PRSK4048

Professional Skills
Spring 2017

Coursework Brief

Handout: [Week One]

Deadline for Submission: Thursday 27th April, 2017 by 2pm.

Submit this coursework through the Student Portal.

Word Limit: 1200 words (Plus or minus 10%) This includes

an additional 2400 words from tasks in the portfolio

Learning outcomes assessed:

 Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business
environment.
 Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection.
 To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and
academically.
 Understand, improve and reflect upon their own personal strengths in relation to the
professional environment.
This coursework is worth 100% of the total marks for this module.

Coursework Instructions
Please read carefully

• Carefully read the module handbook, the marking criteria and the grade descriptors.

Academic Misconduct
You are responsible for ensuring you understand the policy and regulations about academic
misconduct. You must:
• Complete this work alone except where required or allowed by this assignment briefing paper
and ensure it has not been written or composed by or with the assistance of any other person.
• Make sure all sentences or passages quoted from other people’s work in this assignment (with
or without trivial changes) are in quotation marks, and are specifically acknowledged by
reference to the author, work and page.
 ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES

Professional Skills Portfolio (100%)

The Professional Skills portfolio is a working document that students will use in and outside of
class over the 10-week module.

The portfolio requires students to complete a range of reflective and written tasks. The
appendices will provide evidence of the preparation and execution of a group presentation (as
detailed on the following page) and should be completed on a weekly basis. Your answers will
then help you to complete ‘Professional Skills – Summary and Evaluation’ report:

Week Table of Contents Page Learning

outcomes
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence
(These tasks will often be drafted in class and are designed to inform the written task in section 1.
Suggested word counts are included in brackets.)
1□ The Long-Term Vision (200-300 words) 2 LO2, LO3
1□ Potential Roles and their Suitability (200-300 words) 3 LO2, LO3
2□ Belbin Test (100-150 words) 4-6 LO2, LO3
3□ Emails to Arrange Meetings (100-150 words) 9 LO1, LO2
4□ Participating in Meetings (300-400 words) 10 LO1, LO2, LO3
5□ Preparing an Action Plan (100 words approx.) 12 LO1, LO2
6□ Resolving Problems and Conflict (300-400 words) 13 LO1, LO2
7□ Emails to Give/Respond to Criticism (100-150 words) 14 LO1, LO2,LO3
8□ Presentation Plan (100-150 words) 15 LO1, LO2
9□ Post-Presentation Reflection (300-400 words) 16 LO2, LO3, LO4
10 □ 360 Degree Review (100-150 words) 17-18 LO1, LO3
10 □ Professional Development Plan (PDP) (100-150 words) 19 LO1, LO2, LO3,

LO4
Section 2: Written Task
(This task should be developed throughout the semester but completed in weeks 9-11.)
N/A Professional Skills – Summary and Evaluation 20 LO1, LO2,
(to be developed throughout the semester but LO3, LO4
completed in weeks 9-11; 1200 words)

Tasks will sometimes initially be completed in hard copy in class but all must be submitted
electronically within the Professional Skills Portfolio, which can be downloaded from GSM
Learn.

Please refer to the guidance given in lectures and tutorials and the additional information and
videos on GSM Learn when completing each task.

Professional Skills Presentation

In order to complete the portfolio, you will need to plan, prepare and carry out a group
presentation or record a group video on the following theme:
 How to Be Successful as a Graduate in {your degree}

The presentation should be based on one of the following topics:

A. Career opportunities for graduates (focus on 2-3 roles) and how

to achieve them.

B. Current employment trends in the industry and how they affect

the graduate candidate.

C. An analysis of a top industry figure(s) and the reasons for their

success.

The presentation / video should last for 8-10 minutes. Each student in the group must contribute
to it. You should try to make it as engaging and informative as possible for the audience (your
fellow students). Think about what is possible to cover within the time.

Procedure

1. During weeks 2-4, you will be allocated to a group of four students within your tutorial group.

2. Between weeks 4-8, you will engage in a number of group activities that will allow you to
learn more about your chosen industry, prepare for and practice the presentation, develop and
reflect on your own professional skills and accumulate evidence for your portfolio.

3. In week 9, you will present in your tutorials, or your video presentation will be played to the
class.

4. In week 10, you will reflect on the whole process and set goals for the further development of
your professional skills.

N.B. The option of doing a video presentation should only be chosen by those groups who feel
they have sufficient technical knowledge to produce it, as only limited support will be available.

Professional Skills Presentation – For Law Students

Following the procedure outlined above, and in order to complete the portfolio, you will need to
plan, prepare and carry out a debate on the following:

Public Law and Human Rights

Debate Notion: Whether the Human Rights Act 1998 should be replaced with a British Bill of
Rights
 

In preparation of the debate, you will need to:

  Be placed into a debate team – you may be allocated as FOR (affirmative – yes it
should be replaced…) or AGAINST (opposing- No it should not be replaced )
 Research and read around the relevant area of law, including relevant case law and
statute
 As a team, develop your legal argument and prepare an outline for your debate –
Your team are required to submit one copy to your tutor in week 8.
 Deliver debate (week 9)

The debate should last for 30 minutes in total. Each team have 15 minutes to advance their
legal points. ALL student are required to actively participate during both the preparation and
delivery of the debate. You should try to make it as engaging and informative as possible for the
audience. However, it is important to remember, professionalism is key!

Additional information

How the debate will be delivered

 Each debate team has 15 minutes to present your findings.

 The team which supports the notion (affirmative) will open the debate.
 The first speaker of the affirmative team should introduce the debate, provide a brief history
of the topic outlining the underlining arguments which support their position. The first
speaker should then make the first submission.
 Each member of the team will then follow with their submissions.
 The final speaker of the affirmative team should also provide a brief summary of the team’s
argument.
 The first speaker of the opposing team does not need to present an introduction to the
debate but should identify the team’s position providing an outline of the underpinning
arguments which will follow. The first speaker should then make the first submission.
 Each member of the team will then follow with their submissions.
 The final speaker of the opposing team should also summarise the team’s argument.
 The affirmative team will then have 3 minutes to rebut.
 The opposing team will follow with the same, 3 minutes to provide a rebuttal and this will
close the debate.
Module Code Module Title Spring 2017 Coursework Brief

Professional Skills Assessment Criteria Level 4

Very good Insufficient

Excellent evidence Good evidence Some evidence Little/No Evidence
evidence evidence
30+/Fail
86 – 100%/First 70+/First 60+/2:1 50+/2:2 40+/Third Pass by compensation 16 – 29%/Fail 0 – 15%/Fail
possible
Knowledge and understanding (45%)
What we are looking
for on this module Includes most Includes almost no
Includes most Includes limited Includes insufficient
section: Includes all required Includes all required required factual required factual
required factual factual content, required factual Does not include
factual content, factual content, content, but with content, and with
content, mostly with many gaps or content, with significant required factual
accurately accurately some gaps or very significant
Relates to all tasks, summarised. summarised.
accurately
misunderstandings.
inaccuracies. gaps or inaccuracies.
inaccuracies.
content.
theories, concepts and summarised. Includes substantial Includes entirely
Includes mainly
strategies covered in Includes significant irrelevant factual irrelevant factual
Includes relevant Includes relevant Includes some irrelevant factual
Includes relevant irrelevant factual content. content.
the lecture and factual content only. factual content only. irrelevant factual content.
factual content only. content.
practiced in tutorials. content.
This can be Limited
Very accurate Accurate
demonstrated in most Mainly accurate Some identification identification of pre-
identification of pre- identification of pre- Very limited or No identification of No identification of
identification of pre- of pre-defined defined concepts,
tasks. defined concepts, defined concepts, inaccurate identification pre-defined pre-defined
defined concepts, concepts, theories theories and/or
theories and/or theories and/or of pre-defined concepts, concepts, theories concepts, theories
theories and/or and/or principles, principles,
Theories include: Belbin principles, principles, theories and/or and/or principles, and/or principles,
principles, appropriate to this appropriate to this
Team Roles appropriate to this appropriate to this principles, appropriate appropriate to this appropriate to this
appropriate to this level. level.
level. level. to this level. level. level.
Concepts and Strategies level.
Very limited No understanding of Demonstrates no
include: emails, action Excellent Very good
Adequate Limited
understanding of factual factual and understanding of
plans, problem solving, Good understanding understanding of understanding of
understanding of understanding of and conceptual material, conceptual material, factual and
presentations, screen of factual and factual and factual and
factual and factual and relative to this level. relative to this level. conceptual
conceptual material, conceptual material, conceptual
shots, 360 feedback, conceptual material, conceptual material, material and ideas.
relative to this level. relative to this level. material, relative to
PDP relative to this level. relative to this level.
this level.
Independent, wide- Independent, wide- Independent reading Some independent Limited Minimal independent No independent No independent
This knowledge and ranging reading and ranging reading and and research from reading and research independent reading and research, reading and reading and
understanding includes research, from research, from sufficient and mostly from secondary reading and appropriate to this level. research, research,
both an understanding secondary sources, secondary sources, authoritative sources, appropriate research from appropriate to this appropriate to this
of the principles of appropriate to this appropriate to this secondary sources, to this level. secondary sources, level. level.
professional skills, and level. level. appropriate to this appropriate to this
level. level.
also showing an
understanding of the

GSM LONDON
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Module Code Module Title Spring 2017 Coursework Brief

subject material/
programme through
which they are

LO1: Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business environment.
LO3: To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and academically.
LO4: Understand, improve and reflect upon their personal strengths in relation to the professional environment.

GSM LONDON
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Module Code Module Title Spring 2017 Coursework Brief

Excellent Very good Insufficient

Good evidence Some evidence Little/No Evidence
evidence evidence evidence
30+/Fail
86 – 100%/First 70+/First 60+/2:1 50+/2:2 40+/Third Pass by compensation 16 – 29%/Fail 0 – 15%/Fail
possible
Cognitive/Intellectual Skills (30%)
What we are looking for Incoherent or irrelevant
Well developed, Relevant Mostly relevant Adequate No introduction and
on this module section: Basic introduction introduction and No introduction
relevant introduction introduction and introduction and introduction and conclusions.
and conclusions. conclusions. and conclusions.
and conclusions. conclusions. conclusions. conclusions.
Key tasks which would
Clearly structured Very incoherently
show evidence of Clearly and logically
Clearly structured material, with a few Unevenly structured
Incoherently structured
structured material.
Very incoherently
cognitive/ intellectual structured material. Adequately material. structured
material. gaps. material.
skills include: structured material. material.
Little or no
Well-developed Little or no argument,
The structure and how Coherent arguments, Mostly coherent Little argument, argument, entirely
arguments, Limited arguments entirely descriptive or No argument,
students pull together referencing a range
referencing a range arguments,
referencing limited
mainly descriptive
personal opinion, with
descriptive or
entirely personal
the tasks. How they of literature, referencing a range or personal opinion, personal opinion,
of literature, literature. Includes no reference to opinion, with no
recognise their own appropriate to this of literature, with little reference with no reference to
appropriate to this personal opinion. literature. reference to
level. appropriate to this to literature. literature.
strengths for their level. sources.
level.
industry and own self- Information or data Information or data
reflection. Information or data Information or data Information or data
selected from selected, No evidence of the No evidence of the
Demonstration of tasks selected from highly selected from poorly selected, Minimal selection of
relevant sources, and categorised, selection, selection,
relevant sources, relevant sources, and categorised, information or data, and
would be in task such as categorised, analysed or categorisation, categorisation,
and categorised, categorised, analysed or little attempt at
Belbin test reflection, analysed or analysed or
analysed or evaluated with an
evaluated, and may collation, categorisation,
analysis or analysis or
participating in meetings, evaluated using a attempt at using a evaluation of evaluation of
evaluated using a evaluated using a not use analysis or evaluation.
resolving problems and recommended recommended information or data. information or
recommended recommended recommended
format, with some format and with gaps data.
conflict/ avoiding format. format. format.
gaps or errors. or errors.
problems and conflict.
Substantiated, Recommendations No No
Relevant Basic Irrelevant
Post presentation relevant Some relevant lack clarity or may recommendations. recommendations.
recommendations. recommendations. recommendations.
reflection and overall recommendations. recommendations. be incomplete.
summary of Task 1.

Give specific feedback,

not generic with
examples.
LO1: Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business environment.
LO3: To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and academically.
LO4: Understand, improve and reflect upon their personal strengths in relation to the professional environment.

GSM LONDON
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Module Code Module Title
Graduate: Transferable Employability & Practical Skills (25%)
What we are looking for
on this module section:
Relates to any further
reading evident in
answers, with further
credit given for any
citations or references.
Research Skills:
Demonstrated mainly in
the summary of task 1,
research of industry.
Communication: relates
to their level of writing
throughout
Evaluation of own
strengths & weakness
identified in task 1 and for
PDP
LO1: Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business environment.
LO2: Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection.
LO3: To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and academically.
LO4: Understand, improve and reflect upon their own personal strengths in relation to the professional environment.
GSM
Spring 2017 Coursework Brief
Section 1 tasks Section 1 tasks Section 1 tasks Section 1 tasks Section 1 tasks
Section 1 tasks Section 1 tasks Section 1 tasks
Within 10% of word More than 10% More than 10% outside More than 10% More than 10%
Within word count Within word count Within word count
count outside word count word count outside word count outside word count
Serious mistakes in Serious and Serious and
Frequent mistakes
Accurate spelling, Accurate spelling, Mostly accurate Some mistakes in
in spelling, spelling, grammar, extensive mistakes in extensive mistakes
grammar, grammar, spelling, grammar, spelling, grammar, punctuation, spelling, grammar, in spelling,
grammar,
punctuation, punctuation, punctuation, punctuation, paragraphing. punctuation, grammar,
punctuation,
paragraphing paragraphing paragraphing. paragraphing. paragraphing. punctuation,
paragraphing.
paragraphing.
Fluent, interesting
Fluent writing style, Mainly fluent writing Awkward or
writing style, Writing style is Incoherent writing
appropriate to the style, appropriate to inappropriate Poor writing style Incoherent writing
appropriate to the mostly appropriate style
assignment the assignment writing style Poor visual presentation, style
assignment but not always fluent Very poor visual
including font, spacing Exceptionally poor
Inconsistent visual presentation,
Appropriate visual Mostly appropriate Inappropriate visual for essays visual presentation,
Appropriate visual presentation, including font,
presentation, visual presentation, presentation, including font,
presentation, including font, spacing for essays
including font, including font, including font, spacing for essays
including font, spacing for essays
spacing for essays spacing for essays spacing for essays
spacing for essays
Inconsistent or Inaccurate or incomplete Very inaccurate or no
Correct use of Correct use of Mostly correct use of Inconsistent use of
incomplete use of use of academic use of academic No use of academic
academic academic academic academic
academic conventions, references conventions, conventions,
conventions, conventions, conventions, conventions,
conventions, and bibliography. references and references and
references and references and references and references and
references and bibliography. bibliography.
bibliography. bibliography. bibliography bibliography.
bibliography.
Some evaluation of Minimal evaluation
Insightful reflection Good reflection on Clear reflection on Limited reflection Very limited reflection No evaluation of
own strengths and of own strengths and
on own strengths own strengths and own strengths and on own strengths on own strengths and own strengths and
weaknesses in weaknesses in
and weaknesses in weaknesses in weaknesses in and weaknesses in weaknesses in relation weaknesses in
relation to defined relation to defined
relation to defined relation to defined relation to defined relation to defined to defined professional relation to defined
professional and professional and
professional and professional and professional and professional and and practical skills. professional and
practical skills. practical skills.
practical skills. practical skills. practical skills. practical skills. practical skills.
LONDON
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Module Code Module Title Spring 2017 Coursework Brief

Marking band weightings:

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING INTELLECTUAL & COGNITIVE SKILLS
(LO 1) (LO 3 & 4)
45% 30%
Factual and conceptual knowledge and understanding of academic skills Critical thinking; conceptualisation; creativity;
within the context of degree; use of class materials; independent reading synthesis, analysis and evaluation; application;
problem solving and research/investigation
Graduate Skills: transferable,
employability, practical and
academic skills
25% (LO 1, 2, 3 & 4)
Written, oral and presentation skills;
interpersonal, group and teamwork
skills; leadership skills; numeracy; digital
skills; practical, professional and
academic skills (including
referencing/presentation)

GSM LONDON
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