Career Development Module
Graduate with the skills employers look for. Use your work experience, volunteering or part-time job to count towards your degree.
What's involved
The Career Development Module is a 20-credit module. It is completed over the course of the academic year. It's available to stage two and final year students on selected degree programmes. Check with your academic school to see if you are eligible to take part.
You'll attend timetabled sessions and will complete work through Canvas throughout the year. These will support you in setting goals to work towards during your placement. They will also help develop your knowledge and skills.
Doing the Career Development Module could give students a head start in the recruitment process.
You'll spend a minimum of 50 hours at your placement. A minimum of 30 hours will need to be completed in semester 2 to fit in with module teaching and assessments. Placement visits should be managed to fit around your academic and other commitments. They must be carried out over a period of at least eight weeks.
There are three types of placement:
- Student tutoring - support learners in primary, secondary and special educational needs schools
- Learning from work - use your existing part-time work to develop knowledge and skills
- Volunteering - pre-arranged by the Students' Union. Placements are either in the local community or on campus
Student tutoring
Help to raise the achievements and aspirations of young learners by supporting a wide range of activities.
You'll act as a classroom assistant, taking part in a range of activities alongside staff. You could get the chance to work in a:
- primary school
- secondary school or college
- special educational needs school
You'll gain valuable practical experience and the chance to develop:
- graduate skills and attributes
- occupational awareness
- the ability to set and work towards goals in the workplace
- the ability to talk about your skills and achievements when applying for jobs
School placements
We will usually arrange your school placement for you. The University has relationships with a number of schools within 40 minutes of the city centre by public transport.
You do not need to worry about the cost of travelling to your placement. The University can reimburse travel costs. This is for up to £50 per student each semester (public transport or mileage).
It may be possible for you to arrange your own placement if you have a prior connection with a local school or college. You may have been a pupil or have done a previous placement there. In this situation, you must email [email protected] before contacting them yourself.
Action Tutoring
We also offer tutoring placements through the educational charity Action Tutoring. Students can volunteer with Action Tutoring to lead sessions for primary and secondary age learners. This is in Maths and English.
If you choose the Career Development Module, we will provide more information about these options.
Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
You must apply for a DBS check via the Careers Service. Information on how and when to apply will be sent to you after you register on the module.
Other routes available
If you are interested in working with young people, you might also wish to consider volunteering at IntoUniversity. You will act as a mentor, supporting and inspiring disadvantaged young people to achieve their goals. Find out more about this placement on the Newcastle University Student's Union (NUSU) website.
Learning from work
Use your part-time work to develop skills that can impress employers when you graduate.
Draw upon experience gained through your current part-time work for academic credit. Your work can be paid or unpaid. With this module, you can gain insight into how you’re contributing to your existing workplace. You can also learn how to show your value to potential employers.
Our students have undertaken work in a variety of sectors and roles. These include work in leisure, retail, tourism, hospitality, and property. Other roles have been in maintenance, local government, and the financial sector.
If your placement is unpaid, the University can reimburse travel costs. This is for up to £50 per student, each semester (public transport or mileage). You do not need to worry about the cost of travelling to your placement.
Finding opportunities
Use MyCareer to search for part-time jobs and placement vacancies. Find advice on finding part-time jobs, making applications and getting work experience.
You can book an appointment for one to one feedback on applications on MyCareer.
Registration requirements
Before you start the module, you need to register details of your part-time term-work with the Career Development Module team. You will be asked to include details of the person who will act as your placement supervisor.
Your supervisor will need to provide a copy of the organisation’s Employer Liability Insurance certificate. They also need to provide completed Health and Safety checklist before your placement can be approved.
You will not be able to count any hours towards your placement after the initial meeting until your placement has been approved. Further details of the approval process will be shared with students who choose the module.
Student volunteering
Gain experience and knowledge outside of the lecture theatre through volunteering.
This module is open to students who want to volunteer through Newcastle University Students' Union (NUSU).
This placement type will help you to recognise and analyse the graduate skills that you use. You can volunteer within the Union or for external charities promoted on the NUSU website.
To take part, you must be volunteering in a placement approved by the Students' Union before you start the module. You also need to register your placement details with the Career Development Module team.
Finding a volunteering placement
To find a volunteering placement, visit the NUSU website. Choose from their list of pre-arranged placements. You can browse placements by organisation or category.
If you are already volunteering you must email NUSU to confirm your placement. This includes volunteering in a committee role for a club or society. You need to be assigned a placement supervisor from within NUSU before you start the module.
Committee roles which are typically eligible include President, Secretary, Welfare Officer or Treasurer. Other roles may be eligible on a case by case basis - please contact NUSU if you have any questions about this.
If your placement is unpaid, the University can reimburse travel costs. This is for up to £50 per student, each semester (public transport or mileage). You do not need to worry about the cost of travelling to your placement.
Assessment
Our assessment is designed to help you demonstrate your learning from the module. It also encourages you to further develop your own skills.
Your assessment for the Career Development Module depends on which module you are taking. You will attend timetabled teaching and engage with learning resources on Canvas. These will help you prepare throughout the academic year.
All modules have two substantive pieces of assessment. One is submitted in semester 1 and one in semester 2. Full details for all modules are available in the Module Guides.
Your module assessments will include some of the following:
- reflective written work
- pre-recorded presentation using PowerPoint
- video submission
- engagement tasks completed through Canvas
- in person professional conversation
How to register
Registering for the Career Development Module is easy.
Select the Career Development module you want during the module choice period. Your school can tell you if you are eligible to take a Career Development module as part of your course.
We recommend that you register early for the Career Development Module as a first choice. Aim to do this on the first day that you can make your module choices as numbers for the modules are capped and places are limited.
The Career Development Modules are very popular. In previous years all the places have filled within module choice week.
Once you've registered, check your university email for further information and instructions.