Postgraduate programme specification content for 'with industry' programme variants (for students commencing study in 2025/26 onwards)

This page details the University’s standard specification for the Postgraduate Taught (PGT) ‘with industry’ component of PGT ‘with industry’ programme variants, for students commencing studies in 2025/26 onwards.

This page should be read in conjunction with the relevant programme specification, which provides information on the taught academic elements of the programme.

Type of study

The full-time taught modules and project are campus based. The industrial placement is on the site of the placement provider.

The taught modules would all be taken in the first two semesters of study. This is followed by the industrial placement and concludes with a dissertation or research project.

Programme aims

For the 'with industry' variant only, these additional programme aims apply:

• Prepare students for career and training opportunities which relates to their degree – in the private, public, and voluntary sectors.
• Construct effective applications for placement opportunities.
• Provide students with the opportunity to recognise suitable plans for transitioning into the workplace.

On placement programme outcomes

Intended learning outcomes

• Apply the theoretical and practical aspects of the material studied at the University and demonstrate the personal and professional skills necessary for your role within the organisation.
• Compose a reflective summary considering your strengths, development areas and motivations for your next step.
• Modify your CV to include the skills and significant experience you have gained over the Industrial Placement.

Teaching and learning methods

• Students undertake an experience in the workplace.
• Project supervision, independent research.

How demonstrated?

• Completion of monthly reflective journals to record skills development, major achievements, key areas of work, learning points and challenges overcome.
• Formally assessed on a pass or fail basis by a portfolio which includes a reflective summary about transferable skills developed on placement, alongside an updated CV (excluded from word count).
• Formative feedback during a placement visit (in person or online) from placement provider and placement tutor regarding reflection on skills development, areas of strength and weakness and contribution to the workplace.

Special features

• Students on the 'with industry' variant will carry out a period of employment called an industrial placement. Students will be encouraged to undertake the maximum period of employment possible, to gain the full benefit of experience in industry.
• On the return from an industrial placement, the placement student will carry out an in-house project in the School, as per the non-Industry masters degree. The School will be responsible for ensuring projects are supervised and assessed. The project title will be finalised, in conjunction with the placement student, while they are on placement.
• During the industrial placement, appropriate support and monitoring will be provided by the School as defined in the code of practice for managing higher education provision with others.
• Placement students will be expected to complete a monthly reflective journal to record their training. This will support the placement student to complete the placement portfolio which is assessed on a pass/fail basis and will have no credit weighting in the masters degree.
• Placement students who do not pass the assessment or meet the minimum duration of an industrial placement will receive the non-Industry masters degree, subject to achievement of the requirements of the masters degree.

Indications of programme quality

It is the student’s responsibility to secure an industrial placement. Obtaining an industrial placement is competitive and therefore securing a placement cannot be guaranteed. Students enrolled on ‘with industry’ courses will be given access to bespoke extra-curricular support to aid them in searching for suitable placement opportunities, and in undertaking the recruitment and selection process. They should engage with this as fully as possible to maximise their chances of success. In addition, they will have access to central Careers and Employability services offered to all student cohorts. Careers and Employability will also work closely with the relevant academic departments to identify any bespoke cohort needs, such as in-school placement briefing sessions. Employer led activities provide a platform for students to engage with organisations who are recruiting students for with industry roles.

The ‘with Industry’ masters degree relies on the placement provider to provide work suitable for an masters degree student. To ensure the role is relevant, the School assesses the industrial placement through the University’s placement approval process. The placement provider will be asked to provide:

• An indication of the area of the organisation where the placement student will work.
• An indication of the area of expertise that the placement student should have or will gain.
• Whether the work is suitable only for a UK national, EU national or overseas student.
• The resources available to the placement student. For example, design software, textbooks laboratory equipment, product specimens, access to facilities in the organisation.
• Identification of a suitable industrial mentor (i.e. a graduate with knowledge of the area and at least a couple of years of experience in the field).

When a placement student starts an industrial placement, they will be required to complete health and safety documents and confirm they have completed a formal induction process no later than the second week of placement.

Placement students will be provided with a on placement guide for their industrial placement supporting them to complete the assessment. The School will undertake a placement start check, regular communications, visits to the workplace (physical and/or virtual) and evaluation. Communication and contact between the placement student, placement provider and University provides support should issues arise.

Progression points

Progression for a 'with industry' variant

To progress onto a placement students must meet the following criteria:

• At the Board of Examiners following the 1st semester of study, students must have achieved a pass mark/grade for all modules (i.e. 50.00% or a grade of ‘C’).
• At the Board of Examiners following the 2nd semester of study, students must have achieved a pass mark/grade for all modules (i.e. 50.00% or a grade of ‘C’).

Any student not meeting the above criteria will typically revert to the non-industry variant of the degree programme and undertake any re-sits as determined by a Board of Examiners in line with Senate Regulations.

The Board of Examiners may use its discretion when considering modules failed with accepted mitigating circumstances.

• In exceptional circumstances where students have not passed modules at the first attempt they may be permitted to resit failed assessments from the second semester of study during their placement, with permission from the Placement Provider. This will be at the discretion of the Board of Examiners and students may re-sit a maximum of 30 credits via this means 
• If the result of the reassessment is such that the student will no longer be eligible for the award of a masters degree, the student will be withdrawn from placement.

Students who fail to secure a placement by the deadline set, will revert to the non-industry variant of the degree programme and will progress to the dissertation or research project.

A placement student will revert to the standard variant of the programme if:

• They fail to secure an industrial placement role.
• They fail to pass the assessment related to the industrial placement.
• The industrial placement ends early due to the behaviour of the placement student not being in accordance with the University’s regulations governing student responsibilities (SR2 and SR11). The placement student will need to return to the University and carry out an in-house project in the School, as per the normal non-industry masters degree. To prevent such an incident from happening, processes are in place to identify any possible issues or concerns early in the industrial placement role. This includes a start check, regular communications, visits to the workplace (physical and/or virtual) and evaluation. Communication and contact between the placement student, placement provider and University provides support should issues arise.
• They discontinue their industrial placement and carry out an in-house project in the School, as per the normal non-industry masters degree.

Industrial placement duration

The required duration and minimum duration for an industrial placement varies by academic School and intake period, and can be seen below.

Students may undertake a placement with a minimum duration of 9 months and a maximum duration that is normally 11 months. Placements of up to 12 months may be considered during the Placement Authorisation Process but cannot be over 12 months in duration.

The minimum duration is the minimum time required for an industrial placement to be formally recognised. If the industrial placement is terminated earlier than this as a result of events outside of the placement students’ control (for example redundancy, company liquidation or medical reasons), the following process will be adopted:

1. If the placement student has completed less than two thirds of the duration, they will be supported to search for another placement to take them up to the required minimum duration for the industrial placement to be formally recognised. If the placement student does not find a placement to meet this criteria they will be required to be transferred onto the non-industry masters degree and begin the in-house project at the earliest opportunity.
2. If the placement student has completed two thirds or more of the duration, they will be supported to search for another placement to take them up to the required duration for the industrial placement to be formally recognised. If the placement student cannot source an additional placement to take them to this duration, assessments related to the industrial placement will be set for the student to make it possible for the individual learning objectives for the industrial placement to be met. This will allow with industry to be recognised in the degree certificate.
3. The duration of time between the two placement providers to meet the minimum duration of an industrial placement must not exceed the period of time required to comply with visa requirements and begin the in-house project.
4. A placement student is permitted to undertake an industrial placement that runs across two academic years.