Health and Social Sciences - Professional Doctorate – (M.Sc.)

Contents

There will be a number of taught modules available, and two core modules. The pattern of study will be set out by the student within their individual learning plan (ILP) and agreed with the appropriate Programme Director and their own Director of Studies. The ILP will take account of each individual student's prior learning, professional experience and consistency with the aims and learning outcomes of the programme. It is expected that students will normally commence with the taught components before progressing to the doctoral thesis.

Course Covers

- Communication and group dynamics
- Consultancy competence
- Consultancy within health and social science
- Advancing professional practice
- Doctorate research in health and social science (core)
- Managing and facilitating change
- The psychology of leadership, coaching and decision making
- Facilitating learning in organisations
- The thesis (core)

Teaching and Assessment

You will be taught through a mix of seminar presentations/lectures and workshops. Web-based classroom tools (webCT) will also be used to facilitate discussion groups online and as a specific learning framework for some modules. Summative and formative assessment will maximise opportunities for: problem solving; analysis and synthesis of material; construction of written reports; reflection and reflective analysis; and assimilation and presentation of evidence. Assessment strategies are designed to ensure rigour of academic thinking and to promote the achievement of the participant's personal and professional goals, augmenting individuals' experiences and expertise. Assessment will be both personally and academically challenging and will facilitate the application of reflective skills, critical analysis with reasoned decision-making and synthesis of knowledge. This will be achieved through the use of varied strategies which draw on the student's own areas of professional practice. The programme is characterised by having a structured, flexible taught element and by delivery to cohorts, rather than to individual students. Within this mode of delivery, the individual's studies will remain embedded in their practice. In this way the doctoral level development of the individual is pertinent both to their individual practice, and to the wider professional arena in which they work.