Many of our courses offer the option of participating in industrial placements, for example:
Accenture, BMW, Boeing, Cisco Systems, Culham Publications Services, General Electric, GlaxoSmithKline, Higher Concept Software, IBM, Incuna, Intel, Net Solutions, Oxford Cryosystems, Pepsico, Siemens, Sony, Sophos and Waitrose
Undergraduate placements
You will be strongly encouraged to take a work placement in your third year of study, doing supervised work experience in commerce, industry or the public sector. More and more students are taking up this option, as they recognise the benefit of obtaining work experience, consolidating their understanding and being able to apply their knowledge in a work environment.
While the sponsoring organisations do not guarantee a job, they will provide practice interviews, assessment centre experience and invaluable advice. And, of course, they are always on the lookout for the best students.
On returning to university for your final year, the experience you have gained from the placement invariably improves your academic performance. In addition, we have an excellent record of students gaining full-time employment on graduation, often with their industrial placement year company or organisation.
It is possible to change your programme of study to include or exclude the work placement option up to the end of your second year.
Students opting for the sandwich year will spend one year on work placement. We have a wide range of company contacts and can help you find an appropriate placement.
Those who undertake a company-based work placement find that it enhances their CV and career prospects, and many are employed by their placement company on graduation.
We encourage you to take a supervised work placement in the computer industry for 12 months between Year 2 and your final year. More and more students are finding that a placement benefits their final-year studies and career prospects.
On returning to university for your final year, the experience you have gained invariably improves your academic performance. In addition, we have an excellent record of students gaining full-time employment on graduation, often with their industrial placement company or organisation.
We encourage you to take a work placement in the computer industry for 12 months between Year 2 and your final year. More and more students are finding that a placement benefits their final-year studies and career prospects.
Postgraduate placements
Placements are not guaranteed. However, the School's placement team can assist students in finding and applying for placements.
Although this is the first year we have run postgraduate placements, our undergraduate placement scheme has been running for many years and students have worked in a wide range of international, national and local companies. Placements are paid employment and they will be undertaken between the taught component and the dissertation.
They are open to home, EU and international students.
The School's placement support team consists of Kashi Basu, the Academic Placement Coordinator and Andy King, the Partnership and Placements Manager. Academics from relevant subject areas also act as placement supervisors and help to maintain contact between the student and the University while the student is on placement. Support also includes placement workshops, clinic sessions, talks from placement officers and career advisers and all students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these services.
All placement students are allocated an academic supervisor. The supervisor will normally visit the student twice during the period of the placement. At the first visit, the supervisor ensures that appropriate training is being provided including Health and Safety training. The student will give a review of the work carried out, supported by a log book of activities. The supervisor will also have a discussion with the Industry Line Manager and resolve any issues that have arisen. The second visit will take place towards the end of the placement and the student will give a presentation on a selected part of their work. The student will submit a completed log book and the line manager will fill out a report to summarise their view on the student's performance. If any problems arise during the placement the student or the line manager can contact the academic supervisor and additional meetings can be arranged as required, to address and resolve the issues.