Industrial Placements Dr Allison Carrington School of Medical Sciences

Main Objectives Provide students with opportunity to apply skills and knowledge acquired during levels 1-3 to real-life, practical situations. Gain skills which will enhance employment prospects upon graduating. Gain insight into life outside academia.

Eligible Degrees Previously BSc Molecular Biology BSc Immunology BSc Biotechnology BSc Molecular Microbiology BSc Biochemistry BSc Genetics BSc Microbiology Now Also Includes ( from Sept 2008 – first placements summer 2009 ) BSc Genetics and Psychology BSc Biomedical Science (Developmental Biology) BSc Biomedical Science (Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, Physiology and Anatomy) BSc Human Embryology and Developmental Biology BSc Neuroscience with Psychology BSc Pharmacology BSc Physiology BSc Sports and Exercise Science BSc Sports Studies (Sport and Society)

Current Situation Students must be eligible for entry into honours year. Students must register for and complete BT 3006 – Working Out – Placement and Career Skills (5 credits). Placement is for one full calendar year. Must be relevant to the aims of the degree programme. Students complete degree in year 5.

Placement Opportunities This year:–  Wyeth, Aberdeen  Ness Foundation, Inverness  GSK, Essex  Genpoint, Olso  Novartis, Switzerland  Veterinary Research Institute, Brno Working to expand the number and type of placement opportunities to fit in with new degree programmes. Students must be competent in a laboratory and have a sufficient depth of specific knowledge to undertake placements.

Assessment of Placement Total of 120 credit points for year. Two interim reports submitted during year in placement and assessed by industrial supervisor (5% of the total marks each). Final lab report assessed by industrial supervisor (10%). Thesis (not exceeding 3000 words)  Assessed by industrial supervisor (10%).  Assessed by 2 SMS staff (50%). Short interview with SMS staff (20%).

Queries Raised Possibility of shorter placements counting towards a ‘with Industrial Placement’ degree eg.  Placements taken instead of honours projects  (Edinburgh offers placements of 6 months and 1 year, Abertay offers 18 week clinical laboratory placements, Dundee offers only Pharmaceutical Chemistry with placement) These all present the problem of how to award degrees ‘With Industrial Placement’ as students could be undertaking different lengths/types of placement but hoping for the same acknowledgement.

University of Glasgow 4 yr BSc Honours Degree 5 yr MSci include one year industrial placement. Degrees include  Anatomy, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology, Genetics, Immunology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Medical Biochemistry, Microbiology, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Neuroscience, Parasitology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Physiology & Sports Science, Plant Science, Virology, Zoology, Zoology & Applied Mathematics

Placements offered by other schools at Aberdeen University BSC Forestry and BSc Forest Sciences  This is not credited in any way. The Department of Computing Science involved in the SunStart programme (run by Sun Microsystems and supported by Scottish Enterprise) which places students with Sun Microsystems in the USA (California or Colorado).SunStart programmeSun Microsystems  Credited as per SMS

Quotes from current employers ‘We know we will never have another student who is so able, employable and trustworthy as we have found in *** ‘. ‘I worked to find funding for us to be able to employ *** and I feel we have been amply rewarded by her work for us’. ‘She is a credit to the University of Aberdeen and I wish her every success for the completion of her degree and further studies. I would willingly employ *** on a full-time basis in the future but I know she has the capacity for far greater things’. ‘*** continues to excel. He is a trusted and popular member of the team and his appetite for work is exemplary. He thrives on new challenges and meets them with customary enthusiasm and diligence. A pleasure to work with’. ‘*** consistently works well, independently and has a good deal of input into planning her project. A highly valued member of the team’.