ID256 Universal PGT Placements

The aim of this proposal is for Keele to become a university of choice for postgraduate taught study in the local area across the wider region and in our key overseas markets, due to our focus on professional development, experiential learning activity and high-quality placement opportunities, resulting in increased student recruitment and improved graduate outcomes. Alongside the quality of our programmes, a universal placement offer, will enhance employability of our students, strengthen their transferable skills and help them demonstrate professional capability in a competitive jobs market. 

Placements and projects are already offered across most of our PGT courses as highlighted below, therefore this proposal would build on, develop and expand existing good practice to enable us to promote this to applicants and students as a universal offer across our programmes. This ensures all students have access to placement and project opportunities regardless of the programme they study. 

• ‘With placement’ programmes were launched within Keele Business School, School of Law and School of Computer Science and Mathematics from September 2025. 
• Work placement and professional practice modules are available on programmes within the School of Psychology, Humanities and Education 
• Industrial placement project opportunity is available to students within the School of Computer Science and Mathematics. 
• Collaborative project opportunity is available to students within GGE related programmes. 

Integrated clinical and professional placements embedded in programmes within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.  

Competitor landscape in relation to PGT placements 

University of Staffordshire - Almost all postgraduate taught master's courses mention the opportunity to enhance studies with a placement year. 

University of Chester - Placement year options are available across Business, Computing and Science programmes. 

Manchester Metropolitan University - Placement year options are available across Business, Computing, Science and Engineering programmes. 

Aston University - Guarantee an internship to all full-time students studying a taught master’s programme, including MA, MSc and LLM programmes. 

Birmingham City University – Professional placement option available across many of their postgraduate taught master’s programmes, including Business, Computing, Law, Media and Social Sciences. 

More universities are expanding their PGT placement provision, although relatively few currently offer placements as a universal feature across their postgraduate portfolio. This increases the importance of Keele maintaining pace with local competitors and provides an opportunity to be distinctive by offering a universal placement offer across our postgraduate taught master’s programmes.  

How We Would Implement This Idea

We propose that placement opportunities are offered to students universally across all our PGT programmes. This will be led by the placements and projects team and will require involvement of key internal stakeholders, including  the careers and employability team, partnership development team and academic schools. Every postgraduate taught master’s degree* at Keele would offer at least two or more of the placement opportunities below: 

• Option to do an industry placement year (6-12 months) or integrated clinical / professional placements. 
• Option to take a professional practice or flexible work placement module. 
• Option to do an employer led, commissioned or collaborative project. 

 *Excluding apprenticeships, HEP and MRes courses 

This would have resource implications, as a universal offer at this scale is likely to require additional capacity in placements and projects support, employer engagement, partnership development and academic oversight to deliver consistently and at scale across all programmes. Students would generally be responsible for securing the placement themselves as is the case now, with support from the placements and projects team. Expectations would need to be managed carefully if the placement opportunity forms a key part of the course's value proposition. 

What Success Would Look Like

• Improved student satisfaction, particularly in skills development and confidence in future opportunities. 
• Improved graduate outcomes, with Keele graduates outcompeting other graduates in employment openings 
• More employer engagement with all courses, including increased placements.  
• Increase in placement participation rates. 
• Increased recruitment of both home and international students attracted by Keele’s universal placement offer. 
• Strong civic impact, evidenced by student projects and partnerships that deliver value to local charities, public services and businesses.