A placement year is also known as a sandwich year, year in industry or professional experience.
You can complete a placement year as a postgraduate student if you study one of the Business Schools MBA or MSc programmes.
On your placement year you will develop your employability skills while finding out about an area of work that interests you. You will usually be paid in the process. These placements take place, for a minimum of 9 months, but usually 12 months during the second year of your Master's. Your experience on placement will then form the foundation for your Business Consultancy Project. More information on this can be provided by your Academic Tutor.
Why complete a placement year?
Completing a placement year can provide a number of benefits and a great opportunity to link your academic learning with real hands-on experience and includes:
Gain industry-level experience as a postgraduate student.
Earn while you learn. The average salary for a placement year in 2023 was £558 according to RateMyPlacement; however, this can often be more depending on the sector and location of the placement
Build your confidence. The different challenges and situations you experience on placement help to develop your skills and aptitudes. The Placement Year team, and your academic supervisor, will also support you to reflect on, and explore, these experiences
Secure a Graduate role. 46% of placement students and interns were offered graduate jobs from the company they worked for, according to information collected by RateMyPlacement in 2024.
Great addition to your CV. The skills and knowledge you gain from your placement will always be on your CV, setting you apart from others, and giving you experience to talk about in future interviews.
If you on a student visa, completing a placement year can be a great introduction to working with a company and could lead to graduate work or sponsorship in the future.
Support securing your placement and preparing for your placement year
Placement preparation sessions, a dedicated Moodle site and exclusive Handshake resources will be available to you. Within these resources you will:
find out where you can apply for placement opportunities
learn how to communicate your skills
learn how to prepare your CV, cover letter and other application materials
take part in practice interviews
connect with employers offering placements, and
hear from speakers and former students who can help you.