Undergraduates
Undergraduate programme specification content for Year in Enterprise programme variants
To be read in conjunction with the relevant programme specification.
The Year in Enterprise is open to all undergraduate courses, with the exception of:
- Chemistry BSc
- Chemistry MChem
The Year in Enterprise is a competitive process and applying does not guarantee you a space. If you are successful in securing a year in enterprise and meet all of the progression criteria, this will be communicated to you by the Careers and Employability Service in conjunction with your academic school. Students that are successful in securing a Year in Enterprise will be supported to transfer courses onto the Year in Enterprise variant of their degree programme.
Programme aims
For the Year in Enterprise variant only, these additional programme aims apply:
- Prepare students for career and training opportunities – in both the private and public sectors, self-employment and voluntary organisations.
- Construct an effective business plan and recognise enterprise skills.
- Provide students the opportunity to recognise suitable plans for transitioning out of university.
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 the development of your business idea or venture.
- Compose a reflective summary considering your strengths, development areas and motivations for your next step.
- Modify your existing business plan to include the knowledge, skills and understanding you have gained through your significant experience gained in the past 12 months.
Teaching and learning methods
- Students undertake a minimum of 9 months self-employed placement experience from the Start-Up Workspace at the University of Leicester.
- Project supervision, independent research as to a viable business idea or venture.
How demonstrated
- Completion of Monthly Reflective Journals to record skills development, major achievements, key areas of work, learning points and challenges overcome.
- Assessed by a Business Portfolio, comprising of a My Skills Portfolio and 3-year business plan (excluded from word count) to formally assess on a pass or fail basis.
- Formative feedback during a Student Visit (in person, on campus) from Enterprise Advisor reflecting on skills development, areas of strength and weakness and contribution to the business idea.
Progression points
Progression onto a Year in Enterprise
The progression criteria for undergraduate students on a ‘Year in Enterprise’ programme variant to progress onto their placement is detailed below:
- Students commencing study in 2018/19 to 2024/25:
- Pass all first year modules needed to progress to the next level of study, achieving an overall credit weighted average of at least 40.00% in accordance with Senate Regulation 5.13.
- Pass all second year modules needed to progress to the next level of study in the same academic year, achieving an overall credit weighted average of at least 40.00% in accordance with Senate Regulation 5.13.
- Students commencing study from 2025/26 onwards:
Nine months is the minimum time required for a year in enterprise to be formally recognised. The student will be supported by the university to explore their business idea or venture that was covered on application to securing a place on the self-employed placement year.
Should that idea or venture work out to not be viable, the student will be supported to explore further ideas.
If the year in enterprise is terminated earlier than 9 months as a result of an event outside of the Placement Students control, the following process will be adopted:
- If the Placement Student has completed 1 – 6 months and has found that their original business idea or venture is no longer viable and no longer wishes to participate in the programme to explore other business start-up ideas they will be required to suspend and transferred onto the without Year in Enterprise variant of the programme.
- If the Placement Student has completed more than 7 months and has found that their original business idea or venture is no longer viable and no longer wishes to participate in the programme to explore other business start-up ideas, assessments related to the year in enterprise will be set for the student to make it possible for the individual learning objectives for the year in enterprise to be met. This will allow the Year in Enterprise to be recognised in the degree certificate.
- A Placement Student will not be permitted to undertake a self-employed placement which runs across two academic years.
Key/extra features
It is the student’s responsibility to secure a year in enterprise through a competitive university managed application and selection process.
Students will be given access to bespoke extra-curricular support to aid their enterprise knowledge, in addition to central Careers and Employability services offered to all student cohorts.
Should bespoke, in-curriculum support be required for the programme this must be discussed with the Careers and Employability service in advance, as part of staffing resource requirements outlined above.
The entrepreneurial activities provide a platform for students to develop a viable business idea and venture to fully launch after graduation.