www.swansea.ac.uk Postgraduate Prospectus 2012

SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR SKILLS170Our long history of working with business,industry, and commerce enables us toadd real value to your education. Welisten closely to employers when they tellus what skills and experiences theydemand of their graduate employees,and we tailor our courses to make surethat you gain the professional and highlevelskills that will enable you to thrive intoday’s increasingly competitive world.Many of our courses are accredited byprofessional bodies, offer projectplacements with industry, and give youthe opportunity to apply your knowledgein a practical setting. After all,developing your academic skills and loveof scholarship is just one part of what wedo. We’ll also encourage you to gain asmuch practical experience as possible.That’s why each course description in thisprospectus tells you upfront what thedegree will train you to do and whatskills it will help you to gain.We also pioneered the GO Wales jobscheme, which helps students to findemployment with local small- andmedium-sized companies, giving you thechance to improve your skills and careerprospects.Careers and Employability ServiceIf you are undecided about what youwant to do after university, don’t worry.Whether you are interested in jobs,further postgraduate study, voluntarywork, or taking a year out, our trainedadvisers are on hand to give you thesupport and information you need.We can help you to:• develop a portfolio of relevant skills,knowledge, and practical experience• gain maximum benefit from jobplacements and vacation work• find term time jobs and otheropportunities to develop your skills• complete job applications and preparefor interview• secure suitable employment or furtherstudy opportunities after graduation.Our Helpdesk is based in the Library,and we have countless publications andresources to help you plan your future.Careers Advisers are available Mondayto Friday for guidance on any careersrelated issue, and you’ll also find ourwebsite helpful:www.swansea.ac.uk/careers isupdated daily and contains lots of usefulinformation and links. You can also bookappointments with Careers Advisers andattend Careers events.Keeping track of your developmentThe Careers team works alongside ouracademic staff to provide personaldevelopment planning for all students,ensuring that your employability iscontinuously improved throughout yourtime at Swansea.We’ll help you to identify and develop avariety of skills that will enable you tomake the most of your time at university,and to get what you want from yourcareer. You’ll then create and maintainan e-portfolio that documents the skills youacquire, the personal qualities youdevelop, and the experiences that bringyour CV to life, from your involvementwith sport and societies, to the moreformal roles you might undertake in jobplacements and volunteering.Stimulating entrepreneurshipWhilst you’re at Swansea you can takeadvantage of many opportunities tolearn and practise key business andentrepreneurship skills. You can:• take part in seminars and workshopsto learn from inspirational guestspeakers from the private sector• attend a masterclass to see how themost successful entrepreneurs run andgrow their businesses• study entrepreneurship andemployability modules in subject areassuch as Childhood Studies,Engineering, Management Studies,and Modern Languages• enjoy a week-long Summer Schoolprogramme that will help you developenterprise skills such as businessplanning, finance, and business law.You’ll also have access to Students inFree Enterprise (SIFE), a not-for-profitorganisation active in over 1,500universities in 47 countries. SIFE focuseson market economics, success skills,entrepreneurship, financial literacy,environmental sustainability, and businessethics. Getting involved could give yourcareer a real boost. And if you’ve got agreat idea for a new venture, you cantalk to us about our early stage fundingand business planning support to helpgraduates to establish their own business.Making your degree relevant aroundthe worldEmployers in the UK understand the valueof a degree from a British university, but ifyou decide to work in Europe or furtherafield, how can you be sure that yourdegree will be recognised no matterwhere in the world you end up?When you complete your studies, you’llreceive a Diploma Supplement, whichprovides a detailed description of thenature, level, context, content, and statusof your course. It highlights the intellectualand practical skills you have acquired,enabling employers to see at a glancewhat you have achieved.Swansea was the first university in Walesto introduce the Diploma Supplements,which have been developed by theEuropean Commission. They are not asubstitute for your CV, but they certainlyadd value to it.Discovery – Student VolunteeringSwanseaDo you want to gain valuableinterpersonal, leadership, social, andenterprise skills at the same time ashelping other people to fulfil theirpotential?Discovery is a registered charity that hasbeen established for over 40 years. It hashundreds of student volunteers who getinvolved with a wide range of projectsacross the City of Swansea.Discovery’s student-led initiatives bringnew experiences and opportunities tosome of the region’s most disadvantagedgroups, and help our students toappreciate and enhance their ownpersonal development. For moreinformation, please visit:www.swansea.ac.uk/study/current/discovery171