Undergraduate placement year
A placement year is available to the majority of undergraduate students studying at Nottingham University Business School, allowing you to gain essential industry experience before graduating.
Placement years are a great way to put your learning into practice and take place between years two and three of your degree - adding an additional year to your degree course.
Undertaking a placement can:
- give you real industry experience
- greatly improve your employment prospects
- help you create industry contacts and develop professional networks
- enable you to understand different sectors of business to tailor your future career choice
- provide the opportunity to meet future employers
Undergraduate students talking about their experiences of undertaking a placement as part of their degree
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+£2,111
potential increase in graduate salary upon graduation
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Your placement year journey
How it works
The placement year offers an array of support and opportunities to ensure you can make the most out of your placement experience.
First year
- A series of integrated employability and skills-based workshops to put you in the best possible position to apply for roles
- Links to practical volunteering and paid opportunities to bring your professional skills to life and help you get the most from your university experience
- Employer and returning student talks to help you understand what might be best for you
- Access to a dedicated placement team
Second year
- Employability workshops to support your application search
- Support with applications, CV’s, cover letters, interviews and assessment centres
- Support from the placements team and peer mentors
- Access to a dedicated resources to help you find placement opportunities
- Pre-placement training to help you with your transition into the workplace
Third year - on placement
While on placement, you become an employee of your chosen organisation, while remaining a fully registered student. You pay a reduced tuition fee to the University, you are supported on the placement with regular contact by the Placement Manager and are eligible to apply for student finance and - as the school only supports paid placements - you will receive a salary.
- On placement support from our placement team
- Monthly catch-up calls to check on your progress
- A visit either in person or virtually at your company to help tailor your career thinking
- A dedicated placements bursary to support you with costs associated with placement (workwear, travel, equipment). Eligibility criteria applies, which will be emailed to all students in due course.
Final year
We support you to integrate back into your course, make the most of your experience and continue to support your career development.
This includes:
- returners event to help you celebrate your achievements and network with other returning placement students
- Placement Year Awards to celebrate your success
- the opportunity to mentor other first/second year students involved in placements
- dedicated meetings with our Careers and Employability Service team to look at life after Graduation
My placement was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have been allowed to grow and express my ideas in a supportive environment, with my amazing team and colleagues at Druck.
Please be aware integrated Placement Year/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. Placement Years are not guaranteed, however students can access various support to support them with their search and applications through our dedicated Placements Team and Careers and Employability Service.
