Key dates for practice education placements
This page outlines the dates for practice education placements over the coming years. These dates are carefully worked out to fit in with other academic activities for students and do need to be adhered to. They allow the maximum opportunity for students to complete their placements in the case of extra time being required or time being made up for sick leave etc. Any proposed dates that are different to these must be discussed with Fiona McCullough (fiona.mccullough@nottingham.ac.uk). Students are reminded not to book any holidays during these times.
A placements
A placement is designed to introduce students to dietetic practice, through a range of time in the practice setting and other activities that together allow students to complete all 6 A placement Learning Outcomes. There is placement preparatory content within the year 1 Introduction to dietetics module, such as completion of the required Statutory Mandatory Training. The remaining 75 placement hours are completed with practice educators, through in person interactive workshops (complimented with some self-directed learning) from January to April, as well as a block of in person placement at a healthcare setting. From 2024/25, this block of A placement will take place immediately after the end of the academic year (usually early June). The 5 days in a clinical setting will provide students with the opportunity to observe and shadow dietitians in practice. Students complete written reflections and activities that form an A workbook to support the A placement learning experience and this content is stored on the e-portfolio Pebblepad, where students continue to evidence their learning during the later blocks of B and C practice learning.
Start date:
Monday 9 June 2025 for 5 days of clincal placement (shadowing/observation).
B placements
B placements occur at the end of the 3rd year of the MNutr degree programme. They usually start on the Monday after the end of the summer term. Students cannot usually start earlier than this as the progression rules state that they must have successfully completed their 3rd year prior to undertaking B placement. Therefore the placement usually starts after the exam board which always occurs in the last week of term. Students must have completed their B placement by the first full week of teaching on the autumn term.
From academic year 2024/25, B placement will comprise 10 weeks in a clinical setting and 2 weeks and a 2-week virtual/hybrid complimentary placement in an alternate setting such as health coaching organisation, sports coaching, charity, food bank or public health (all depending on availability).
Key B placement dates:
2023/24
Start date:
Monday 17 June 2024 for 4 weeks of Uni-based simulated/virtual placement
Monday 15 July 2024 for 8 weeks of clinical placement
C placements
From 2022/23, C placement will comprise an 11-week clinical placement plus a week back at university engaged in leadership development activities. In some instances, the clinical placement may be shorter and a virtual placement in a health coaching organisation, charity, food bank or perhaps public health setting (all depending on availability) may be offered.
Key C placement dates:
2024/25
Start date:
Monday 20 January 2025:
one week of virtual Leadership placement (university-led)
Monday 27 January 2025:
11 weeks of clinical placement
Usual end date:
Friday 11 April 2025