| Unit name | Community Placement (Trinity & Baptist College) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRS20154 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Reverend. Bill MacDougall |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The placement may take one of the following forms:
1. 2-3 hours a week are spent in the placement for a period of 10 weeks (one hour every 5 weeks is given to reflection with the supervisor);
2. a 2-week block (2 hours over that period will be given specifically to reflection with the supervisor).
The placement is experientially oriented as a complement to the rest of the course. The student will make connections between the placements and other academic disciplines being studied. Secular agencies, sector ministries and overseas churches and agencies are used for the placement.
The unit aims to:
1. enable the student to gain experience (either in the UK or overseas) in an area of ministry previously unfamiliar to them; 2. encourage thoughtful reflection upon that experience in relation to theology, faith and mission; 3. contribute towards the student’s development as a reflective practitioner.
By the end of the unit the student will:
1. be able to articulate and reflect critically on the placement experience, demonstrating and evaluating connections between the theological and sociological issues raised; 2. have identified, and developed strategies for dealing with, the personal issues involved during his/her time in the placement; 3. have demonstrated his/her ability to integrate lecture room, personal study and placement learning, through the engagement of theory and practice.
The student will attend the placement under the direction of the supervisor. S/he will keep a diary of each visit, observing what occurs, noting issues, and recording reactions. This will form the basis of supervisory discussion. Theological and social issues that arise will be recorded in the diary and pursued through the assessment and in other parts of the course. Critical thought, analysis of issues and theological reflection will be further supported by group discussion in college.
Formative assessment will be carried out by the supervisor in consultation with the visiting tutor, who will observe and report on the student's participation and performance in the learning opportunities offered by the unit. In addition, the student will keep a diary of 1,200 words. Summative assessment will be through a theological reflection on an aspect of the placement, in the form of an essay (2,500 words).
