The University is expanding the range of opportunities it offers to undertake professional placements as part of your studies (in biochemistry and chemistry, these are called industrial placements). Placements provide you with the opportunity to gain new perspectives, experience and skills that employers are looking for.
There are two types of professional placements available:
- some subject areas offer a professional placement as an integrated and predefined part of a course. Such placements can either be for a full year or for half a year
- other subject areas offer an opportunity to undertake a professional placement (either for one full year or for half a year) that you can apply for once you have started your course here.
Watch what some of our students have to say about their courses with placements:
Normally, full-year professional placements occur between the second and final year of a course. Placements for half a year usually occur in the second term of Year 2.
The University organises and manages the process through which students apply for and undertake professional placements. The assessment of your work on a professional placement will be facilitated by an electronic portfolio, allowing material to be submitted from the placement, and enabling placements to be undertaken in the UK or overseas, as appropriate.
As well as these formal professional placements, some other subject areas offer opportunities for students to gain work experience, focused on a particular topic, as part of some taught modules.
We plan to offer professional placements, either as integrated parts of courses or part of a year once you have started your studies, for all of our schools of studies.
Christina's student perspective
‘I was thrilled to take part in Sussex's professional placement scheme as it is a great platform for graduate employment opportunities, especially in the current economic climate. It's also providing me with great networking skills and a whole host of other professional qualities that will stand me in good stead in future employment and in life.
'GlaxoSmithKline have provided me with many skills including building relationships, continuous improvement and driving innovation. Working in industry for a year will enable me to approach my final year from a more practical perspective, bearing in mind the great business minds did not get where they are today by purely studying.’
Christina Cameron
BSc in Business and Manangement Studies (with a professional placement year)
Linda's staff perspective
‘My professional background is in placements management and, in my experience, placements give students a fairer chance of accessing top jobs in their chosen profession, so I'm delighted that the University of Sussex is offering opportunities for students to undertake an assessed placement.
'The Careers and Employability Centre is committed to ensuring that students are well prepared and have the skills to secure and make the most of a career-enhancing placement. We have a dedicated team of careers advisors, employer engagement specialists and placements officers to offer you support, and our Placements Preparation Programme gives advice on where to look for placements, writing excellent applications and performing well in interviews.’
Linda Buckham
Director of the Careers and Employability Centre, University of Sussex