GSE821 Workplace Practices and Skills Development
About this Unit
Semester 2, 2008
Offered: D1 & D2 - Day; First Half-Year and Second Half-Year
Convenor: GSE Staff
Prerequisite: Completion of 8 units of Masters program AND Permission of Head of Department
Credit Points: 4
This is a single semester unit, which allows students to undertake a project associated with a workplace relevant to their specialist area. Acceptance for enrolment in this unit is contingent upon agreement by the academic supervisor that completed units are suitable for the proposed work project and activities.
This unit is designed for students developing knowledge and skills for a career path in a new field. Students may make their own contacts with a workplace of interest, or seek contacts and advice from a staff member in the chosen environmental area. Activities at a current workplace cannot be used for this unit. If in doubt, consult the unit convenor before submitting a contract proposal.
Contract Proposal
To enroll in GSE821, at the time of enrolment you should complete the first part of the Contract Proposal Form (personal details and items 1-4), keep a copy, and submit one copy to the GSE academic staff member who has agreed to act as your academic supervisor.
To be accepted for this unit the completed contract proposal must be submitted to the Unit Convenor by the end of the first week of semester.
Requirements for acceptable proposals are:
- The program must involve a minimum of 40 hours spent at the workplace.
- Details of project output and items to be submitted for assessment.
- The project must be able to be completed and assessment material submitted in the semester in which the Unit is commenced.
- Agreement by the workplace supervisor to provide a report on the student's performance.
- Approval by the unit convenor together with the Director of the masters program in which the student is enrolled.
- Agreement to supervise completion of this contract and undertake assessment by a supervisor deemed appropriate by the GSE.
Having submitted an initial proposal, it is expected that you will discuss the proposed activity with all the relevant people in order to complete the details of the contract proposal.
Objectives
- To enable students to apply theory and the literature in their chosen environmental area to an applied project in a working environment.
- To develop applied skills in developing and carrying through a specific project.
- To acquire experience, perspectives and knowledge of workplace practices in their chosen environmental area.
Teaching Staff
Convenors: GSE staff (dependant on the discipline area in which you wish to conduct the project).
Classes
This is an individualised unit. There are no set lectures but each student must arrange a program of workplace attendance, and meetings with both academic and workplace supervisors. It is essential that the program and assessment components be negotiated in advance via a contract proposal.
Requirements
Work to be carried out to satisfy the requirements of this unit will be determined on an individual basis in discussion between the student, the academic supervisor and the workplace supervisor. The two major requirements are:
- The program must involve a minimum of 40 hours spent at the workplace.
- The project must be of suitable scope to be completed and assessment material submitted in the semester in which the unit is commenced.
Exclusion
Students who are currently employed (full-time or part-time) may not use their current employer for this unit.
Unit web page
There is no web page for this unit.
Learning Outcomes
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Required and Recommended Texts/Materials
Relationship between Assessment and Learning Outcomes
Assessment will be by the academic supervisor in consultation with the workplace supervisor. Assessment will be based on:
- The project output, as well as a report on the process of development of the project, its rationale and the literature used to assist its development. These may be combined or separate, or broken into smaller components but must total not less than 5000 words and no more than 6,000 words. The due date for all written reports must be agreed upon with the unit convenor.
- A report by the workplace supervisor.
The proportion of marks allocated to each component of the work completed for the unit will be negotiated as part of the contract proposal. Like all other Units, this Unit will be graded on a HD, D, C, P & F basis.
Plagiarism
The University defines plagiarism in its rules: "Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own." Plagiarism is a serious breach of the University's rules and carries significant penalties. You must read the University's practices and procedures on plagiarism. These can be found in the Handbook of Postgraduate Studies or on the web at: http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/
The policies and procedures explain what plagiarism is, how to avoid it, the procedures that will be taken in cases of suspected plagiarism, and the penalties if you are found guilty. Penalties may include a deduction of marks, failure in the unit, and/or referral to the University Discipline Committee.
The GSE recommends that students familiarise themselves with the information contained on the Georgetown University Honor Council website which discusses plagiarism in an easy to understand and comprehensive manner.
University Policy on Grading
Academic Senate has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from fail to high distinction. Your final result will include one of these grades plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG).
On occasion your raw mark for a unit (i.e., the total of your marks for each assessment item) may not be the same as the SNG which you receive. Under the Senate guidelines, results may be scaled to ensure that there is a degree of comparability across the university, so that units with the same past performances of their students should achieve similar results.
It is important that you realise that the policy does not require that a minimum number of students are to be failed in any unit. In fact it does something like the opposite, in requiring examiners to explain their actions if more than 20% of students fail in a unit.
The process of scaling does not change the order of marks among students. A student who receives a higher raw mark than another will also receive a higher final scaled mark.
For an explanation of the policy see:
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/Guidelines2003.doc or
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/detailedguidelines.doc
Student Support Services
Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au.
Advice for Students with Disabilities/Health Conditions
The Equity Support Unit (ESU) provides support and assistance to students with a disability/health condition in aiming to ensure that they do not experience disadvantage in reaching their academic potential. Service provision is determined on a case-by-case basis following an assessment of a student's needs and the provision of supporting documentation. Service provision is also dependent on the availability of resources.
To register with ESU, download an Advice of Disability/Health Condition form from http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.html. This form must be completed annually, irrespective of whether a disability/health condition is temporary, long-term or permanent. Students wishing to request support services from the ESU should make an appointment to see a Disability Advisor immediately after enrolling at Macquarie University.
Phone: (02) 9850 6494/7497
Fax: (02) 9850 6063
TTY: (02) 9850 6493
Email: equity@mq.edu.au
In person: Level 2, Lincoln Building (C8A), Macquarie University
Website: http://www.sss.mq.edu.au/equity