Abstract
This case report presents an evaluation of the effect of a work-based placement on the achievements in the final year of the undergraduate degree. We also aimed to assess whether “better” students were opting to take up a placement year and if such a con-founder would have an influence on the effect of placement on final year performance. Retrospective data were collected for ten consecutive cohorts of students who had read for the same full time BSc Hons degree programme with a broad curriculum that offered an optional work-based placement year that was not closely aligned to their academic studies. The results have shown that “better” students opt to take up an optional work-based placement year; however, taking up the placement has not affected students’ final year attainment. This case report supports the notion that for a work-based placement to have a positive effect on students’ final year attainment, the placement must be closely aligned to the discipline of academic study.
Highlights
In UK higher education system, the duration of full-time bachelor’s of science (BSc) degree with honours (Hons) programmes is normally three to four academic years
The following characteristics and data were collected for each student: 1) gender; 2) study option, i.e. the three-year, full-time option without a work placement year or four-year, full-time option that includes a work-based placement year; 3) second year, weighted average mark calculated from second year modules amounting to 120 credit points with the contribution of each module according to its credit value; 4) final year, weighted average mark calculated from results of the final year modules amounting to 120 credit points, with the contribution of each module based on its credit value
Our results show that taking up the placement did not improve these students’ final year attainment
Summary
In UK higher education system, the duration of full-time bachelor’s of science (BSc) degree with honours (Hons) programmes is normally three to four academic years. Rawlings et al [6] have shown significant interaction between students’ attainment in the second year and their decision to take the work-based placement year Those findings were later confirmed by the results by Driffield et al [7] who stated “While confirming that undertaking a placement year does increase your degree performance, this study has established that the better students undertake a placement”. Jones et al [8] have noted “that work placements that are aligned to academic disciplines are more likely to lead to superior performance” This would suggest that a work-based placement year may have a lesser impact on students’ final year attainment where it is combined with a fundamental science programme whose broad curriculum does not or cannot be strictly aligned with the content of a work-based placement year
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