Placements and professional experience

We are deeply committed to helping you achieve your academic and professional ambitions.

While our exciting, challenge-led curriculum and supportive learning environment will enable you to excel in your selected subject, we also recognise the importance of professional experience.

To help you compete in the global job market, we provide a wide range of practical opportunities designed to broaden your horizons, deepen your understanding and enhance your employability.

Placements

A period of professional work experience will enhance your degree, improve your employability and provide you with an opportunity to build your professional network and profile.

Professional placement years

You can choose to study Human Geography and Planning (BSc) or Urban Planning & Development (BSc) as a four-year programme with a built-in professional placement year. This helps enable you to develop graduate level experience during your degree and boost your networking.

We source these placements on your behalf and work with an extensive range of exciting and diverse companies and organisations. The placement may also contribute to the professional experience element of both the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) membership process.

Previous placement destinations have included: local authorities across South Wales, South West and South East England (including London boroughs); government agencies such as Transport for London and the Planning Inspectorate; and private companies such as Asbri Planning, Redrow Homes and Jones Lang LaSalle.

In-programme work experience

We have incorporated a placement opportunity into the three-year Human Geography (BSc) and Human Geography and Planning (BSc) programmes through the Citizen Geographies module. We will support you in finding your placement and provide you with the opportunity to engage with the University's Work Experience team.

The Citizen Geographies module also currently incorporates professional citizenship skills sessions where you will undertake exercises to help you nurture and develop key workplace skills such as team working, communication, fairness, recognition of diversity and corporate social responsibility.

Developing your professional skills

Outside of the transferable analytical and employability skills you will develop through your studies, we also encourage you to participate in the Cardiff Award Scheme. This is a structured employability programme run by the Students' Union, which enables you to gain experience and reflect on your skills and attributes in preparation for the workplace.

We also suggest exploring the Royal Geographical Society's Ambassadors Scheme, which recruits, trains and supports student geographers to act as ambassadors for geography in the classroom and beyond. This is a way of developing new skills and building your network within the geography discipline.

International exposure

We live in an increasingly interconnected and global world and we attach a great deal of importance to internationalisation. The experience of studying or working in an international context can be highly attractive to employers.

As well as providing case study materials from different countries in lectures and seminars, we offer you the opportunity to enjoy a period of European or International exchange.

Currently, as part of the Erasmus+ programme, we have 11 partners across eight European countries. Globally, we are currently able to offer study abroad semesters in North America, South America, Australia and Hong Kong.

The University's Global Opportunities Centre also offers additional support should you wish to study, work or volunteer abroad while the pioneering Languages for All programme allows you to study one of nine languages for free during your studies.