Aims

This module aims to help students develop their professional identity and competence by providing opportunities to work with live clients and apply disciplinary knowledge and skills in a variety of real-world contexts.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module introduces students to professional practice and career planning in a range of contexts relevant to the Sport & Exercise Scientist, supported by talks and presentations from practitioners and employers.

The syllabus will require students to:
•       Explore a variety of employment contexts in which the knowledge and skills of the Sport and Exercise Scientist can be applied
•       Create or update a CV and LinkedIn profile and work to grow their professional network and experiences
•       Create a reflective log scaffolded around professional competencies and evidence of engaging in activities with external clients and industries
•       Explore complex real-world challenges that are faced by external partner organisations and propose solutions
•       Conduct group work in collaboration with external partners to propose solutions to real-world challenges, based on the knowledge and professional competencies of the Sport and Exercise Scientist

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The teaching methods utilised in this module are designed to build on the curriculum at Stage 1 and 2 and support students to further develop and apply disciplinary knowledge and skills in an authentic context.

•       Lectures provide students with an introduction to the module’s structure and experiential learning approach as well as context for assessment.

•       Lectures provide an overview of the core concepts and approaches necessary to undertake professional practice, project work and assessment activities.

•       Workshops provide students with the opportunity to create/update their CV and LinkedIn profile, and plan and develop needs analyses with support and feedback from external clients and academic supervisors.

•       Workshops in semester two provide students with the opportunity to plan and progress project work with feedback and guidance from academic supervisors and clients.

•       Practicals provide students with the opportunity to practice professional skills and receive support and feedback from academic supervisors.

•       Small Group Teaching is student-led and is an opportunity for students to receive tailored support to develop the knowledge and skills (including research skills) required to progress project work.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

In both semesters, the Reflective log allows students to demonstrate their ability to critically reflect on their professional practice, experience and network building capabilities in a variety of contexts. Students will articulate their learning in terms of academic, professional and personal development and self-identify development needs, and the implications of their experience for future practice.

In semester 1, students will deliver an individual oral presentation in the form of a mock job interview. Successful completion of this assessment will demonstrate their ability to critically evaluate their own employability skills, based on their real-life professional and practical experiences, and describe how these skills and experiences allow them to meet the needs of employers.

In semester two, the Group Oral Presentation allows students to demonstrate their ability to plan and conduct a collaborative research project that addresses the real-world challenges facing external partners through the application of disciplinary knowledge and skills. The presentation also allows students to demonstrate their ability to communicate their findings and recommendations in an appropriate and accessible format. The presentation may be accompanied by a written appendix that offers further context and information.