50261 Professional Attachment

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Recommended studies: completion of at least 16 credit points of 200-level subjects in the chosen Professional Strand

Handbook description

Students develop a structured industry experience project in the area of their professional study. This involves the negotiation of a learning contract to identify the outcomes of such experience and to design a detailed program of activities to achieve these outcomes. Supervision is provided to assist students in identifying the capabilities they need to develop and to provide support and advice during their industry attachment. Students are assisted to reflect on their learning from experience in industry in the context of their disciplinary and professional fields of study.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

an ability to plan and undertake group and/or individual work under supervision
an ability to recognise and apply basic industry standards in relation to their work
an ability to develop professional skills gained during the course by producing high quality work
an ability to evaluate their own learning and professional practice
a further developed portfolio of work.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject produces graduates who have a sound understanding of how the knowledge they gain at university applies in the workplace.

Teaching and learning strategies

This is a practice-based subject where teaching and learning occurs primarily in a workplace through the negotiation and completion of a specific project or set of experiences in consultation with academic and workplace supervisors. Students will also engage in an introductory class and individual sessions scheduled with their academic supervisor. Participation in these sessions is compulsory.

Students will normally be required to spend between 80–120 hours formally working with their chosen host organisation. Students may arrange to attend in a pattern that suits themselves and their workplace supervisor eg one day a week over 10 weeks. Time spent on work in this subject should be equivalent to that spent on other professional strand subjects, although it may be structured differently.

To gain approval students must prepare a learning contract for their professional attachment. The learning contract should be submitted to the academic supervisor prior to the attachment but following discussion with the prospective host organisation. It is important to note that preparation for an attachment (learning contract, obtaining approval, insurance forms, etc) may take some time.

It is important that the student establishes exactly what activities they will undertake during their attachment. It is their responsibility to ensure that activities contribute to the development of their skills and knowledge base. A learning contract helps to achieve this by establishing some personal objectives before the attachment begins.

Content

The specific content of the student's work is negotiated and recorded in an agreement between the student, the workplace supervisor and the supervising lecturer. The student produces a portfolio of work and a report reflecting on their experience and achievements.

Students are strongly encouraged to select and approach their chosen host organisation independently. However, advice on suitable placements is available from lecturers in each Program Area. Sometimes organisations approach the university seeking students to participate in specific projects on a voluntary basis. The student will be advised to check with their lecturer to see if there have been any recent expressions of interest in their chosen area of practice.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Learning contract

Objectives	a
Value	25%
Due	Week 3
Task	The aim of the learning contract is to provide both the workplace and academic supervisor with a clear indication that students are capable of planning and undertaking their workplace tasks. The learning contract is also an opportunity for students to demonstrate how their attachment will extend skills relevant to their degree and potential career path. It is critical for students and their workplace supervisor to think through the relevance of the learning contract so that students can maximise the learning experience and benefit from the professional attachment. The learning contract needs to address the following: Background on the workplace and how the proposed tasks relate to the functions of the workplace. Detailed description of the proposed tasks. Key challenges students expect to face and how they plan to manage them. Relevant skills to be developed/personal challenges likely to be faced. Workplace supervision arrangements. The learning contract should be no longer than 1500 words and take the form of a well structured, properly referenced and clearly laid out explanation of the student's attachment.
Assessment criteria	Systematic and thorough negotiation of an appropriate projected set of experiences in consultation with supervisors (academic and workplace). Clarity of overall plan. Understanding of how student's work relates to the broader workplace. Critical reflection on key skills to be developed and learning challenges. Clarity of expression.

Assessment item 2: Portfolio of work with commentary

Objectives	b, c, e
Value	50%
Due	Week 14
Task	Students should show evidence of work completed during the attachment which should include documentation such as research briefs and a finished body of work. A commentary should be provided that explains how and why each piece of work was produced and how it fits into the learning contract negotiated at the beginning of the semester.
Assessment criteria	Quality of work produced. Closeness of fit between work produced and learning contract or a clear explanation for any divergence between the two. Usefulness of commentary in assisting interpretation of work.

Assessment item 3. Final report

Objectives	d
Value	25%
Due	Week 14
Word limit	1500-2000 words
Task	This report provides the student's general assessment of the overall attachment experience and should have two sections: a reflective statement and an evaluation of the experience, including recommendations for improvement. A reference from their host organisation supervisor would be included with the report. Reflective statement. This statement will explain those attachment experiences the student found the most rewarding or profound and those likely to have possible long term influence on their thinking, knowledge or understanding. Evaluation/recommendations. This section of the report should evaluate the student's experience in light of the learning goals outlined in the learning contract and possibly their expectations. It could also include some recommendations for improvement of the experience. A copy of the exit report may be made available for the host organisation supervisor as well as the academic supervisor.
Assessment criteria	Thoughtful analyses which relate these work experiences to a wider knowledge of industry or field (including references to appropriate concepts in the literature). Depth of comment and discussion provided in the final report, demonstrating reflection. Inclusion of host organisation supervisor's report. Professional and correct presentation of material.

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. You are expected to initiate, attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in all scheduled meetings or classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.