MA-Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Leadership and Management (Higher Specialist-Advanced Social Work Award)
ObjectivesThis programme is designed to meet the needs of front-line supervisors and managers working in the fields of social care, early years and integrated/ multi-disciplinary health/social care/education environments. The programme as a whole is designed primarily for social workers and is fully aligned with the GSCC Post-Qualifying framework for Social Work Education and Training. Individual modules are designed to meet the needs of a wide range of health, education and social care professionals and one module is specifically designed to address the challenges of managing in an inter-professional and multi-disciplinary environment. All distance learning materials will draw on service user and carer knowledge and experiences and workshop days will normally incorporate teaching from service users and carers. Assessment of student’s will also involve structured input from service users and carers usually linked to assessment of practice competence. The specific aims and objectives of the programme as a whole are to enable those with professional leadership, management or supervisory responsibilities to: -Acquire the knowledge, skills and competences to operate confidently and effectively as ‘good social care managers’, as defined by the Skills for Care Leadership and Management Strategy; -Acquire the knowledge, skills and competences to work effectively with individuals and teams providing a sense of direction and achieving results in-line with business plans and objectives; -Effectively support, mentor and develop their staff and contribute effectively to ‘workforce development’ at a team or wider organisational level; -Develop their capacity for critical thinking and to apply this to complex problem-solving work in the professional areas for which they are responsible; -Undertake research and use research evidence to develop their leadership and management practice, -Use reflection and critical analysis as key tools for the improvement of quality and/or performance in their areas of professional responsibility; -Work collaboratively with other managers and other organisations; -Work in partnership with service users and carers; -Respond to the challenges associated with modern social care management, including the need to analyse and manage both risk and complex change processes; -Learn how to lead and manage in complex -multi-agency and multi-disciplinary environments.
Entry requirementsEntry requirements -Either a first or second class honours degree. -Relevant supervisory or management experience. -For those enrolling on this inter-professional programme as social workers, a recognised social work qualification and registration with the General Social Care Council. It is a condition of entry to the course that all candidates are actively supported by their employers and it is not possible for individuals to study on the programme without providing evidence of this support. Please apply through your employer. All modules will be available on a stand-alone basis to anyone with relevant academic qualifications, normally a good honours degree in any subject capable of achieving the module learning outcomes.
Academic titleMA/Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Leadership and Management
Course descriptionDuration and mode of study
Postgraduate Diploma: two years part-time.
MA: Three years part-time.
Course modules
Core:
-Leadership and management in a Changing World
-Supervision, mentoring and workforce development
-Managing teams in a multi-disciplinary setting
-Advanced skills development for leaders and managers
Optional:
-Introduction to contracting and commissioning
-The learning organisation
Teaching and assessment methods
Methods used will include workbooks with exercises for personal reflection, guided reading, groupwork during taught blocks, workplace mentoring, telephone tutorials, video, reflective diaries, role plays, groupwork, problem-solving methods