Module insight: Developing Practical Professional Knowledge

The Developing Practical Professional Knowledge module on our integrated foundation year is all about responsible enterprise.

This module supports your professional development by highlighting the practical professional knowledge and understanding needed to succeed in today’s ever-changing world of work.

You’ll be exposed to a range of contemporary issues, such as the climate emergency and gender equality, that provide a backdrop to raising awareness of the skills and attributes that employers are looking for.

Developing a professional identity will help you articulate your professional self, and allows you to explore what skills and experience are required in a range of different careers and industries.

This module also focuses on building your academic skills, such as analysing academic literature, research skills and reflective practice.

Preparing you for the workplace

You’ll explore what employability means from a student and graduate perspective, as well as from an employer’s point of view, in order to identify where there may be differences in understanding what employability is.

A audit of your own employability assets through SWOT analysis will help you to create a personal development action plan.

Business as a force for good

In exploring ideas of responsible enterprise, you’ll discuss how topics such as Covid-19 or the climate emergency impact on today’s workplaces. Through these conversations, you’ll begin to understand how business can have a positive impact on society.

You’ll also look at employment trends of job roles on offer, including the growing popularity of newer roles such as Climate Legal Counsel, Sustainable Finance Officers or Net Zero Data Specialists.

Inclusivity

Our responsible enterprise teaching includes a focus on inclusivity. You’ll be introduced to gender inequality as a broad topic and look at the impacts this has on the workplace.

You’ll study the reasons behind gender inequality, and explore how to reduce it. This includes investigating aspects such as pay gaps, discrimination, the impact of childcare and the differences in time worked.

What our students say

Our students have shared some of their thoughts about the module below.

1. “Studying this course…has made me realise that responsible enterprise is a highly important part of my working life as not only can it affect businesses, but [also] employees as individuals.”
2. “Responsible enterprise gives me a broader understanding of how I should commit myself during and after university.”
3. “My knowledge of responsible enterprise will positively benefit my life as a business management professional…as I will be held accountable for the influence and impact the business has on the community it is part of.”
4. “[Learning about] responsible enterprise has given me valuable knowledge and skills in ethical decision-making, sustainable business practices, and social and environmental impact assessments, preparing me to become a more effective and responsible business professional.”

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Our Developing Practical Professional Knowledge module meets the following UN global goals:

• Quality education – standard four
• Gender equality – standard five
• Decent work and economic growth – standard eight
• Climate action – standard 13