Micro-placement

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 5
• Convenor: Dr Ammar Sammour
• Tutors: Huw Andrews, Anisha Chalisey, Chloe Hennigar
• Assessment: a reflective portfolio, including a SMART career plan (1000 words), job applications (1000 words) and a 2-3-minute vlog (100%)
• Essential: You will be expected to secure your own micro-placement, with a minimum duration of 70 hours
• Enrol onto this module:
• 2025-26: This module has reached capacity for this academic year.
• 2026-27: If you would like to take the micro-placement as one of your Level 5 options, please contact your school administrator

This Micro-placement module will help you put theory into practice by translating your academic learning into practical work-based skills. It will give you the opportunity to explore a new role, career or sector. You will be expected to secure your own micro-placement, with a minimum duration of 70 hours, to complete this module. Guidance and support will be provided throughout.

Research has shown that students who complete work placements as part of their studies are more likely to find work after graduation, and with a higher average salary than those who did not undertake a placement. Whether you are starting your career, changing career, or you are an experienced professional looking to gain new experience, this module can fit flexibly around your current commitments: you can complete your placement on a part-time basis, or over the summer break, or work on a professional project alongside your current commitments.

If you would like to find out more about the Micro-placement module (MPM), please contact the MPM Team in Careers and Enterprise.

Indicative syllabus

Two three-hour workshops including, but not limited to:

• Introduction
• Reflective practice session (to help you evaluate skills development)
• Introduction to Birkbeck’s careers portals
• How to maximise your placement experience
• Pre-placement exploration to identify practical, work-based skills to develop on placement

Learn how the Micro-placement module can help you gain workplace experience.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• critically evaluate the work you have done and describe and reflect on how it has contributed to the placement
• describe and reflect on what has been learnt from your placement, examining and discussing the positives/negatives experienced
• articulate, critically reflect, and build on areas of professional skills development
• describe and critically reflect on how the experience relates to your future career and academic goals and plan for further progression.