Work Placements

A work placement is work undertaken as part of a credit-bearing module.  

In other words, it is work that makes up an assessed part of your degree programme.

This is different from any work experience you may take outside your studies e.g. an internship or a part-time job. 

The type of role or organisation you can work with on placement will vary based on the module or programme you are registering the placement for. 

Our key aim is to support you in gaining work-related experience that we hope will give you the skills and experience to secure a graduate-level job and support your career aspirations following your time at Exeter.

Undergraduate

There are two types of work placements that are undertaken as part of a placement module or degree programme, and these will vary across subject disciplines. 

We categorise them as:

• Year-long (sometimes known as “sandwich year placements” or “year in industry” and will generally last between 26 weeks to 15 months. It will also be built into a four-year degree programme.) 

• Short-term (work placement will generally be from 35 hours to four weeks. They will typically be part of a three-year degree programme, but in some cases can also be taken during a four-year degree. Refer to the webpage for your chosen programme for more details.) 

For detailed information on year-long placements, check out the Work Placements@Exeter Padlet where you can find out more about placement programmes associated with your degree. 

Postgraduate

We categorise the opportunities available to postgraduate taught students as:

• Year-long (sometimes known as “year in industry” or "with industrial experience" and will generally last a minimum of nine months.) 

• Short-term (work placement will generally be from 35 hours to four weeks as part of a compulsory or optional module, depending on your programme.)

This varies across different placement modules/programmes and the length of placement but in general they will take place as follows: 

• Year-long placements can start as early as June after your second-year exams, and your third year will be taken as your placement year. You will then return to Exeter in time for Term 1 of your fourth and final year. 

• Short-term placements will vary across modules and usually need to be undertaken over a certain term or over the summer holidays. In some cases, the placement may take place prior to the module starting e.g. summer before Term 1. 

You will need to find and secure your own placement, but the Placement Team offer a wide range of support to help you do this. 

To find out more about this support, check out the Work Placements@Exeter Padlet for further information.  

With this wide range of support, you will not only develop the necessary skills to search and compete for placements but will be able to use them to secure a job after graduating. 

No, you don't have to join a placement programme at UCAS stage to undertake one. 

For most programmes, you can opt-in to undertake a year-long placement at Exeter at any point from the start of your first year to the end of your second year. However, there are exceptions - please refer to the web page for your chosen programme for further details.

However, we would always recommend you join via UCAS if that is an option. This is because on most year-long placement programmes, support for you will start in Term 2 of your first year. 

Joining at UCAS will ensure you are communicated with about support during your first term at Exeter and we will start our support e.g. lectures, workshops, online resources during term 2 (January after you start.)