Degrees “with industrial/professional experience”
You will normally spend the third year of the programme working in a professional environment away from the University. Although this may seem some distant time in the future you should start thinking now about what you would like to do during Year 1. Also only first year results will be available when placement organisations consider your application so it is well worth putting plenty of effort in during Year 1! During Year 2, students registered for the ‘with Industrial/Professional Experience’ degree will be helped by the Placement Officer to apply for placements for the third year of the programme. Only students registered on a Degree Programme ‘with Industrial/Professional Experience’ are eligible to apply for the placements managed by the Placement Office.
Although as much help as possible will be given, we cannot guarantee all students a placement. Placements are obtained competitively, competition being not only with students from Manchester but also with those from other institutions. Companies usually produce a short-list on the basis of an application form or curriculum vitae, along with references from Advisors (which will be based primarily on the performance in tutorials and the First Year Examination). Most companies will then interview students before making their decisions.
Students following Degree Programmes with a placement will take the same units in year 1 and 2 as the three-year degree students. There may be some optional units that your Programme Director will strongly recommend if you are contemplating a placement.
It is a requirement for students to spend a minimum of 9 months on placement. Students who terminate their placement before the scheduled end date, and who do not complete a minimum of 9 months on placement, will not be eligible to graduate ‘with industrial experience’. In these circumstances, a student will be required to apply for an interruption to their studies in order to return in September of the following year to continue on the final year of the standard BSc programme (without industrial experience).
Any student unable to obtain a placement will be transferred to the appropriate three-year degree at the end of the Year 2. However, a request to switch to an appropriate MSci programme can be made by completing and submitting a Degree Programme Change form by the appropriate deadline (see section Key Dates and Deadlines for further information (Level 2)).
If you feel that you no longer wish to continue on a programme with industrial/professional experience and would like to transfer to a standard three-year degree, please discuss this with your Programme Director and/or Personal Advisor. A completed Degree Programme Change form should be submitted to the Student Support Office if you do decide to transfer off the placement programme