ARMEMP-Research and Enterprise Micro-Placement

Module Provider: Archaeology
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded: ARMREP Research and Enterprise Placement
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Aleks Pluskowski
Email: a.g.pluskowski@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module aims to help students apply their academic training within a research and/or enterprise environment.

Research placements will provide the opportunity of working with a member of staff on a current project based in the UK or internationally. Enterprise positions would allow students to work with a developer-funded archaeological unit/specialist, consultancy or government organisation to gain experience of professional commercial archaeology.

Students will also learn some of the main elements that form part of a grant application or commercial tender whilst creating their own project design.

Aims:

By the end of the module, it is expected that the student will be able to: 1. Gain understanding and appreciation of the research/enterprise working environment 2. Production of a project design (grant application / tender document) 3. Demonstration of planning, cost & time management soft-skills (all forming part of the project design)

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module, it is expected that the student will be able to: 1. Gain understanding and appreciation of the research/enterprise working environment 2. Production of a project design (grant application / tender document) 3. Demonstration of planning, cost & time management soft-skills (all forming part of the project design) 4. Present a project tender pitch

Additional outcomes:

By the end of the module, it is expected that the student will be able to: 1. Gain understanding and appreciation of the research/enterprise working environment 2. Think critically and analytically about the work carried out on the placement and how it has contributed to the research/enterprise activity 3. List examples of soft-skills acquired and developed whilst on placement 4. Production of a project design (grant application / tender document) 5. Demonstration of planning, cost & time management soft-skills (all forming part of the project design).

Outline content:

Students will be provided with a list of placement opportunities within Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science and asked to apply for one or more that meets their interests. Alternatively, the student can select and apply for their own research/enterprise placement position. Once the student has been offered and accepted a placement, s/he will undertake 8 days of work. Placements must provide students with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of the research/e nterprise working environment, and provide them with situations to develop both the academic/technical expertise and ‘soft-skills’. Each placement must be individually approved by the module convenor, with all necessary legal, health and safety documents in place prior to commencement. During the placement the student must abide by the rules and regulations of the provider.

If a placement cannot be found or completed, the student must attend the necessary provided workshops to complete an employability portfolio.

Students who are unable to secure a placement will be asked to transfer to another 20 credit module instead.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module will consist of 8 days (55 hours) of placement experience, the timing of which will be arranged between the student and research/enterprise placement provider. The work content of the placement will be determined by the academic/enterprise organisation with input from the module convenor(s). The placement will be supported by 10 hours of teaching time (in the form of lectures, seminars or tutorials) provided by the module team and placement provider to outline the requirements of t he placement and assignments

Summative assessment- Examinations:
N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

1. Students will write a placement report (20%; 1000 words) that outlines the work undertaken during the placement and how it has contributed to their personal development and that of the research/enterprise activity.


2. Students will prepare a project design Ìý(80%; 3000 words) that provides experience of: (1) undertaking background research; (2) writing aims/objectives; (3) selecting appropriate methods, and (4) time, cost and risk management,

Formative assessment methods:

Students will be provided with tuition and verbal feedback during the course of their placement position through both formal and informal means. Students undertaking Assignment Option 1, will also be given the opportunity to attend the workshops for the employability portfolio and gain feedback.Ìý

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy 􀀓Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes􀀔, which can be found here: