1. ^aDepartment of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. E-mail: p.sherrington@yahoo.co.uk; c.a.l.gibson@warwick.ac.uk
2. ^bDepartment of Politics and International Relations, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK. E-mail: baxford@brookes.ac.uk; rhuggins@brookes.ac.uk
3. ^cDepartment of International Studies and Social Science, Coventry University, Coventry, UK. E-mail: a.blair@coventry.ac.uk
4. ^dDepartment of Law, Governance and International Relations, London Metropolitan University, London, UK. E-mail: s.curtis@londonmet.ac.uk

Abstract

The 'scholarship of engagement', derived from work undertaken by the Boyer Commission in the US, emphasises the possibilities of enhanced undergraduate learning through research, yet in the UK this idea is less developed. Moreover, although the study of politics and international relations lends itself well to the use of placements to develop this model of learning, there are few examples of this in the UK. This article presents findings from a major research project, the Scholarship of Engagement for Politics, examining the ways in which placement learning can affect the student experience.