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Careers in the curriculum

We offer a range of experiences that embed career opportunities throughout your day to day studies.

Enhance your student experience

There are a wide range of opportunities at Birmingham that enrich your learning in and beyond the classroom. 

From taking part in international experiences like Model NATO in Washington DC, to gaining hands-on experience through student-led clinical practice, students can build confidence, develop real-world skills, and explore career pathways while they study.

  • Professional Development Modules

    You can benefit from an embedded employability module focused on a workplace, in your final year of undergraduate study. The Professional Development Module offers the opportunity to complete a work placement while embedding professional development into your degree.

    You will take part in workplace learning, employer-linked tasks and guided reflection, helping you to connect your academic knowledge to the Graduate Attributes and prepare for life after graduation.

  • Ad Alta Pathway

    Our new Ad Alta Pathway, supports students as you transition into and progress through your degree. It is designed to help you build key academic and professional skills, reflect on your development and make the most of your time at university.

    In your first year, you’ll take the Discover module. This focuses on developing core study skills, encouraging curiosity, and helping you recognise your strengths, alongside your subject learning.

  • Guest lectures from professionals

    We bring industry directly into the classroom through guest lecturers and employer-led sessions, giving you direct access to professionals across a range of sectors, depending on your programme of study.

    You can gain insights into real career journeys, understand how learning can be applied in the workplace and build confidence engaging with industry.

Hands-on learning.

Here at Birmingham, there are opportunities to take part in hands-on, real-world learning experiences that allow you to work with real clients and apply your knowledge in practise, depending on your course. Through supervised, course-based placements and live projects, you'll develop professional confidence, problem-solving skills and effective communication.

You’ll gain practical experience in assessment, planning solutions, and supporting people over time, helping you graduate with the skills, experience, and confidence employers value.

 

Conservation: Theory into Practise

If you are studying a course in the college of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science, you will have the opportunity to apply ecological theory to a live conservation challenge. You'll produce a professional-standard conservation management plan using real data, mirroring the work of environmental consultancies. This module will allow you to build sector-relevant skills, strengthen your decision making and reflect on your development with support from Careers Network. 

Professional Ethics in Role Play

Professional Ethics is a role-play simulation featuring practise-based learning, where students will have the opportunity to work through realistic workplace dilemmas in a safe, supported environment. Through role-play simulations, you’ll practise making decisions under pressure, applying professional standards and developing the confidence to navigate complex situations with integrity.

 

Enterprising Solutions to Social Problems

Focusing on entrepreneurial thinking, you’ll work in teams to design and pitch a social enterprise tackling real issues such as homelessness or inequality. Co-developed with the B-Enterprising team and featuring guest speakers including social entrepreneurs and alumni, the module equips you with innovation tools such as design thinking and empathy mapping, while developing teamwork, strategic thinking and presentation skills.

 

What can your project or dissertation do for you?

This employability reflection pathway is designed to help you recognise and articulate the skills, attributes, mindsets and values developed through your dissertation. This approach helps you prepare for interviews, applications and postgraduate study by clearing linking your academic work to your future goals. 

 

Micro-Employability Courses (MECs)

We also offer a series of employability-related courses in Canvas which can be embedded within your modules or completed independently. Featuring written, video and interactive content, they support professional skills development and encourage you to explore additional learning resources, including LinkedIn Learning, to build industry-relevant competencies at your own pace.

 

Professional Skills Module

You can also take part in the Professional Skills Module, where you will complete at least 70 hours of professional work experience, either in person or virtually.  Through structured reflection and assessment, you’ll apply your academic learning in a workplace setting, build confidence, expand your professional network and gain valuable insight into potential career paths.