Become accredited as a professional senior leader by combining this innovative degree programme with an aspiring or established management job role

About the apprenticeship

Course length: typically 3 years, part-time

Start date: March and October

Course level: Level 7

University award: Postgraduate diploma in senior leadership

How much it costs: funded through the employer

Course summary

• Gain a recognised degree to be able to work as a professional senior leader
• Learn to lead the implementation of strategic and sustainable projects
• Achieve professional recognition to help you develop your career further

During the apprenticeship, you’ll develop a wide range of competencies aligned to the expectations of a senior leader. These areas include: 

• strategy 
• Innovation
• business improvement
• people leadership
• change
• finance

You’ll examine leadership and change from a wide range of perspectives to help you challenge your pre-existing mindsets and methods, and form effective strategies for understanding, debating and implementing change. We’ll support you to work on work-based projects that enable your real-world learning and effect positive change in your organisation.

This course meets the senior leader apprenticeship standard.

If you have successfully completed the Postgraduate diploma, you can apply to join the final stage of our MBA programme.

How you learn

The course gives you the building blocks of learning you need to develop confidence and competence in management practice. You’ll study at our Business School, which has a strong history of collaboration with employers to deliver work-focused education and training. You’ll then put this theory into practice in your job role.

You will learn through: 

• lectures
• class-based lectures
• practical workshops
• discussions
• tutor-led study

You will progress through the course following successful achievement of assessments, which address the learning outcomes for each module and allow you to complete the course.

You will also complete an end point assessment towards the end of the apprenticeship.

Campus facilities

You'll study at our City Campus, with access to cutting edge facilities and world-class teaching.

Entry requirements

Throughout the course, apprentices spend at least 20% of their working hours at university. They can be existing employees looking to develop their careers, or new applicants to the business.

Applicants must:

• be over 18
• not be in full time education
• have the right to abode in the UK
• meet the course entry requirements

University grades

BSc (Hons) degree at 2:2 level is desirable but not essential 

Additional qualifications

If you are a non-graduate, you may be admitted onto the course if you have at least 5 years’ experience in a leadership role and can demonstrate good knowledge of leadership skills.

Modules

The programme adopts a blended learning approach with modules delivered through a combination of lectures, class-based seminars, practical work and site visits.

Year one

• Developing senior leader professional practice
• Strategy and innovation
• Business operations improvement
• People and culture

Year two

• Leading strategic work-based proposals
• Change and employee engagement
• Marketing and communications
• Leading for a sustainable future

Year three

• End point assessment 

The end-point assessment is the final stage of your apprenticeship and confirms that you have met the apprenticeship standard.

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change.