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NAT-20011 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

NAT-20011 - Flexible Work Placement (Level 5)
Coordinator: Sharon Farrow Tel: +44 1782 7 34274
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

Students cannot take both Flexible Work Placement (Level 5) and Flexible Work Placement (Level 6) 

Description for 2025/26

In a competitive job market, practical skills and understanding workplace dynamics are crucial. This module allows you to gain hands-on experience, enhancing your employability, and the opportunity to gain valuable professional insights via a 75-hour placement.
You will be supported by various activities to secure a role and can source your own placement or apply to university-sourced roles. This module offers flexibility on when and how you complete your placement, enabling you to balance your placement around existing demands.

Aims
This module aims to:
· Enhance the career knowledge and employability of students studying within the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
· Support students in effectively researching and applying for employment roles.
· Provide students with first-hand experience of the day-to-day operations of a relevant working environment, including developing their ability to work co-operatively and productively with others.
· Encourage Faculty of Natural Science students to apply and reflect on the range of degree-relevant skills in a broader work context.
· Develop students’ capacity to construct and carry through independent tasks/projects.
· Increase students’ knowledge of and familiarity with the Careers and Employability service.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Identify areas for skills development, in relation to a specific career or sector  : 1
Reflect on skill development in relation to chosen sector/role: 2
Explain next steps for future careers development   : 2

Study hours

Active Learning hours 25:
Consisting of 7 x 2hr workshops and 11 hours of placement drop in opportunities.
75 hours of placement
Independent Study: 50 hours
Applying for placement and Assessment 1 - 20 hours
Assessment 2 - 30 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 30%
Skills Audit and Action Plan 
Students will use their knowledge of their employment sector of interest to carry out a skills audit to identify and outline knowledge, skills or professional behaviours needing development or needed to progress in a given field, sector or role. They will then produce an action plan outlining activities to develop key employability goals, with a justification for how the placement can support their personal & professional development. Word count: 1000 words.

2: Reflective Diary weighted 70%
Reflective Report
Students will produce a 3,000 word (maximum) reflective report on their placement. The report should reflect on critical incidents from their placement experience and discuss these within the framework of experiential learning (linking to appropriate sources, including peer-reviewed sources where appropriate). Students should also reflect on the skills and knowledge gained from the placement experience and how these contribute to their employability development moving forward. The report should include an outline of networking plans and explain the next step for future career development.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025