for the course in their application
Please note that whilst a conditional offer can initially be made, admission onto the Year in Civic Leadership cannot be confirmed until the results of your current year examinations are released and you have the permission of your home school.
How can I find a placement?
How can I find a placement?
You can source your own opportunity - either by approaching organisations directly, or applying for advertised internships - or, you can apply for exclusive roles created in partnership with employers from a range of sectors, including: small business; charities; social enterprise, arts, culture and heritage; and public sector.
What are the time requirements of the placement?
What are the time requirements of the placement?
You'll join your community organisation in much the same way as any other employee would, working with them on average 2-3 days a week across the academic year.
How will I be assessed?
How will I be assessed?
Three modules across the year will deepen your appreciation of civic engagement, encouraging you to think about how you can make change and enrich the communities in which we live while developing as a graduate professional and future leader.
The Year in Civic Leadership will be assessed through a variety of means including project reports, presentations, portfolios, reflective journals and written assignments.
What support will be available to me throughout the year?
What support will be available to me throughout the year?
The Year in Civic Leadership combines placement components with academic contact hours that include lecture, seminar, tutorial and action learning set support through the year, with regular touchpoints.
You will retain your personal academic tutor and continue to be able to access all other student resources offered by the university.
What are the associated costs of the Year in Civic Leadership?
What are the associated costs of the Year in Civic Leadership?
Home students will pay 20% of the usual tuition fee, and Overseas students will pay 50% of the usual fee.
Overseas students will need to reapply for their study visa from their home country after programme transfer.
Student Finance England would place the Year in Civic Leadership in the industry/placement year category for maintenance funding. During placement years, eligible students are normally only eligible for a Reduced Rate Loan.
How do I apply?
How do I apply?
There is no need to decide now. You would apply for the Year in Civic Leadership in the second year of your studies at Birmingham following a discussion with your tutor.
Contact us
Contact us
For enquiries about the Year in Civic Leadership, please contact Professor Elaine Fulton.
This experience gave me a sense of ownership and increased my confidence in my creative ability. I am grateful to my supervisors for giving me creative freedom and valuing my ideas and contributions.