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Field education

Field education is a major component of most undergraduate degrees and postgraduate degrees offered by the School of Global Studies Social Science and Planning. Field education supports collaborative based student learning and builds links with industry and community sectors. Field education activities reflect one of the key goals of the School’s academic programs: to develop the links between theory and practice.

The Field education program provides students with the opportunity to learn in workplace and community settings. Students can test out the theory, knowledge, skills and values acquired through university-based learning in areas related to their interests and learning goals. Field education allows students to develop networks and career opportunities. For many students, this leads on to rewarding employment.

For more program based field education information, please see:

Click on the red section titles below to view submission requirements for each field:

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Information for industry partners

The School of Global Studies Social Science and Planning places a high value on building links with industry. One way we do this is through an innovative field education or industry placement program. Students are assigned to companies based on their skills and career interests, and the placements can range from 20–70 days.

Benefits to your Organisation

Our students make a significant contribution to their placement companies, and many have been offered full time positions after graduating. A number of organisations have a long standing commitment to take a student each year, and treat this as part of their recruiting policy.

There benefits for providing a placement for our students include:

  • a cost effective way to increase your workforce and productivity
  • providing your staff with the opportunity to develop skills in mentoring and leadership
  • students bring current knowledge of research and technologies
  • building close links to the RMIT University through possible research and use of resources
  • significantly reducing your training and recruiting costs when students are employed after they graduate.

More information about field education

For more information about how the benefits of our field education program download the following fact sheets:

Information for staff

The following resources are provided to assist staff in administering and managing field education activities.

Administrative Resources

University Policies

School Protocols

Learning and Teaching Resources

These following resources can be used in preparing students for workplace learning as well as for directing and supporting their learning once in the workplace

Useful Texts

Cleak, H and Wilson, J (2004) Making the Most of Field Placement, Melbourne: Thomson

Eames, C and Coll, R K (eds) (2004) International Handbook for Cooperative Education, Boston, Mass: World Association for Cooperative Education

Moon, J (2004) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning, London: Routledge

Cooper, L and Briggs, L (eds) (2000) Fieldwork in the Human Services, St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin

Boud, D A (1999) Understanding Learning at Work, London: Routledge

Brookfield, S (1995) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass

Online resources for students

The following online audio resources provide a general guide to the field education experience. It is important to liaise with your Course Co-ordinator as there are more specific requirements for certain courses.

You will need Windows Media Player to listen to these audio files. - download for free Windows Media Player.

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