2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

GEOG2960 Career Preparation for Geographers

10 creditsClass Size: 100

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

This module is mutually exclusive with

CSER2101	Career Development 1
CSER2201	Career Development 2
CSER2202	Commercial Awareness for Employment and Business Start Up 1

Module replaces

GEOG 2760, Geographers in the Workplace

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module is intended to prepare Level 2 students in the School of Geography to make appropriate career decisions and to apply effectively for graduate employment, internships or postgraduate study. Please note that one way in which this module builds towards the workplace is in concentrating on teamwork; groupwork assessment is therefore a major component of this module.

Objectives

To enable the student to:
- have an understanding of the Graduate Marketplace;
- ddemonstrate their ability to effectively present their personal and academic qualities against occupational criteria in a manner that is effective in applications to internships and graduate jobs;
- demonstrate awareness of a range of job search strategies and an understanding of the differing patterns of recruitment in different sectors (e.g. public sector, private sector, not-for-profit);
- become aware of the resources and support available to achieve this understanding.

Skills outcomes
Ability to relate skills gained from academic study, extra-curricular activities employment and 'life skills' to the workplace. Improved team-working skills, presentation skills, planning and organisational skills intended to facilitate the smooth transition from University to the graduate's next life-phase.

Syllabus

Week 1 Session 1
-Introduction to the module. Module aims and outline, attendance requirements SEH
-Ice breaker exercise: What is a graduate? SHE/LH
-Placements and Internships: their importance and advice on when and how to research and apply for them. VS
-Making contacts : Evaluating Careers, explanation of prescribed attendance at 3 careers events and 2 CETL lectures ,( handout networking sheets) SEH
-Introduction to the Group Project SEH/LH

Week 2 Session 2
-What Geographers offer to employers as Interns and as Graduate Trainees VS
-Geographers: where they go and what they do: Destinations Report. SEH
-Introduction to Belbin and on-line tests (Teamwork) LH
-Group to hand in chosen employer organisation for the Skills Challenge Group Project with list of team members. SEH
Remind students to bring CV and orange faculty portfolio with them for Week 4 Session 3.

Week 3. Belbin test online
No contact : compensation for compulsory attendance at 3 employer events and 2 WRCETLE enterprise lectures, doing Belbin and other psychometric tests.

Week 4. Session 3
-De-brief on Belbin , students to bring their profile with them. LH
-CV Workshop SEH/LH
-The STAR formula for success in answering application form questions: Situation Task Achievement Role SEH/LH

Week 5 session 4
-''Give me an example of an occasion when you've''..Interview Workshop: How to Succeed with a Graduate Recruiter VS

Week 6 Session 5
-Mini 'Day in the Life of'. SEH/LH
-The Leeds + factor shows the benefits of Volunteering with:
-The Access Academy, and Groundwork /BCTV VS
-TEFL/The JET Scheme VS
-Postgraduate Study VS

Week 7
Reading Week

Week 8 Session 6
-Group Work Exercise e.g. Cave rescue or Kitty Kat Towers SHE
-Handling Assessment Centres VS

Week 9 Session 7
-From Geography to PR: one ex-Leeds Geographer?s turbulent career: VS Hannah Love
-Placements and Opportunities with Procter & Gamble. VS ex-Leeds Geographer Nicola Jones

Week 10
No contact, preparation time for Week 11

Week 11 session 8
Skills challenge Group Project SHE/LH + Visiting Speakers

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
On-line Learning	1	2.00	2.00
Independent Learning	3	1.50	4.50
Lecture	1	2.00	2.00
Lecture	6	2.00	12.00
Practical	1	2.00	2.00
Private study hours			77.50
Total Contact hours			22.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Students must attend a minimum of 3 employer presentations /networking events arranged by the Careers Centre and complete an aide-memoire of their experiences and reflections on their interest, and suitability for the organisation encountered.
They must also attend a minimum of 2 Enterprise WRCETLE lectures and complete an aide-memoire of their experience after each lecture.
In addition students will spend 25 hours preparing and writing their cv and covering letter and 45 hours working on the skills challenge project

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Attendance will be expected at every session, and non-attendance without good reason followed up.
They will be encouraged to make full use of the Careers Centre facilities to aid their progress during the course of the module.
Any further issues will be addressed during the interactive workshop sessions.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Group Project	Skills Challenge (If a student is not able to complete the Skills Challenge the resit will involve researching a company and presenting similar data as a portfolio.)	60.00
Written Work	CV and covering letter	40.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

* If a student is not able to complete the Skills Challenge the resit will involve researching a company and presenting similar data as a portfolio.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2009

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