HR9689 - Career Development and Research Informed Learning

What will I learn on this module?

This module has twin aims, firstly supporting your transition into UK higher education by developing your academic skills in the context of your business, management and finance studies. The second aim is to equip you with the necessary knowledge and transferable skills to maximise your future employability and career development. As a student on level 6 top up programme you may have limited experience of higher education in the UK, hence this module begins by supporting you as a final year undergraduate student to understand, enhance and demonstrate advanced academic skills. The first part of the module will therefore help you strengthen and enhance your academic writing skills, progress your critical thinking ability and enable you to understand research and how to use academic journal articles. The second part of the module will focus upon your employability and leadership attributes, exploring key aspects of your knowledge, skills, personality, values and abilities to enable you to make well-informed career choices.

The topics covered on this module will include:
• Academic writing skills;
• Understanding learning styles;
• Working in teams;
• Enhancing critical thinking and writing skills;
• Understanding research and the effective use of journal articles;
• Developing a literature review;
• Understanding Employability and leadership attributes;
• Evaluate the global graduate labour market;
• Design career personal development plan.

This module aims to develop and empower you as a student to become a critical and reflective thinker with respect to both your academic development and to your future career planning.

How will I learn on this module?

You will learn through lectures, workshops, tutor guidance and feedback and independent directed and self-directed learning. The one -hour weekly lectures will provide you with the theoretical foundation of the module content. This is supported by a two-hour weekly seminar, whereby you will have the opportunity to translate what you have learnt theoretically into practice. An interactive approach to lecture and seminar sessions will draw upon the directed learning undertaken and participant’s own experiences. The emphasis is on active levels of participation, both individually and within small groups.

The reflective-practitioner approach to leaning is built into all sessions to facilitate the development of proficiency based upon reflection on knowledge, experience and practice. Through the activities undertaken you will have opportunities to develop yourself and others by; critically applying theory to ‘real-life’ situations, analyse, and receive and give feedback. Directed learning will centre upon a range of activities including pre-reading, preparation for interactive activities and group discussions. Core online tests will be provided for the advanced academic and employability elements of the module.

The method of delivery will focus on learning by doing (experiential) to facilitate the consolidation of your theoretical and conceptual understanding, as well as focusing upon development of advanced academic skills and employability competencies. A global focus on graduate opportunities, tailored academic and employability skills and career development will be key features of your learning for this module.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

You will be supported by a Teaching and Learning Plan, which outlines the formal lecture and seminar sessions, together with tutor-directed and independent reading for each week. Your module is also supported by an e-learning portal, which houses all the module learning materials, workshop resources, interactive activities, assessment details and various other support facilities which are provided by the University. In addition, to assist you in developing your knowledge, you will have access to and be encouraged to use the University’s library facilities, including extensive electronic resources, eBooks and electronic journal articles.

Active participation in class is encouraged as learning from other students’ experiences is an important part of understanding employability and career development.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:
• You will be able to demonstrate your ability to use effective academic skills when exploring business and management issues. (MLO1)
• Develop students’ critical thinking, reading and writing skills within the context of employability and career development through the use of academic and professional research. (MLO2)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Equip students with a sound foundation of academic and employability skills to enhance their wider studies and career progression. (MLO3)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• You will be able to critically reflect upon your own skills to inform your personal development planning.(MLO4)
• You will be able to demonstrate your critical thinking skills. (MLO5)

How will I be assessed?

Formative assessment will be provided throughout the seminar sessions, within group work, assignment discussion and reflection, discussion board activity on the e-learning platform and theory/practice related discussions.

Summative assessment will consist of 2 methods of assessment;

For Assessment 1 (20%) you will undertake a critical review of a journal article within business and management. The outcome from your critical review to be presented in the form of an academic poster and presented mid semester of the module delivery. (MLO1, MLO5)

For Assessment 2 (80%) you will produce a 2,500 word reflective commentary on (a) the employment/ graduate labour market (specific focus will relate to individual student’s choice of context and career path) and (b) your planned journey from education to future employment or career progression, to include reflection on the student’s individual learning style and its implication for current and future study and how it may impact upon their future career planning. A set of appendices comprising various outputs from seminar activities, including CV, career plan. (MLO2, MLO3, MLO4, MLO5)

Pre-requisite(s)

N/A

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

This module equips you with the necessary knowledge and transferable skills to enhance your employability, future career development and academic studies for final year undergraduate study. The module has been designed to develop your academic skills to support your current studies and ensure your transition into higher education. You will enhance your academic writing skills, develop your critical thinking ability, understand the role and value of research and understand how to effectively use academic journals, all within the context of business and management. This module will also support your future employability and career development, exploring and reflecting upon your knowledge, skills, personality, values and interests to support you in making well-informed career choices.

This module will adopt an interactive approach, drawing upon the directed learning undertaken and participants’ own experiences so that on completion of the module you will have a clearer understanding about the expectations of academic writing and skills and understand how to apply theory to practice within business and management, and a greater awareness of how to stand out from the crowd in terms of your employment and career development opportunities.

Course info

UCAS Code N4N1

Credits 20

Level of Study Undergraduate

Mode of Study 1 year full-time

Department Newcastle Business School

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2024 or September 2025

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

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