Professional Placement for Geographers


This module provides students with the opportunity to develop both generic and discipline specific transferable skills by experiencing the real-life workings of issues covered more formally and academically in the classroom.

Through a placement scheme students will work for an organisation learning:

  • The day-to-day responsibilities of working in that job through shadowing
  • Practical experience of being involved in a project
  • The correct way to disseminate their results to the appropriate persons within the organisation

This will provide the basis for critical reflection on the links between theory as learnt at university and practice in a work situation.

In addition, students will gain valuable experience of work outside the university through their placements that will help equip them for their future careers.

By the end of this module you should have learnt the following key skills:

  • Experience of being in a work environment
  • Experience of being out of your comfort zone and the "student bubble"
  • Independent working and organisational skills
  • Seeing theory in practice
  • Chance to develop research skills
  • Producing material in a report style
  • Presentation skills
  • Communication skills