Industry placements
Improve your employment prospects and develop your skills, as you put science into practice in the workplace. You can choose to do a year-long industry placement once you have started your degree programme.
Please be aware that study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university's control. Every effort will be made to update this information as quickly as possible should a change occur.
Why do a placement?
- improve your future employment prospects and stand out
- see the practical results of your learning in the real world
- make new contacts and learn to communicate with people from different backgrounds
- gain an insight into the industry and be inspired for your future career
Student profiles
Rhedd's placement at Premier Foods
Matt's placement at Dartmoor Zoo
Agricultural industry placement
About Year in Industry Placements
- Available to all students with the exception of MNutr Nutrition and Dietetics, who have practice placements as part of the course.
- Your placement can be in the UK or abroad.
- Get help from the experienced School Placement Team to search, apply for and secure a placement.
Previous placements include:
- Agricultural Sciences - AB Agri, KWS Seeds, McDonald's, BASF and Velcourt
- Animal Science - The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Chester Zoo, The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust
- Biotechnology and Microbiology - GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Medimmune
- Environmental Sciences - ADAS, Delta-Simons, British Geological Survey and Gatwick Airport
- Food Sciences - M&S, Muller, PepsiCo, Mars, Molson Coors, Campden BRI
- Plant Science - National Botanic Garden of Wales, John Innes Centre, Kew Gardens
What to expect
The year in industry takes place between years two and three of your degree, adding an additional year to your degree course.
Pre-placement: You will be guided through the process by the School Placement Team, who will help you secure a suitable placement, and offer support throughout the year.
On placement: You become an employee of your chosen organisation, whilst remaining a fully registered student. You pay a reduced tuition fee to the University, are eligible to apply for student finance and in most cases receive a salary.
Post placement: We will support you to integrate back into your course including co-ordinating module choices and projects as appropriate for your programme.
Once you have secured a placement, the name of your degree programme will change to include the statement ‘with industrial year’, for example BSc Agriculture with industrial year.
Contact us
To find out more or ask a question, contact the School Placement Team.
Dr Judith Wayte and Nicola Bullivant-Parrish
University of Nottingham
Sutton Bonington Campus