UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE

Programme Specification

This Programme Specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.

Sources of information on the programme can be found in Section 17

  1. Awarding Institution / Body
/ University of Central Lancashire
  1. Teaching Institution and Location of Delivery
/ Preston
  1. University School/Centre
/ College of Health and Well Being
  1. External Accreditation
/ None
  1. Title of Final Award
/ MSc Healthcare Practice
  1. Modes of Attendance offered
/ Part time
  1. UCAS Code
/ NA
  1. Relevant Subject Benchmarking Group(s)
/
  • QAA Masters Degree Characteristics (2015)
  • QAA Heath Studies (2008)

  1. Other external influences
/ Willis (2015) Raising the Bar; NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework; National Service Frameworks; Francis Report (2013); Keogh Review (2013); NHS Constitution (DH March 2013); Patients First and Foremost (2013);Delivering Dignity (NHS Confederation, 2012); Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS (July 2010); Education Outcomes Framework (DH March 2013); Care Quality Commission, NHS Outcomes Framework (Dec 2010), QIPP work streams. Framework for Action on Inter-professional Education and Collaborative Practice (WHO 2010).
  1. Date of production/revision of this form
/ April 2016
  1. Aims of the Programme

MSc Healthcare Practice provides students with the opportunity to undertake critical analysis of concepts and philosophies underpinning health care practice, with specific focus on their individual professional discipline. It offers a forum for discussion and analysis of contemporary issues and the opportunity to explore enhancement of Healthcare practice.
  1. Learning Outcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods

A.Knowledge and Understanding
A1. Critically analyse healthcare practice concepts within a contemporary context.
A2. Evaluate healthcare challenges with specific relevance to professional discipline.
A3. Critically review quality and risk processes with regard to clinical governance frameworks and service provision.
A4. Review and debate the evidence base across healthcare practice as applied to independent research and scholarly activity.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Post Graduate teaching and learning requires a collegiate approach in the relationship with other learners. The strategies utilised within this programme are designed to promote this philosophy, engaging with creative and innovative methods to enhance the student experience.
A wide range of teaching and learning methods will be incorporated dependent of the students shell selections e.g. Lecture; seminar; action learning sets; inter-professional education and use of VLE resources.
Work based learning activities will further support the student’s professional development through projects applied to individual clinical practice.
Assessment methods
Students’ assessment will encompass a series of differing methodologies dependent on the selected educational pathway. For example: Learning Contracts; Essays, Portfolios, Patchwork Text, Presentations, Posters, Seminars, Annotated Bibliography, Case Study, OSCE, and Peer Review.
B.Subject-specific skills
B1. Enhance and evidence individual scope of practice in response to patient /client healthcare needs.
B2. Explore the influence of inter-professional working and learning across the changing healthcare landscape.
B3. Critically reflect on the application of specialist knowledge and its role within the development of the skilled practitioner.
B4. Employ flexible solutions focused approaches when applying professional attributes to complex and challenging situation.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Post Graduate teaching and learning requires a collegiate approach in the relationship with other learners. The strategies utilised within this programme are designed to promote this philosophy, engaging with creative and innovative methods to enhance the student experience.
A wide range of teaching and learning methods will be incorporated dependent of the students shell selections e.g. Lecture; seminar; action learning sets; inter-professional education and use of VLE resources.
Work based learning activities will further support the student’s professional development through projects applied to individual clinical practice.
Assessment methods
Students’ assessment will encompass a series of differing methodologies dependent on the selected educational pathway. For example: Learning Contracts; Essays, Portfolios, Patchwork Text, Presentations, Posters, Seminars, Annotated Bibliography, Case Study, OSCE, and Peer Review.
C.Thinking Skills
C1. Utilise deconstructive thinking skills to generate debate within the context of healthcare practice.
C2. Explore inter-professional concepts and extrapolate key factors across disciplines.
C3. Demonstrate reflexive analysis skills in exploring concepts relevant to healthcare practice.
C4. Establish creativity initiative and individual autonomy in the pursuit of continued professional development.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Post Graduate teaching and learning requires a collegiate approach in the relationship with other learners. The strategies utilised within this programme are designed to promote this philosophy, engaging with creative and innovative methods to enhance the student experience.
A wide range of teaching and learning methods will be incorporated dependent of the students shell selections e.g. Lecture; seminar; action learning sets; inter-professional education and use of VLE resources.
Work based learning activities will further support the student’s professional development through projects applied to individual clinical practice.
Assessment methods
Students’ assessment will encompass a series of differing methodologies dependent on the selected educational pathway. For example: Learning Contracts; Essays, Portfolios, Patchwork Text, Presentations, Posters, Seminars, Annotated Bibliography, Case Study, OSCE, and Peer Review.
D.Other skills relevant to employability and personal development
D1. Develop advanced skills in Information Technology.
D2. Demonstrate expertise and vision within their field through a piece of individual work.
D3. Exhibit effective communication skills when articulating concepts, theories and philosophies applicable to healthcare practice.
D4. Facilitate and endorse the achievement of relevant organisational objectives.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Post Graduate teaching and learning requires a collegiate approach in the relationship with other learners. The strategies utilised within this programme are designed to promote this philosophy, engaging with creative and innovative methods to enhance the student experience.
A wide range of teaching and learning methods will be incorporated dependent of the students shell selections e.g. Lecture; seminar; action learning sets; inter-professional education and use of VLE resources.
Work based learning activities will further support the student’s professional development through projects applied to individual clinical practice.
Assessment methods
Students’ assessment will encompass a series of differing methodologies dependent on the selected educational pathway. For example: Learning Contracts; Essays, Portfolios, Patchwork Text, Presentations, Posters, Seminars, Annotated Bibliography, Case Study, OSCE, and Peer Review.
13.Programme Structures* / 14.Awards and Credits*
Level / Module Code / Module Title / Credit rating
Level 7 / NU4025 / Introduction to Post Graduate Research / 20 / MSc Healthcare Practice
Requires 180 credits at Level 7
PG Dip Healthcare Practice
Requires 120 credits at Level 7
Any combination of modules totalling 120 credits at Level 7 excluding the Dissertation
PG Cert Healthcare Practice
Requires 60 credits at Level 7
Any combination of modules totalling 60 credits at Level 7 excluding the Dissertation
NU4053
OR / Dissertation / 60
NU4138
AND / Advanced Work-based Practice Project: Design and construction / 20
NU4139
AND / Advanced Work-based Practice Project: Delivery and implementation / 20
NU4140
AND / Advanced Work-based Practice Project: Evaluation / 20
AND / Any level 7 modules/CPD element selected from the designated Shell Framework as agreed by the Course Leader / 100
15.Personal Development Planning
According to QAA (2009), Personal Development Planning (PDP) is:
  • A structured process that is integral to higher level learning
  • Concerned with learning in an holistic sense (academic and non-academic)
  • Something done with guidance and support
  • A process that involves reflection, creation of personal records, planning and monitoring progress towards achievement of personal objectives
  • Intended to improve the capacity of the individual to communicate their learning to others who are interested in it (academic staff/ employers)
Reference
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2009).Personal development planning: guidance for institutional policy and practice in higher education.
PDP plays an influential role in this course by enabling you to engage in the process of personal and professional reflection in order to achieve not only the learning outcomes of this course but develop lifelong learning skills. This PDP process will assist with your personal development by enabling you to develop the ability to become more self- aware, by your identifying strengths and weaknesses to support your learning. By taking responsibility for your own development, you will become more confident in your ability to work alongside enhancing others and gain additional skills which will enhance problem solving and team working.
As part of PDP you should build a PDP Progress File, which contains records of your progress and achievements during each module, each semester and year of the course. You can collate a wide range of material for this file during your course as well as from experiences outside the university, which contribute to your personal, academic and professional development (e.g. voluntary work, awards, employment).
16.Admissions criteria *
(including agreed tariffs for entry with advanced standing)
*Correct as at date of approval. For latest information, please consult the University’s website.
  • Will normally have a British honours degree (2:2 class or above) or equivalent, in a relevant subject from an approved institution of higher education.
  • Non-standard applicants are welcomed. Recognition of Prior and Work Based Learning in accordance with University regulations may be available. You are advised to contact the course leader.

17.Key sources of information about the programme
  • School of Health Sciences website

  • UCLAN course pages

  • College of Health and Well Being - NHS Contracts unit.

18.Curriculum Skills Map
Please tick in the relevant boxes where individual Programme Learning Outcomes are being assessed
Level / Module Code / Module Title / Core (C), Compulsory (COMP) or Option (O) / Programme Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding / Subject-specific Skills / Thinking Skills / Other skills relevant to employability and personal development
A1 / A2 / A3 / A4 / B1 / B2 / B3 / B4 / C1 / C2 / C3 / C4 / D1 / D2 / D3 / D4
NU4025 / Introduction to Post Graduate Research / Comp /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
LEVEL 7 / NU4053
OR / Dissertation / Comp /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
NU4138
and / Advanced Work-based Practice Project: Design and construction / Comp /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
NU4139
and / Advanced Work-based Practice Project: Delivery and implementation / Comp /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
NU4140
and / Advanced Work-based Practice Project: Evaluation / Comp /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
Any level 7 modules/CPD element selected from the designated Shell Framework as agreed by the Course Leader / O

Note:Mapping to other external frameworks, e.g. professional/statutory bodies, will be included within Student Course Handbooks

19.LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR EXIT AWARDS:

For each exit award available, list learning outcomes relating to the knowledge and understanding, subject specific skills, thinking, other skills relevant to employability and personal development that a typical student might be expected to gain as a result of successfully completing each level of a course of study.

For example, for a standard BA/BSc (Hons) award the exit award learning outcomes for CertHE (Level 4) and DipHE (Level 5), BA/BSc (Level 6) should be included; for a postgraduate Masters, this would normally be PGDip and PGCert.

Learning outcomes for the award of:Post Graduate Certificate

  • Critically analyse healthcare practice concepts within a contemporary context.
  • Critically review quality and risk processes with regard to clinical governance frameworks and service provision.
  • Enhance and evidence individual scope of practice in response to patient /client healthcare needs.
  • Explore the influence of inter-professional working and learning across the changing healthcare landscape.
  • Utilise deconstructive thinking skills to generate debate within the context of healthcare practice.
  • Exhibit effective communication skills when articulating concepts, theories and philosophies applicable to healthcare practice.

Learning outcomes for the award of:Post Graduate Diploma

  • Critically analyse healthcare practice concepts within a contemporary context.
  • Critically review quality and risk processes with regard to clinical governance frameworks and service provision.
  • Enhance and evidence individual scope of practice in response to patient /client healthcare needs.
  • Explore the influence of inter-professional working and learning across the changing healthcare landscape.
  • Utilise deconstructive thinking skills to generate debate within the context of healthcare practice.
  • Exhibit effective communication skills when articulating concepts, theories and philosophies applicable to healthcare practice.
  • Review and debate the evidence base across healthcare practice as applied to research and scholarly activity.
  • Employ flexible solution focused approaches when applying professional attributes to complex and challenging situation