Year in Industry

Enhance your career prospects with an undergraduate Year in Industry.

A Year in Industry is an integrated and assessed part of selected undergraduate degrees. Students spend 10 to 12 months working full time in an approved organisation, applying academic learning in real-world environments, developing professional and interpersonal skills, and increasing their readiness for graduate employment. 

Students are responsible for sourcing their own placement, supported by the Careers Service. All placements must be approved by the programme convenors to ensure relevance and academic suitability. 

Year 1: academic study 

Students begin the taught portion of their programme and begin preparation for sourcing placements. 

Year 2: academic study 

Students continue the taught portion of their programme and complete the compulsory Your Career Launchpad Module. This module will support all students with their career readiness. It will develop self-awareness and self-efficacy to prepare students for applying for internships, placements and graduate jobs. 

The module will include insights from employers and relevant experiential learning experiences to support student employability.  

Year 3: industry placement (10 to 12 months) 

Students work full time in an industry placement at a relevant organisation. You remain registered with the university during the placement year and are therefore required to pay a reduced tuition fee for the Year in Industry.

Placements are expected to be paid at or above the national minimum wage. Any unpaid or below minimum age placements must be discussed with and approved by the programme convenor 

Alternatively, students in their third year may revert to a three-year degree without a Year in Industry.

Final year: return to campus 

Students return to complete their degree, drawing on placement experience to inform final year modules, projects, or dissertations. 

Students who complete the placement year and return to complete their final year of study will graduate with 'with Year in Industry' included in the official title of their degree award and certificate.

Current Year in Industry programmes are: 

• BA Economics with Year in Industry
• BSc Accounting and Finance with Year in Industry
• BSc Economics (A) with Year in Industry
• BSc Management with Year in Industry
• BA Creative Arts and Cultural Industries with Year in Industry
• BA Digital Media, Culture and Creative Arts with Year in Industry
• BA Digital Media, Culture and Film Studies with Year in Industry