MSc/PgDip/PgCert Health and Social Care Leadership

Attendance

Part-time

Part-time – typically three years to masters, maximum six years

Attendance is 12 days a year on average if you complete the PgCert in one year, and the PgDip in one year. The MSc dissertation requires more independent study.

Starts September

At a glance

Prepare for more senior health and social care roles on this professionally focused course. You are encouraged to put into practice what you learn by implementing new policies or changes in your workplace. You then reflect on what you’ve done and discuss with lecturers and other managers on the course, gaining insights based on theory and practice.

Key points
• Prepare for more senior roles in health and social care.
• Apply what you learn in the workplace and then analyse the results as part of your course.
• Benefit from the ideas and experience of other managers studying on the course.
• Complete the whole course or individual modules and gain credit towards a qualification.

About this course

Whatever your level and experience as a health and social care manager, this course is designed to help you advance in your career. It supports your ongoing professional development towards improved effectiveness, and greater management and leadership responsibility.

As a busy manager we realise you need a flexible course design that supports you in your workplace. That’s why your learning on this course is based within your own employment experiences, and is tailored to directly relate to the challenges you face.

Your assessments require you to apply theoretical learning to your work practice, and assignments usually ask you to carry out an analysis of a real workplace issue. They often involve implementing a work-based change or development. And you get the support you need to make these changes through regular contact with staff and your peers.

You complete a number of written assignments based around changes you have implemented and projects you have developed and completed. You also learn to reflect on your professional development and to regularly review your professional development needs and plans. You also learn through discussion and action relating to your work setting and role.

By studying with other managers from a range of health and social care organisations and agencies you benefit from their experiences and best practice. You also build on-going relationships that will support you in your future career.

Associated careers

You gain the skills, knowledge and experience to develop your management and leadership ability. Your professional development combined with a recognised qualification in leadership, improves your career potential and enables you to gain roles with greater responsibility.

The workplace focus of the course helps you to improve current workplace practice and ensure greater project success.

Course content

Postgraduate certificate core modules

You take the following core modules and two optional modules to gain a postgraduate certificate.

Learning for leadership
You learn about experiential learning cycles and the notion of systematic enquiry into leadership and management. This helps you plan, manage and record your own management development in line with your personal, professional, academic and organisational requirements. As with all modules, you are encouraged to reflect regularly on the realities of your own and other people’s working environments.

Management and leadership in context
This module introduces the concepts of management and leadership. It provides a foundation for the other modules and helps you to understand your management and leadership role in your organisation. You carry out an organisational analysis and a detailed analysis of your own management and leadership development objectives.

Postgraduate diploma core module

You need to complete a postgraduate certificate and take the following core module and three optional modules to gain a postgraduate diploma.

The business of health and social care
You learn what health and social care policy is, and how it has evolved. You develop your knowledge of a range of perspectives on the health and social care system, and your understanding that there are different approaches. You also critically consider methods of evaluation of the performance of health and social care systems within the UK and with international comparisons.

Options

Choose two options for the postgraduate certificate, and a further three for the postgraduate diploma from
• change and organisational development
• commissioning in health and social care
• culture and organisation
• work-based learning module
• leading teams effectively
• managing and developing people
• managing finance in health and social care
• managing quality and effectiveness
• service users, carers and organisations in partnership
• managing a development project

Your choice of modules influences the named award you receive at the end. At postgraduate certificate level the awards are
• Postgraduate Certificate in Health and Social Care Management
• Postgraduate Certificate in Leading People and Teams
• Postgraduate Certificate in Change and Organisational Development
• Postgraduate Certificate in Leading Quality Improvement in Health and Social Care
• Postgraduate Certificate in Commissioning in Health and Social Care
• Postgraduate Certificate in Health and Social Care Leadership
• Postgraduate Certificate in Social Care Leadership At postgraduate diploma level the awards are
• Postgraduate Diploma in Health and Social Care Leadership
• Postgraduate Diploma in Health and Social Care Leadership (Higher Specialist Award in Social Work)

Masters

You complete the postgraduate diploma and the dissertation.

Dissertation
During this module you complete a project focusing on real organisational or practice questions. The project should have the capacity to influence the development of your organisation. Your tutors provide academic support and guidance with • choosing your research topic • methodology • data analysis • preparation for publication. You may also join a research group with other students to support each other and feed back on your progress.

Assessment

Most assessment involves work-based assignments.

Entry requirements

Applicants normally have

• management responsibilities for people, resources, systems and/or areas of service development
• a degree level qualification or the professional equivalent
• experience in managing people
• two to three years of work experience

You must also declare
• any disciplinary proceedings taken by earlier employers or educational establishments
• any investigation relevant to you under the Children Act 1989 or other associated legislation

Members of the course team are able to meet with you to discuss your module choices.

Fees

Home and EU students

2013/14 academic year

Typically £1,530 a stage for PgCert, PgDip and MSc stages

Some of the modules on this course may be funded by the Department of Health.

How to apply

Complete the application form available at www.shu.ac.uk/study/form

Contact details

For further information contact the Post-experience and Postgraduate Office, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Collegiate Crescent Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB. Phone +44 (0)114 225 2373, fax +44 (0)114 225 2394 or e-mail AlliedHealth@shu.ac.uk