Field Placement at a Glance

It’s not uncommon for students to be required to complete a placement experience or a certain number of field hours to earn their degree. This is true for dozens of 2U-powered programs, so we asked Jensen Luciani, a Student Placement Specialist to get a better look at student placement, what to expect, and how to support students as they gain experience in the field.

What is the purpose of placement opportunities?

Placements allow students to learn about the industry by having hands-on experience performing the roles and responsibilities in a supervised environment. This experience enhances the students ability to fully understand what is expected of them in their future career, how to improve their set of skills, and allows them to be fully immersed in the field. 

Students can expect to work with an experienced supervisor at their placement. The placement department fully vets placement supervisors to ensure that students receive the best possible experience. Having an expert alongside the students grants them an opportunity to absorb their knowledge in the field and learn as much as possible.

How can I find a list of competencies expected from students during their placement?

The placement department would be a great resource for this information. If the placement department does not have this information, program directors, assistant directors or other faculty members for your university would have this information for you to reference.

Who is my point of contact for placement issues?

Depending on the university and program you work for, placement issues can be addressed by the placement manager, program director or additional faculty members at the University. If you or your student has a placement issue, reaching out to the placement department would be a great place to start. The placement team can support you and your student as well as redirect you to the point of contact for your questions. 

Placement issues may involve site supervisor not meeting competencies, student not attending placement, site supervisor questions about placement, etc.

How can you support your students throughout this process? Why is your role so important?

It is vital that faculty supports students as they go through their placements. Faculty can support students by engaging with students, asking questions, and listening to students placement experience. Faculty’s insight on unique student experiences is helpful for the placement team and faculty should reach out to student’s placement specialists when they believe more support is needed.

Your role is so important because you are there for the entirety of the placement and students depend on your support and insight for in-field placement. As a higher ed educator, you may have gone through similar experiences that your students are currently going experiencing, which is a wonderful plus for your students.

What are the constants across all programs and universities? 

Although every University and program is different when it comes to placement requirements, they all have the same goal: to provide students with an opportunity to have hands-on experience while enrolled in an online program. Additionally, all programs have the support of their faculty members, people who are experienced and willing to lead and help. 

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