Curriculum Information

Document Version

QAA Benchmarks

Educational Aim

Learning Outcomes

Course Structure

Level 7 Modules

Teaching and Assessment

Learning and Teaching Methods

Employer Engagement

Visiting Speakers 

As the course is delivered wholly online, this area is facilitated by the inclusion of 'talking head' recorded presentations by Key Opinion Leaders in the field of Leadership. This hugely successful element to the course, with the focus currently in module 6, is set to be expanded to other areas of the curriculum upon revalidation. 

Industry Projects 

As the students are already engaged in employment, they are tasked throughout the course with personalising their submissions to the Academic Forum and in their individual module assignments and relate them directly to their own experience in industry and within their own healthcare setting. Those who are not currently in employment can draw upon their past experiences to build upon the knowledge gained to progress in their careers on completion of the course. 

Where opportunities exist to enhance the practice area students are encouraged to engage with employers, particularly for the professional project in their Master’s year. 

Industry Visits 

N/A 

Volunteering 

N/A 

Fieldwork 

N/A 

Fieldtrips 

N/A 

Work Placements or Internships 

N/A 

Work-based Learning 

During the admission phase, students must demonstrate how they will directly apply the knowledge gained on the course with their everyday working practice. During the running of the course, they are required to provide examples of this in their reflective journal component, which equates to 20% of their overall module grade. 

Sandwich Years 

N/A 

Employer Forums 

N/A 

Other 

Working connections with the NHS Leadership Academy and connections across Trusts in England and Wales, alongside accreditation with FMLM and links with the Institute of Leadership ensure that content and discussions remain?topical. 

With the authors and tutors being a combination of academics and practitioners, as well as past students, all content is considered by a variety of backgrounds and layers of expertise, ensuring that there is a coherent thread of employer and employability engagement throughout the course. Opinion and practice is taken into account, ensuring that the learning is relevant and applicable. 

Means of Assessment

Case Study, Essay, Self Reflective Assessment, Poster, Report, Critique, Research Proposal, Dissertation/Major Project

Learning Support

Induction 

All students are enrolled on a Study Skills orientation module which serves as their induction in the week preceding the start of the programme. This module provides the students with an entire week of induction and resources. Representatives from the Student Services Department are available throughout the induction week to answer queries and problems as they arise and provide support. 

The module has been specifically designed to help students prepare for the start of the programme. However, they can also access the module throughout the entire course as an essential reference guide. 

The module introduces them to the online learning, navigation of the learning platform Moodle and study skills support, including the elements of assessment, referencing, critical appraisal, reflective practice, levels of evidence and how to write scientifically. The use of referencing software, advanced literature searching and accessing other academic and research libraries is also covered. 

The module is available for all students online throughout the course. 

Students have full access to a designated in-house Student Services team for the full duration of the course. 

Personal Academic Coach 

Academic support is given on a module-by-module basis by a subject specific tutor. Student Services and Teaching Services Departments within Learna provide continuity of support throughout the course with input from the Learna Programme Leader where required. 

Students are encouraged to contact their module tutor for academic queries and the Student Services Team for other help and advice. 

If a student discloses that a subject is sensitive to them because of personal circumstances, the tutor can respond on an individual basis. 

Each student can contact any member of the Student Services Team who act as their point contact for any concerns they might have, e.g., arrangements for extensions. Student Service officers monitor students' participation in the learning platform, providing encouragement and guidance to help them keep up with the pace of studies and contact them if they fall behind. Students can book calls with a Student Services Officer.? 

Student Services also contact the Teaching Services team who will work with the tutor to encourage and guide specific students through direct messaging. 

Learner Analytics? 

Student and tutor engagement and participation is monitored throughout the course by the Student Services and Teaching and Learning Teams respectively and who will intervene where required. 

Office hours 

9am-5pm Monday to Friday for office support with the learning platform; however, tutors are contactable over weekends as well as during the week. 

Student Services also offer an appointment booking service where students are able to schedule a call to go through any queries about their enrolment and Moodle (the learning platform) throughout their time on the course. This enables international students in different timezones to have direct contact with the Student Services Team at a time convenient to them. 

Tutorials 

One tutor provides learning guidance per 10-20 students. They are available for academic support and are contactable via Moodle. The role of the tutor is to facilitate students’ learning rather than to provide didactic teaching. The tutor will stimulate the students to pursue appropriate lines of academic inquiry in the Academic Forum and provide direction to ensure the module learning outcomes are met. 

Seminars 

The Academic Forum is the discussion board where a large proportion of the learning and assessment for each module takes place. It is a seminar environment where the tutor and student group engage in critical appraisal and discussion of the topic area. 

40 represents the number of hours spent in the Academic Forum discussing case scenarios and responding to discussion prompts posted by the Tutor. 

In addition, the remainder of the 200 Teaching and Learning hours in each 20-credit module breaks down as follows: 

Independent Study (80 hrs) to represent researching the topic and formulating ideas to bring to the Academic Forum and Module Activity. 

Directed Study (including online independent study) (40 hrs) to represent the hours dedicated to peer-to-peer discourse on the Academic Forum facilitated by the Tutor and the research required to enable the learners to make well-referenced and academically informed responses. 

Problem/Challenge based learning (40 hrs) to represent the application of theories and concepts to real-life case-based scenarios, relating them to everyday work-related practice, evidenced in all three components. 

Formative Assessment 

Formative assessment is provided on a weekly basis via feedback in the Academic Forum as well as one-to-one formative feedback that takes place via the Reflective Journal component. 

Progress meetings 

Student Services Officers monitor each student’s participation in the learning platform, providing encouragement and guidance to help them keep up with the pace of their studies and will contact them if they fall behind. Following student feedback, the Student Services Dept now provide Student Participation Reports which are sent to students regularly (on a weekly basis throughout module 1). 

Research Supervision 

This is provided on a one-to-one basis by a designated professional project supervisor in year 2 (MSc). 

Online Resources 

The online content resources take the form of tutor instruction documents which are pre-written scenarios and discussion prompts that are posted by the tutors throughout the week to seed debate and discussion amongst the students. 

The online resources for students include: 

• An online study skills preparation week, with continued access to it throughout the course for revision purposes.? 

• Access to USW’s online library facilities.? 

• The Learna Library resource provides online reading resources and links to search engines. 

• Module-by-module reading lists on the Moodle website provide students with direct links to recommended reading material that can be accessed throughout the course. 

• A WhatsApp social channel, overseen by the Student Services Team provides an area for the students to converse in a more informal way. 

Advice Zone 

Students have full access to the University of South Wales Advice Zone as well as a designated in-house Student Services Team (from Learna) for the full duration of the course. 

The range and availability of Learna’s Student Services is as follows: 

• Student Services Officers monitor their students' participation in the learning platform, providing encouragement and guidance to help them keep up with the pace of their studies and will contact them if they fall behind. 

• Students are able to book calls with their Student Services Officer. Student Services also contact the Teaching Services Team who will work with the tutor to encourage and guide specific students through direct messaging. 

• The Student Services Team has developed a knowledge base resource which answers many frequently asked questions and is fully accessible via a link on Moodle for the duration of the course. 

• The Student Services Team provides 9am-5pm office hours by telephone throughout the course (including between module breaks). Students can also book out of hours calls via an acuity service to take into account the differing time zones of international students. 

• Email enquiries are responded to within times set by Learna, aiming to reply to students within 2 working days. 

• Extra staff are brought in during busier times, e.g., the start of a cohort, to provide additional support. Student Services Team members can work weekends prior to the important end-of-module submission dates. 

For academic queries, students can message their tutors in a number of ways. They can ask queries via their tutor group on the Academic Forum, or they can privately message their tutor on Moodle at any time for one-to-one academic support. The Reflective Journal also provides a forum in which a student can reflect on issues and receive one to one feedback from the tutor. 

Students complete feedback surveys at the end of every module, the results of which are collated by the quality team and assessed internally as well as contributing to continuous monitoring reports for USW. Where feedback leads to change, this is reported on the ‘Student Voice’ section on Moodle in a ‘You said, we did’ area, so that the students get direct responses to any feedback that brings forth change.?? 

Each cohort has a Student Representative who is invited to attend a Staff-Student Liaison meeting (and forming part of Learna’s regular cycle of Academic Board meetings). It is attended by representatives of Learna and USW (including the Course Link Officer and Librarian).?Minutes and actions of the meeting are published on Moodle. 

Students are also able to access the University Wellbeing service to discuss any issues which arise from their course via USW Wellbeing. 

Disability? 

In all cases of disability, the Learna Student Services Team will work with the student on an individual basis. 

Students with any Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) or disabilities are supported by Learna's Student Services Team in line with the recommendations set out in the student's Individual Support Plan (ISP). 

IT/Library 

Students have full access to the University of South Wales Library and IT department. 

Course Exit Points

Progression Route

Students who have completed the 180 credit Masters in Leadership in Healthcare may apply for PhD studies, though each application is judged on an individual basis.

Entry Requirements

Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:

Applicants will be assessed on an individual basis, but typically, applicants for the programme will:? 

• Possess an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject awarded by a UK university or overseas equivalent (preferred) 

• In the personal statement, provide evidence of at least 3 years’ experience in a healthcare setting to demonstrate how they can apply their PGDip/MSc learning to a practical setting and reflect on application to leadership practice 

• Basic IT skills (e.g., word-processing, email, and internet) 

• If English is not the student’s first language, they must hold an English language qualification 

English Requirements: 

• 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each band) -including expired 

• With a score of 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing (including Home Edition) 

• English grade C or above 

• Advanced (CAE): exams taken from January 2015- overall score of 169 with at least 162 in each component; exams taken before January 2015- Grade C and no less than borderline in each skill 

• English Language qualifications: ISE II Distinction or ISE III Pass 

• With a score of 64 overall and 59 in each component. Please note that where a UKVI SELT is not required, we can also accept the scores in the PTE Academic Online 

• B2 Communicator Exam with a high pass with a score of 33 in each component

Students who have successfully completed the micro credential AH4D01 – Advanced Clinical Leadership will be allowed direct entry onto the PG Diploma in Health Care Leadership. They will be exempt from HR4S60 (Leadership in Health Care) and HR4S69 (Effective Healthcare Teams) as AH4D01 will have covered the learning outcomes.

Inclusive Curriculum Statement

The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/

Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution

N/A