Students
The Professional Liaison Unit (PLU) has supported work-based learning opportunities for Informatics students for over fifteen years. Our undergraduate placement and postgraduate internship schemes enable students to put into practice the knowledge they acquire in their taught modules.
We offer three routes which School of Informatics' students can follow to get supported work-based learning:
One-year undergraduate placements
Undergraduates are encouraged to complete a one-year placement as part of their course
Students are taught to analyse their skills and produce CVs in the second year Professional Development in IT module. Students can then apply for placements advertised by the PLU and get advice on both looking for and applying for placements.
While on placement, students are visited and supported by a PLU work-based learning advisor. Students complete four deliverables while on placement. These allow students to relate their studies to their placement and to put these in the context of their future careers. Placement result marks can replace final year module marks if the former are higher.
Students start one-year placements once they have completed their second year and return to complete their final year.
For more details on the one-year undergraduate placements, please see information here
Professional Pathway Scheme
Unique to the School of Informatics at City, this scheme allows undergraduates to work for up to four days a week whilst completing their degree.
Students start their placement after their first year at City, having got approval from the Professional Pathway (PP) Mode Tutor. They are on placement for the following four years while completing their modules. They graduate with the same degree as a student not on PP, but with over three years' professional experience.
As with one-year placements, PP students are visited and supported by a PLU work-based learning advisor. Students complete four deliverables in their first year of placement.
Students can do different placements during their placement if they choose.
Postgraduate internship scheme
Postgraduate students can do an internship for up to six months after the taught part of their MSc courses. Students use the internship as the basis for their dissertation.
Students are supported both in finding an internship and while on internship. This support is from their work-based learning advisor from the PLU who liaises between the student and organisation, and the student's academic supervisor who advises on formulating the dissertation.
Students are able to continue with their internship organisation after the internship period, outside of the School's internship scheme, if the organisation offers them a role.
The PLU is always keen to hear from organisations that are interested in discussing opportunities for students to undertake an internship or placement. Please contact us - placements@soi.city.ac.uk or internships@soi.city.ac.uk