Placement learning

November 2024: Template Learning Agreement (Imperial College London) [PDF] (for use by Imperial College students) : for UG Year Abroad students going to any destination from 2023-24 onwards.

Students can also find (below, under Forms) the "emergency contacts form" which doubles when the placement is abroad as a checklist.

Policy and good practice

• Placement learning policy [pdf]
• Flow diagrams of good practice in placement management [pdf]
• Good practice for placements [pdf] For UG & PGT external curriculum-based placements, PGR placements & UG Extra-ECTS vacation internships. This document includes the roles and responsibilities for a Placement Manager and a Placement Tutor
• Good practice for undergraduate study abroad (e.g. year abroad) : queries to Adrian Hawksworth, Assistant Registrar (Placements) a.hawksworth@imperial.ac.uk
  
• Guidance- meeting language proficeincy requirements (undergraduate study abroad - internal use only [PDF]. Guidance for departments regarding language proficiency for undergraduate study abroad in countries where English is not an official language (except for “language for science” degrees).
• Guidance on academic recognition for study abroad: queries to Adrian Hawksworth, Assistant Registrar (Placements) a.hawksworth@imperial.ac.uk
• Student placement emergency procedure [pdf] Updated document (April 2025)
• Student exchange partnerships - procedure [pdf] for the approval, reapproval and review of student exchange partnerships. Updated document (April 2025)
  

Forms

• Placement provider information form [doc] (compulsory/mandatory use if host organisation is not covered by a student exchange agreement or a dept has an equivalent template)
• Template student placement approval form [doc]
• Student placement emergency contacts and pre-departure checklist (abroad) [doc]
  
• Template student placement feedback sheet [doc]
• Student exchange partnership - Form A (approval) [doc]
  
• Student exchange partnership - Form B (reapproval) [doc]
  

Assessing risk: resources

• Template student placement risk-based assessment sheet [doc]
• A template risk assessment form for part or all of a student placement is available from Adrian Hawksworth, Assistant Registrar (Placements) : a.hawksworth@imperial.ac.uk (c/o the Safety Dept).
• HE sector (USHA) Guidance for the Health & Safety of HE students on Placement [pdf] June 2018 (replaced the previous version dated 2009)

Other resources

• Placements Abroad Handbook‌‌ [pdf] is available on the Placements website. Compiled and updated annually by Registry for current Imperial College students (UG & PG) only, always refer to the current version as updates do occur

Policy and procedures

• Guidelines for allocating ECTS to activities taken outside of term [pdf]

Forms

• Form A - Dept seeking ability to allocate extra-ECTS to a vacation activity [doc]
• Form B - Approval of an individual vacation activity for extra-ECTS by a Dept [doc]

Imperial College allows undergraduate full-degree students* to gain formal recognition (ECTS credits) for specific types of academic work which is not part of the curriculum.  The academic work can be linked to research-based or curriculum-related work undertaken in vacations (for example UROP or structured external internships) but must be relevant to the student's degree discipline. The extra ECTS credit does not contribute to a student's degree at Imperial, and the scheme is voluntary.

* The following departments participate:

• Bioengineering
• Computing
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering
• Materials
• Mechanical Engineering
• Chemistry
• Physics

For some departments the extra-ECTS scheme:

• is only pursued in relation to internal UROP research experiences.
• supports the delivery of accredited development activities of professional institutes.

The Director of Undergraduate Studies is responsible for implementing the process.

The key features are:

• the internship must be within the easter or summer vacation, and be for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 12 weeks.
• the internship (whether external or internal) becomes a "placement" and should be managed in line with Placement Learning Policy and Good Practice.
• ECTS is calculated for attendance (1.5 ECTS per week of full-time work-place attendance) and is awarded upon successful completion of an assessment. 
• Activities must be primarily academic in nature, with clearly defined learning outcomes and criteria for assessment.
• A dept should approve an internship for extra-ECTS ahead of the internship commencing (the credit cannot be applied retrospectively).
• A dept communicates successful awards of extra ECTS to the Registry.
• The ECTS is highlighted on the student's next available transcript, and again in the student's Diploma Supplement at the end of the degree programme. 

Enquiries should be directed to the Director of Undergraduate Studies.