In light of changing COVID-19 health and safety advice regarding placements, please contact the MDXWorks team in advance of accepting the position so they can review suitability of your placement.
Middlesex University's Psychology Work Placement Scheme enables students to spend a year working in a professional setting between their second and third years. The scheme provides a fantastic opportunity to develop employability skills while engaging with the community and building on the knowledge and experience of their degree.
A year in industry takes place between the second and third years of your degree and lasts for 33 weeks. For paid placements, students will work for a minimum of four full days per week over the 33 weeks (132 days). For unpaid placements students will work for a minimum of three full days per week over the 33 weeks (99 days). Spare time is generally spent studying, updating a log book of your experiences and planning the final year dissertation project.
During their second year all Psychology students are asked to register their interest in doing a work placement. The Employability Service has an extensive list of placement providers and advertises the available positions to students. Students may also find their own work placement position providing it meets the requirements of the scheme.
We offer placement opportunities in clinical, research, forensic or educational settings. Options range from working with the prison service, police or youth offending teams, to victim support, gang violence units and charities supporting homeless youths, refugees and asylum seekers. Students also have the opportunity to complete a placement year abroad.
January | Express interest in a work placement |
End of August | Secure placement and inform Employability Service |
15 September | Induction for work placement students |
1 October | Start of the work placement |
The Employability Service provides application and interview support throughout the entire process, including help writing CVs and cover letters.
During the application process we also assist students in identifying their ideal career path and help them find suitable placement avenues to follow. Once students have a clear focus on the type of activities that would benefit their career choice it is easier to identify whether an opening matches their interests or not. This ensures students select positions that will help them pursue their long-term career goals.
After a successful application students receive full support from our team throughout their placement. Each student is assigned an academic supervisor whose role it is to help students manage any problems they may face during the placement and guide them towards starting their final year project while on placement.
Students of the Psychology Department have excellent career prospects, with over 90% of our graduates employed within six months of completing their degree. One of the reasons for this is the work placements scheme.
During a placement year, students put their studies into context in a workplace related to their interests and long-term career ambitions. Undertaking a work placement gives students the opportunity to practice their skills and develop them further in the real world.
Placements encourage students to think outside the box, promote progress and achievement. They are designed to make students aware of any gaps in their skills and provide the opportunity to address them. Students leave their placement better placed to promote themselves to future employers, and many are offered a permanent position at their placement provider after they graduate.
A year working on placement allows students to experience a potential career path and learn what they do and don't want to do in the future. A placement can also provide the chance for students to carry out field research for their dissertation, or provide the inspiration for their research project.
"I advise students to use the placement opportunity to practice their skills and enhance them further. Embracing the challenges and opportunities that come your way allow you to test and know yourself better, in order to understand more clearly the career path you want to follow."
Dr Letitia Slabu, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Placements Scheme Coordinator
Any student on a Psychology degree who has finished their second year and successfully completed a Research Methods module (PSY2004/ PSY 2005) can apply.
Yes. The University supports students to work abroad within the EU as part of their placement year. The Student Exchange Team can provide further advice on applying for a work placement overseas and potential ERASMUS scholarships that are available. Visit our Study abroad and exchanges page for further information including contact details.
Yes. EU students can work throughout the EU so are eligible for a work placement the same as any UK student. For non-EU international students it is still possible, but you may be required to apply for a visa. The University cannot provide visa advice in these instances so you will be required to make the application yourself.
No. Once the University has enrolled you on a placement year there are no tuition fees to pay for that year. When you return for your final year you begin paying tuition fees again.
Yes. Placement students are required to complete the following three assignments in order to pass the psychology placement module (PSY3004): log book, critical assessment, placement conference. Once you enrol in a placement year you will find more information on these assignments in the module outline.
Depending on the employer, placements can be either paid or not. However, remuneration is announced in the advert of the position offered.
Depending on the type of placement a student secures they may be entitled to apply for a maintenance grant from Student Finance England. Grants vary according to the nature of the work carried out by the placement organisation.
The Employability Service at Middlesex has a wide range of placement opportunities exclusively for psychology students. These are advertised to students who have registered their interest in a placement year. Your Employability Advisor will assist you in identifying positions which will be most suitable to your career goals.
You are welcome to find your own placement employer, but the position must meet the criteria of the placement scheme. For more information, please contact the Employability Service.
Yes. You are welcome to apply for as many positions as you wish and are advised to do this as it gives you the best chance of securing a placement position in your preferred area. However, you can only undertake one placement so are only able to accept one position.
You apply for your placement just like any other job application, with a CV and cover letter. The difference is that all placement positions are already prepared by our Employability Service, so they are able to provide expert advice and support during the application process.
Yes. Our Employability Service is here to provide you with extensive support throughout the whole application process.
The Employability Service often has more placement positions to advertise than students to fill them, so we are confident that you will be able to find a position that suits you.
As with all jobs, you will have to go through an application and interview process. We cannot guarantee that you will be successful in your application, but provide all the support you need to apply and prepare for your interview so you are in the best position possible.
If you don't find a suitable placement position then you enrol in the third year of your degree as normal and return to University at the start of term.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Placement Scheme Coordinator Letitia Slabu and/or the Employability Service.
Students' placements range from providing emotional and practical support to witnesses or victims of crimes, to counselling services in schools, working alongside prevention teams with young offenders or supporting people with psychosis.
What is it like to be a placement student or supervisor? Below three students and three supervisors share their experiences.
Click the photos to read in their own words what it was like taking part in the Middlesex University Psychology Work Placement Scheme.
If your organisation would be interested in offering a placement to our psychology students we would love to hear from you.
Please get in touch with us to discuss any opportunities.
Before we can advertise a placement position, you must provide the following information:
It is important to remember that work placements must last 33 weeks (depending on the remuneration either three or four days per week) and we require all organisations to have suitable insurance and health and safety procedures.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Placement Scheme Coordinator Letitia Slabu and/or the Employability Service.
Letitia Slabu: l.slabu@mdx.ac.uk, +44 (0)20 8411 2895
Middlesex University Employability Service: employability@mdx.ac.uk, +44 (0)1707 398 293
Middlesex University, College Building, CG07, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT
