Professional Experience FAQs
- What is Professional Experience?
- How should I schedule my Study Visit in relation to my Professional Placement?
- How do I register for my preferred study visit?
- I am an Information Studies student - When should I enrol in my study visit subject?
- I am enrolled in a teacher librarianship program. Where can I do my placement?
- What time frame is required for the placement?
- What if I can't meet my professional experience commitments within the session timeframe?
- Can I make initial contact with my preferred placement host?
- How do I pick a good placement host?
- I have worked in a library for many years. Can I get credit for my professional experience subject?
- What is INF305 Engaging with the Information Professions?
- Who can I talk to about INF305?
- What is InPlace?
What is Professional Experience?
The term 'professional experience' is used in the School of Information Studies to describe those subjects which focus specifically on providing you with practical exposure to, and involvement with, the workplace and working professionals. The University’s broader term for this is Workplace Learning.There are a number of components to professional experience in the School of Information Studies:
Study visits entail students visiting a range of libraries, archives and other information agencies over four days to observe their operations and explore professional issues.
Placements involve the student undertaking a placement in an appropriate library or information agency. Information Studies students undertake a single, three week (15 day) placement while Teacher Librarianship students undertake a single two week (10 day) placement.
Continuing Professional Development forms the third compulsory component of professional experience for undergraduates in the School (INF305).
How should I schedule my Study Visit in relation to my Professional Placement?
Our recommendation is to complete your study visit before you do your placement,however this may vary with one’s individual experience in the profession and individual course plans.
Study visits are excellent opportunities for identifying the type of library or information agency suitable for your placement. Students in the Teacher Librarianship course would generally undertake their placement once they have completed at least 4 subjects of the degree.
How do I register for my preferred study visit?
Once enrolled in your Study Visit subject, you need to nominate your choice of study visit site. Please email the Workplace Learning team with your name, student number and preferred site for 2019.
Here is a reference guide to assist you in your Study Visit registrations.
I am an Information Studies student - when should I enrol in my study visit subject?
Before enrolling in your study visit subject, look at the Study Visit schedule and determine which visit you would like to attend and which session(s) of study you need to enrol in.
Students in BInfoStud (INF214) and MInfoStud (INF407) are required to enrol in two consecutive sessions in the same academic year. You can only attend a Study visit when you are correctly enrolled in the relevant subject to your course.
If you have any questions regarding your enrolment in the study visit subject please contact the Course Administration Team.
I am enrolled in the Teacher Librarianship program. Where can I do my placement?
If you are not currently working, or have not recently worked, as a teacher librarian then you can choose your placement site from the full range of types of libraries and information agencies including school libraries.
If you are currently working or have recently worked, as a full time or part time teacher librarian you are not eligible to undertake your placement in a school library. Working in a different type of library or information agency enables you to see and experience roles with which you are familiar applied in a different context and frequently in differing ways and on a different scale. Doing your placement in a library or information agency other than a school library also gives you the opportunity to undertake your placement during school holidays.
What time frame is required for the placement?
The quality of the experience is best served by completing your placement within a block of consecutive days. More often than not, host organisations prefer to schedule their staff for block commitments. We acknowledge that there are individuals, and host organisations, whose preferences are best met with a flexible approach to the placement in terms of attendance. All enquiries, in the first instance, should be directed to your Subject Coordinator.
What if I can't meet my professional experience commitments within the session timeframe?
There are circumstances, such as work or family commitments, which may prevent you from meeting some of your professional experience commitments within the timeframe of the subject.
It is important that you contact your Subject Coordinator if you need to arrange Special Consideration.
Can I make initial contact with my preferred placement host?
In cases this is appropriate, but some sites prefer contact to be made by CSU. Further information about these requirements is available from the learning modules in your subject site.
How do I pick a good placement host?
Choice of a placement host is generally guided by the following minimum criteria:
- the organisation be managed by a professionally qualified person.
- the collection and services of the organisation reflect the size and nature of the administrative unit to which the organisation reports.
We recommend that you use the Australian Libraries Gateway, Wikipedia’s list of Libraries in Australia or the Directory of Archives in Australia to help you choose a placement host.These can both be searched by your location.
International placements are also possible so you might expand your search to hosts that interest you. The same requirements of hosts, as outlined, above apply to international hosts.
I have worked in a library for many years. Can I get credit for my professional experience subject?
In order to receive credit students must be able to demonstrate a range of diverse experience at a professional level over a significant period of time . It is unlikely that teacher librarianship students would receive credit for their work in school libraries, for example, as they are not normally supervised by another fully qualified teacher librarian while undertaking professional duties.
All credit applications must go through the University’s Credit and Pathway Planner. The application must be accompanied by a detailed CV outlining the roles and responsibilities you have held, and in which organisation/s. Further, written evidence from each workplace supervisor/manager must accompany your application for verification purposes. All credit applications are reviewed for approval by the Course Director only.
What is INF305 - Engaging with the Information Professions?
INF305 – Engaging with the Information Professions, is a compulsory, 8 credit point subject for the Bachelor of Information Studies. The aim of this subject is to encourage our students to commit to continuing professional development and becoming a reflective practitioner. One part of the assessment in this subject requires that students are to attend and report on a minimum of 30 hours of professional development activities over the duration of their enrolment in the course. These activities, such as conferences, seminars, workshops and others, must be of value to the development of library and information professionals.
Who can I talk to about INF305?
Contact the current INF305 Subject Co-ordinator, which can be found here Subject Coordinator.
What is InPlace?
InPlace is a database that the University uses to capture information about all the workplace learning experiences that you are involved in. You will be required to access the system throughout the course of your study. Please find a reference guide to assist you here InPlace Quick Reference Guide If you experience difficulties using InPlace, please contact the Workplace Learning Team for assistance.