CL2CCP: Careers for Classicists and Ancient Historians with Placement

Module code: CL2CCP

Module provider: Classics; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Summer and Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor David Carter, email: d.m.carter@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE CL2CC (Compulsory)

Placement information: Micro placement

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module combines either a work or an academic placement, completed in the summer between Part 1 and Part 2, with the study of work and careers in the ancient world. It aims to recognise and enhance the employability of students, in particular by enabling them to: 

• Gain experience of the job application and recruitment process through self-organised placements in an organisation or in academic research.
• Increase employability through being able to demonstrate experience in the professional sector or in academic research and enhanced transferable skills (e.g. communication, time-management, problem-solving). 
• Extend knowledge of career options to help identify future career path(s) matching their aspirations. 
• Develop communication skills, both written and verbal, as well as networking and presentation skills. 

In addition, students will reflect creatively on their experience by comparing it to a range of aspects of work and careers in the ancient world, from farmers to emperors. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Demonstrate understanding and insight into a professional work environment or a research project;
2. Evaluate the success and usefulness of their placement and to think critically about how the work carried out has contributed to the work of the placement provider;
3. Reflect on examples of transferable skills acquired and developed whilst on placement and encountered during their study of careers in the ancient world and to assess their significance in a creative exercise.

Module content

Students are expected to secure their own placements of at least 70 hours, normally to be completed during the summer vacation preceding Part 2 study. Placements may be paid or unpaid. Ample advice and support on securing placements will be available from the Careers Advisory Service. In Semester 2 of Part 2 students will explore central aspects of work and careers in the ancient world. This is designed to encourage reflection on professional attitudes and behaviours in different contexts, and to prepare students for a rapidly changing world of work. 

Topics studied in class may include the following: 

• Farming and morality in the Greek and Roman worlds.
• The school of Chiron: how to become a hero.
• Work and gender in antiquity.
• The Roman cursus honorum.
• Military careers.

Students who do not secure placements will be asked to transfer to the module ‘Careers for Classicists and Ancient Historians’ (CL2CC) instead. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

An initial briefing and follow-up meeting during Semester 2 of Part 1 will give advice on how to secure a placement, and develop skills writing CVs and covering letters.  

The teaching for Semester 2 will consist of a mix of lectures and seminars exploring different aspects of ancient work and careers, to prepare for a creative assignment that links ancient and modern attitudes to issues of work and careers.  

Study hours

At least 14 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs