Explore the available placement courses in your program below. Placements are designed to help students develop competencies and skills learned in the classroom with hands-on work experience in an organizational setting.
These placements focus on career exploration, employability, and professional skill development, with an emphasis on achieving specific course learning outcomes. Since placements are tied to a course, students earn academic credit and are completed on a part-time basis to ensure students can balance their coursework and other commitments.
Benefits
Gain work experience related to your field of study prior to graduation
Grow your professional network and build references for future employment
Explore career paths in your field of study
Earn course credit for your placement experience
Faculty support throughout the placement process
Hear from our Students
Learn more about LA&PS Placements by hearing from three students as they share their unique experiences. Each student offers insights into their journey, the skills they've gained and the impact these placements have had on their academic and professional development.
Placement Search
Doing Culture: Narratives of Cultural Production
HUMA 3207 6.00
Offers students opportunities to engage with the local cultural sector in order to better understand the relevancy of cultural organizations in a multicultural city. The course explores cultural relationships, combining theoretical and experiential components in a blended learning environment where students hone transferable skills and develop professional contacts.
Emergency Management: Field Experience
DEMS 3705 3.0
Apply theories of emergency management and gain work experience through a part-time placement opportunity with a variety of organizations within the private, public and NGO sectors. Students will complete 12 hours of placement per week over 11 weeks (132 hours).
Engaging Health in the Community: Advanced Health Research in the Field
AP/SOSC 4144 6.0
This course applies academic knowledge of health, health advocacy, and health care systems to experience in community settings through classroom study and the application of social science research methods in student placements in health-related organizations and agencies.
English Honour Thesis/Work Placement
EN 4099 6.00
Provides an opportunity for sustained research under the direction of a member of the department on topics not covered in the English curriculum. The research may take the form of either a thesis or a work placement.
Financial Accountability Practicum
FACC 6850 6.00
Placements in organizations provide students with the opportunity to explore the relationship between theory and practice in financial accountability as well as obtain relevant employment experience to prepare for careers
Human Rights & Equity Studies Work-Focused Placement Course
HREQ 4460 6.0
This work-focused, course-based placement provides HREQ majors with an intensive experiential education opportunity in their fourth year in exchange for academic credit. Participants will apply their skills and knowledge in the area of human rights and equity as they work with community organizations, government agencies, non-profit agencies, or other relevant groups.
IBM Learning Space
Students in certain LA&PS undergrad, graduate and master’s programs have the opportunity to study at our state-of-the-art Learning Space in IBM Canada’s headquarters – a high-profile and dynamic environment populated by academic researchers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and developers.
International Development Placement Course
SOSC 4605 6.00
This course allows students to combine learning about the workings of development non- governmental organizations, through a hands-on experience with an NGO and more conventional academic activities in the classroom. The placement will be fulfilled with an NGO involved in international and/or local development within the Greater Toronto Area.
Italian for Professional Purposes
IT 4500 6.00
This course offers a unique opportunity for the students of Italian to develop advanced language competency, with a focus on formal registers of Italian for professional purposes. In addition to earning academic credits, students will gain hands-on work experience, while using Italian in a variety of course-based placements in profit and non-profit organizations in the GTA.
Info for Students on Placement
As a requirement of placement, all students will access Experience York/Orbis to:
- Accept terms and conditions of placement
- Upload your completed health & safety checklist
FAQ
The answers in this section are general and apply to all placement courses. If you would like more information about the placement course specific to your program, please refer to the course listings above. The individual course webpages will provide detailed information relevant to your program(s) of interest.
How many hours do I need to complete for placement?
The number of required hours vary depending on the course. However, placements are part-time, generally unpaid, and normally do not exceed 8 hours a week.
What is the placement duration?
The length of placement varies depending on the course. If you’re enrolled in a 6.00 credit placement course, your placement can be anywhere between 4 to 7 months. For a 3.00 credit placement course, the placement duration will be 4 months or less.
Do I need to secure my own placement?
It depends on the design of the course. In some cases, you may need to contact external partners with your resume and cover letter to inquire about placement opportunities. For most courses, however, the Course Director will match you to a placement depending on availability.
How are placements graded?
Please review the course outline carefully at the start of the term. A significant portion of your grade depends on your performance during the placement, and your supervisor will also be asked to provide an evaluation.
Can I find my own placement?
Some courses allow students to find their own placements. However, final approval from the Course Director is required to ensure that the role and responsibilities align with the learning outcomes of the course.
What about health & safety?
Placement agreements must be signed before students begin their placements. These agreements outline insurance requirements and obligations for unpaid placements. The Experiential Education (EE) Office will work closely with your Course Director to facilitate this process.
Testimonials
The field placement course provided me with the practical knowledge and skills that I needed to both find employment in the emergency management field, but more importantly be successful within this field. Learning and understanding how an emergency management program operates first-hand is essential to making the transition from university into the workforce. Shortly after completing the field placement course, I was hired full-time by the organization I had completed my placement with. Now, two years later, I am responsible for coordinating and supervising the students that do their placements with our emergency management program. My experience has come full-circle.
— Ben Gallagher
Alumnus, Disaster & Emergency Management '19
I was supported by the entire team when it came to my goals and I was always allowed to attend events and different groups to expand my learning and knowledge.
— Brittni Harris
Student, Social Work
Questions?
If you have any additional questions, please reach out to the Experiential Education Office at eelaps@yorku.ca.