HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP
PgDip / MSc
The PgDip and MSc in Healthcare Leadership courses equip you with the expertise to navigate the challenges of the industry.
Programme Overview
Although managers are in charge of an organisation’s planning, organising, leading and controlling functions, not all managers are leaders.
This is why these adaptable and affordable PgDip and MSc Leadership in Healthcare course aims to assist you in developing a trust-based team culture that produces results, navigating teams through change with tenacity, addressing challenges in an innovative and ethical manner, and making confident, positive decisions.
Awarded by The University of South Wales
The University of South Wales (USW) is one of Britain’s most exciting and ambitious universities. Innovative, thriving and sustainable, it works to build better futures for students, communities and partners, economically, socially and culturally.
Key Facts
Postgraduate Diploma
| Awarding University | University of South Wales |
| Commitment | Part-time |
| Format | 100% Online |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Class Size | 15 – 20 |
| Application Deadline | 30th August 2024 |
| Course start date | 2nd September 2024 |
| Total Fees | £4,700 |
Masters
| Awarding University | University of South Wales |
| Commitment | Part-time |
| Format | 100% Online |
| Duration | 24 months |
| Class Size | 15 – 20 |
| Application Deadline | 30th August 2024 |
| Course start date | 2nd September 2024 |
| Total Fees | £9,100 |
Why study with Learna?
Learna has over 10 years’ experience delivering online courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.
100% Flexible
Courses are 100% online. No fixed study times mean you can log in and learn whenever and wherever.
Multidisciplinary – study in a group of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.
Expert Led
All of our programmes are authored and developed by world leading experts in their field.
The faculty are selected due to their subject expertise, experience and teaching abilities to ensure the highest standards of educational excellence.
Career Boosting
Get a University Validated postgraduate qualification in just 1 calendar year instead of 2 academic years, and a Master’s in 2 years.
40% of alumni reported an increase in salary 2 years after studying.
Fees
PgDip |
MSc |
£4,700 |
£9,100 |
Option 1: Upfront Payment in full Option 2: Interest free payments every other month for the duration of the course
Who is the course for?
The PgDip and MSc Healthcare Leadership is ideal for doctors of any grade and other healthcare professionals who wish to gain vital skills in leadership and how to lead teams effectively. As well as those already in healthcare roles, this leadership course is useful for GP practice managers, pharmacy managers, healthcare directorate managers and managers in pharmaceutical companies.
How will I learn?
You will be supported throughout your studies by a committed team of internationally recognised educational experts.
Our courses are conducted through our interactive online learning platform, log in daily whenever and wherever you want. No fixed timetable empowers you to study when it suits you
These usually occur within groups of 10-20 students, allowing you to clearly communicate with both your tutor and fellow students.
Curriculum
The PgDip Healthcare Leadership online course allows you to study for just one calendar year and is a part-time, distance-learning course. The course is worth 120 credits and comprises six modules of 20 credits, each running over a period of six weeks.
The distance learning MSc Healthcare Leadership is a two year course, consisting of eight modules (180 credits) with the first 120 credits deriving from the postgraduate diploma. The second year of the MSc Healthcare Leadership course starts with an initial 10 week online module that will develop skills in critical appraisal and knowledge of research methodologies. Students then complete the professional project module, which consists of a 1,500 word proposal and 10,500 word professional project (dissertation).
Year 1 (PgDip & Msc)
Module 1: Leadership in Healthcare
Module Aims
To explore the complexities of applying leadership theories in ‘real world’ healthcare settings.
Module Content
Students will learn and understand why leaders are important and what is the difference between leadership and management, as well as understanding the varying aspects of leadership theory (authentic, charismatic, collective, leader/follower etc.) Is leadership about the individual or the social relationships? What do followers potentially admire in a person taking on the role of leadership? What is power and how does power affect the dynamics of leadership? In addition to this, a unique feature of this module will be to understand the value of ethics in organisations.
Learning Outcomes
- Critically appraise the role of leadership/followership and its value in complex healthcare organisational structures.
- Critically explore and propose conditions that would improve the organisational environment in healthcare, drawing on relevant theory and practice and taking into account the complexity of interacting factors.
Module 2: Developing Human and Organisational Potential in Healthcare
Module Aims
The aim of this module is to equip leaders to better develop services by harnessing the human and organisational potential within healthcare organisations.
Module Content
This module combines different inspiring and motivational techniques and tools. These interventions can be used by leaders to inspire the followers and employees in the organisation. The module will help students appreciate the value of understanding the psychology of employees and how it can be improved.
Learning Outcomes
- Propose plans to enhance the healthcare working environment by applying theories of motivation in practice.
- Critically interpret the effect of the organisational environment on employees in your own healthcare setting.
Module 3: Quality, Clinical and Corporate Governance in Healthcare
Module Aims
To apply the theory and practice of Clinical Governance, Quality Improvement and effective learning to complex healthcare settings.
Module Content
This module is aimed at giving the students some theoretical and practical knowledge, likely to be involved in improving patient safety, delivery of quality healthcare and its association with legal aspects. Students will be able to understand the corporate aspects associated with leadership and governance.
Learning Outcomes
- Critically appraise the role of clinical/corporate governance in improving Healthcare Organisations.
- Demonstrate the ability to navigate the complexities of implementing Clinical/corporate Governance and Quality agendas, alongside the philosophy of working towards a ‘Just Culture’ in the practice setting.
Module 4: Career and Team Development in Healthcare Organisations
Module Aims
The aim of the module is to examine a variety of team and career development tools and evaluate their role in contributing to organisational development.
Module Content
This module covers the practical aspects and topics related to inspiring and motivating the employees. This module covers the practical aspects and will help future leaders in healthcare to understand the practical interventions they apply to get more out of the employees and improve the organisation as a whole.
Learning Outcomes
- Critically analyse the role of career development tools in complex healthcare organisations.
- Critically appraise the elements of interprofessional team working that work effectively in complex healthcare situations.
Module 5: Strategy and Innovation for Healthcare Leaders
Module Aims
To develop high level skills in understanding the value of strategy and innovation for leaders in healthcare organisations.
Module Content
This module will help students to learn different aspects of strategy and innovation. Students will learn theory and practical aspects, with aim to bring a positive change in the working environment in the organisation. Combining strategy and innovation in one module is aimed at creating theoretical and philosophical connection between different aspects of these two, largely, conceptual modalities.
Learning Outcomes
- Critically analyse the role of strategy in achieving aims of complex healthcare organisations.
- Critically analyse the means of developing a culture of innovation in healthcare organisations.
Module 6: Change Management in Healthcare Organisations
Module Aims
To develop flexible leadership skills to more effectively lead change within complex healthcare organisational structures.
Module Content
This module combines all the knowledge of previous 5-modules to deliver the most important outcome: “The Change”. Students will be able to understand the difference between Change Leadership and Change Management. Also, what are the resistors to change? What techniques and/or approaches can help guide change?
Learning Outcomes
- Critically analyse a range of models of change, synthesising and selecting appropriate models for different situations.
- Using an appropriate theoretical framework implement a change process taking into account organisational culture, climate and personal responses to change.
Year 2 (MSc)
Module 1: Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal
Module Aims
This module is designed to help students recognise, understand, interpret and apply methods used in healthcare research and critically appraise the various methodologies specific to leadership research.
Module Content
- Concepts and Measurement
- Literature Review
- Data Collection Techniques
- Qualitative Methods
- Quantitative Methods
- Data Analysis – Qualitative
- Data Analysis – Quantitative
- Philosophy and Ethics of Research
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse and interpret research in leadership and management within healthcare settings.
- Selectively adopt, analyse and apply research tools to answer research questions in healthcare leadership and service development.
Module 2: Professional Project
Module Aims
- To develop an ability to critically evaluate areas of professional practice.
- To critically appraise specific areas of clinical, research and organisational practice.
- To develop skills in independent research and study.
- To develop skills relevant to scientific publications.
Module Content
The module will depend on the creation of a piece of work based upon a specific clinically related project relevant to the student’s practice. This project may comprise:
- Literature review and appraisal of the evidence.
- Audit of practice including organisational or clinical.
- Review and implementation of evidence-based practice.
- Qualitative or quantitative research (formal research involving human subjects is not anticipated).
- Case-based and quality of service review with critical appraisal.
Learning Outcomes
- Design and undertake a research/development project related to healthcare leadership.
- Critically evaluate practice/health service delivery and suggest improvements for change.
Assessment Methods
Postgraduate Diploma
The online Healthcare Leadership course places assessments at the heart of the learning process through the employment of real life scenarios to enhance problem-solving, critical analysis and evidence-based practice. Since the scenarios act as a focus for learning and assessment, the two are intrinsically linked.
The six modules on the diploma course have the same assessment format and for all modules, you will be assigned a dedicated expert tutor. Your tutor will then facilitate case discussions with the group, whilst monitoring, assessing and marking your work throughout. You will also participate in a combination of module activities that may be group and/or individual based, dependent on the module.
These innovative teaching methods enable you to envisage the translation of your studies into your every day work and practice. Due to the online nature of the course, you will be expected to regularly login and participate in the course – ideally on a daily basis. Students are recommended to spend around two hours per day on their studies. Our dedicated Student Support Team are also available to help with any problems you may face. From navigating our online platform to advising you on deadlines, our team can assist with any questions or challenges you may have along the way.
Master’s
The MSc Healthcare Leadership course places assessments at the heart of the learning process through the employment of clinical scenarios to enhance problem-solving, critical analysis and evidence-based care. Since the scenarios act as a focus for learning and assessment, the two are intrinsically linked.
The first seven modules on the course have the same assessment format and for all modules, you will be assigned a dedicated expert tutor. Your tutor will then facilitate case discussions with the group, whilst monitoring, assessing and marking your work throughout. You will also participate in a combination of module activities that may be group and/or individual based, dependent on the module.
These innovative teaching methods enable you to envisage the translation of your studies into your every day work and practice.
For the final module of the MSc Healthcare Leadership course you will be required to produce a piece of work based upon a clinically-related project that is relevant to your practice. Once you have selected a specific project, you will submit a project summary/proposal of approximately 1,500 words. Following the approval of your proposal you will then complete a 10,500 word professional project.
To produce the professional project you will continue to study online. Much of the work is self-directed, however you will receive guidance from your tutor throughout the module.
Due to the online nature of the course, you will be expected to regularly login and participate in the course – ideally on a daily basis. Students are recommended to spend around two hours per day on their studies. Our dedicated Student Support Team are also available to help with any problems you may face. From navigating our online platform to advising you on deadlines, our team can assist with any questions or challenges you may have along the way.
Year 1 (PgDip & MSc)
Academic Forum - 50%
- Every week students are presented with two/three case-based scenarios that are reflective of every day clinical practice and research.
- Your tutor will post a number of questions and prompts to aid students in a formal discussion of each case.
- These discussions are facilitated throughout by your tutor and are then assessed at the end of every module.
Reflective Journal - 10%
The reflective journal is used by students throughout each module to monitor personal progress. This is guided by weekly feedback from your tutor and is graded at the end of every module. The journal typically includes the following:
- Initial expectations and reasons for taking the course.
- Module and/or personal learning objectives.
- Description of events, issues and learning points within current personal practice.
- Change in every day practice due to knowledge gained on each module.
- A description of what has been learned during the module.
Group Activity - 20%
The group activity is designed to encourage group dynamics catering to the multidisciplinary nature of care. The group activity requires students to:
- Choose a group leader to co-ordinate the project and delegate roles to individual students.
- Produce a group submission of well-referenced, scientific report(s) with an expected word count of 1,200.
Your tutor will provide comments if asked, or steer you in the right direction if the project starts to veer off the subject, but will not actively contribute to the project. As well as the project itself, students are also marked according to their contribution to the group submission.
Individual Activity - 20%
- The individual assignment will test the student’s ability to work independently.
- The student will be required to select, sift and analyse information and come to a reasoned conclusion.
- An assignment is submitted at the end of module with an expected word count of 1,200 words.
Year 2 (MSc)
Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal
This module runs over an 8 week period and is designed to develop skills in critical appraisal and knowledge of research methodologies. The module consists of mandatory formative assessment activities to support your learning and development prior to the Professional Project module.
Professional Project Proposal
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Students will work with their supervisor to submit a professional project proposal for their chosen topic.
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Students will deliver an abstract (1000 words) outlining their proposal and, if deemed necessary, develop and submit documentation for the University’s ethical committee approval.
Professional Project
- Students will create a dissertation, the theme of which has been developed in discussion with their tutor.
- Supervision will normally involve direct online support involving planned progress, supporting research activity and reading student work.
- Supervisors and students will agree on a communications plan, which may involve emails or online chats. Some students may employ the use of freely available chat or audio conferencing facilities for live discussion with supervisors.
- Students will have access to online forums where they can develop their research capabilities together.
- All communications with tutors will be logged on the Professional Project forum by the student, and consist of brief summaries of discussion.
Entry Requirements
Since our PgDip and MSc Healthcare Leadership courses are conducted entirely online, it’s accessible to both UK and international registered healthcare professionals.
Applicants for the PgDip and MSc Healthcare Leadership online course will typically hold a first degree or equivalent (including international qualifications) in a relevant professional healthcare field or management field.
Registered healthcare professionals or experienced managers working in the healthcare field, without these recognised qualifications will be considered for the PgDip or MSc Healthcare Leadership on an individual basis and a wide range of prior experience may be taken into account. In some cases, applicants may be asked to submit a piece of work for assessment in order to confirm that they are able to work comfortably at postgraduate level, and demonstrate the requisite clinical and professional knowledge.
Documents Required
- A copy of your updated CV including your address and date of birth.
- A copy of your undergraduate degree certificate.
- The name and email address of someone who is able to provide a reference, this can be a work colleague, employer or former tutor.
- A detailed personal statement explaining why you would like to undertake the course.
- A copy of your proof of English competency (see below).
English Language Requirements
Proficiency in the English language is also essential to completing our courses. If English is NOT your first language, we ask for proof of competency during the application process. We are able to accept an IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.
If you do not meet these requirements, please don’t worry. The University of South Wales run a number of English Language Programmes at the Centre for International English to prepare you for your academic studies. You can also contact us on info@illuminaremedicaleducation.com for more information on the qualifications that are accepted.
Should you have already successfully completed the 1 year Postgraduate Diploma and wish to convert to the MSc and complete only the second year of the programme this is possible. Please contact info@illuminaremedicaleducation.com to find out more.