Postgraduate programme specification content for 'with professional practice' programme variants

This page details the University’s standard specification for the Postgraduate Taught (PGT) ‘with Professional Practice’ component of PGT ‘with Professional Practice’ programme variants. This page details the University’s standard specification for PGT ‘with industry’ programme variants and 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 for the degree are campus based. The WPP project will be undertaken in collaboration with an external partner from the public or private sector. This may be on campus or through a short internship placement.

The taught modules would all be taken in the first two semesters of study. This is followed by the WPP project.

Programme aims

For students undertaking the with Professional Practice variant, the following additional programme aims apply:

• Provide students with industry-related experience that will prepare them for future career and training opportunities, supporting their transition into professional employment.
• Enable students to construct effective industry focused outputs and reflect meaningfully on their experience.

With Professional Practice programmes enable students to develop skills relevant to, and transferrable across many types of organisation, including commercial businesses and public sector entities.

Intended learning outcomes

College of Science and Engineering

On successful completion of the professional practice placement, students will be able to:

• Work effectively in a team, fostering an inclusive and sensitive communication style
• Be able to specify the problem and the needs of relevant stakeholders
• Plan, justify and develop an appropriate solution within the time available
• Clearly communicate results and conclusions to relevant stakeholders
• Critically reflect on personal and professional competencies and behaviours, articulating how insights from the activity will inform ongoing personal and professional development.

College of Business

On successful completion of the professional practice placement, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of business knowledge within a professional context.
• Apply professional and interpersonal skills in authentic workplace settings and critically evaluate their effectiveness.
• Critically reflect on personal and professional competencies and behaviours, articulating how insights from the internship will inform ongoing personal and professional development.
• Design, justify and implement an appropriate research methodology to investigate a substantive business issue.
• Construct and communicate coherent, evidence based arguments and recommendations for academic and professional stakeholders.
• Demonstrate critical judgement in making responsible, evidence based business decisions incorporating sustainable, ethical and/or inclusive principles relevant to the context and stakeholder partners.

Teaching and learning methods

College of Science and Engineering

An employer-led industry project or consultancy project, informed by industry needs. Students work in small teams based at the University of Leicester, with support from an industry mentor and a University supervisor.

College of Business

Teaching and learning combine an 8 week virtual internship with structured academic support:

• Lectures introducing theories and frameworks underpinning professional practice and project work.
• Practical workshops developing applied workplace skills, reflective practice, and research capabilities.
• Project supervision guiding the development and execution of the business project arising from the internship.
• Independent study including directed reading, reflective analysis, development of project plans, research activities, reflective logs, and skills development

How demonstrated?

College of Science and Engineering

• Reflective account (10%)
  • A critical individual reflection on skills development, experience, and professional learning arising from the activity.

• Project dissertation (65%)
  • An individual or group industry report applying appropriate disciplinary and industry informed methods and outputs.
• Presentation (25%)
  • An individual or group presentation to relevant stakeholders using appropriate media.
• Alternative Assessment (B occurrence)
  • If a student cannot complete the project due to unanticipated disruption with the industrial partner efforts will be made to secure an alternative project. If this is not possible students will be able to revert to an ‘in house’ masters research project offered through the relevant academic school. In this event students will not graduate with a ‘with Professional Practice’ degree.

College of Business

• Virtual internship (20%) - attendance verified.
  • Students must undertake and pass the internship to pass the module.
  • Attendance requirements:
    • 90–100% attendance, with absences reported and authorised → Full 20% awarded.
    • 90–100% attendance, but absences NOT reported/authorised → Mark capped at 50%.
    • Attendance below 90% → 0% awarded.
  • Additional rules:
    • Students cannot mitigate the internship component
    • Attendance is monitored by the provider and reported to the University.
• Reflective Assessment (10%)
  • A critical reflection on skills development, experience, and professional learning arising from the internship.
• Business Project (70%)
  • An 8,000 word project analysing a substantive business issue identified during the virtual internship, applying appropriate research methods and frameworks.
• Engagement in supervision, feedback activities, and reflective development throughout.
• Alternative Assessment (B occurrence)
  • If a student cannot complete the internship or the internship becomes unavailable due to provider closure or unexpected disruption:
    • A B occurrence alternative will be offered, such as: 
      • A business simulation, or
      • A live project based on Work Related Learning (WRL) activities.
    • Alternatives will be professionally authenticated or set by an appropriate practitioner,
    • They will follow WRL principles to ensure authenticity and realistic workplace tasks.
  • While priority will always be to secure an alternative internship provider, this clause protects continuity of study. 

Visa restrictions for College of Business programmes

For students on an international student visa undertaking a with Professional Practice degree that includes a virtual internship, the following statutory restrictions apply:

• Students are legally capped at 20 hours of work per week, and this limit includes virtual internships.
• The virtual internship will therefore operate at 20 hours per week and must not exceed this under any circumstances.
• For the entire 8 week placement, students cannot undertake any other form of employment, as the 20 hour allocation is fully used by the internship.
• This restriction will be communicated clearly in all module communications, option choice discussions, and reiterated within the module.
• The University’s Visa Team must report the names of all students undertaking internships.
• The internship provider will monitor attendance and report this to the University.

For students on an international student visa undertaking a with Professional Practice degree that does not include a virtual internship, they will be bound by the existing conditions of their visa with respect to paid work.

Progression requirements

To undertake the placement module:

• Students must have successfully completed the 120 taught credits preceding the placement.
• Students must have met the standard University progression requirements for PGT programmes.
• The placement module takes place only after completion of these taught credits.

Re-assessment

A student will be typically be eligible for re-assessment of a failed ‘with Professional Practice’ project on one occasion, unless this is not permitted for the module in question. Where this is the case, it will be set out in the relevant module specification. Where a student fails to achieve a pass mark for the ‘with Professional Practice’ project module after all available opportunities they will be considered for an interim award. This will not carry the title of ‘with Professional Practice’.

Award requirements

A student who completes the requirements of the ‘with Professional Practice’ project and achieves a pass mark for the module, and who meets the other requirements under Senate Regulation 6 will be awarded a Masters degree with Professional Practice.

Download this page as a PDF (184Kb)