2. Placement courses

A placement course is any course that requires you undertake a period of practical, work-related experience, usually in a location external to UQ.

Placement courses are also called:

  • work placements
  • internships
  • industry study
  • clinical practice
  • practicums
  • fieldwork
  • clinical placements
  • practical work
  • teaching practice, or
  • industry experience.

Placement courses are designed to help you practice and develop your professional skills in a real-life setting.

Placement management system

InPlace is a web system for managing your program-related placement activities. Manage and view all your tasks and schedules in one location.

Blue Cards

If a placement course involves working with children (i.e. anyone under 18 years), all students – domestic or international, undergraduate or postgraduate – have to undergo a Blue Card Check.

You can't undertake a placement until you have a valid Blue Card.

It is your responsibility to complete a Blue Card application and to submit it directly to your school or faculty. Please don't send your application to the State Government department.

Students don't have to pay a fee for a Blue Card.

Some programs make holding a Blue Card a condition of enrolment. This requirement will be outlined in your program requirements.

Submit your Blue Card application as early as possible, because processing can take some time. More information is available from:

Faculty of Health and Behavioural SciencesFaculty of Medicine School of Education

Fitness to practise

If you are enrolled in a placement course – or in a program with placement components – you must meet appropriate standards of:

  • conduct
  • performance
  • compliance, and
  • health.

For more information about these standards, see the Fitness to Practise page. 

Insurance

The University provides accidental injury, public liability, and travel insurance to enrolled students who are undertaking compulsory placement courses in a UQ program.

See the University Insurance page for more information. 

More information

It is your responsibility to read the 3.10.04 Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience policy.

This policy outlines the expectations about conduct while you are on placements, and the University's obligations to you.

Issues involving your fitness to practise are managed through the Fitness to Practise Policy.

Please note that engaging in improper behaviour during a course placement may also be treated as student misconduct

For specific questions relating to a course placement, contact an advisor in your school or faculty.