MSc Professional Practice in Health

What you will study

You will study part-time over three years, achieving 60 Level 7 credits in each year. This will comprise of three 20 credit taught modules a year over the first two years, and the dissertation (60 credits) on the third. The modules will cover a range of subjects and are carefully structured to allow you the opportunity to develop your critical thinking with the focus on developing your personal and professional self.

YEAR 1

MODULES

• Developing Professional Practice and Leadership (Core)- This module enables students to evidence their personal and professional development, creating the link between theory and contemporary practice. The students will explore relevant theories on leadership and effective team working to support their professional practice the future, whilst reflecting critically upon current health and social care policy underpinning the organisation where they work.
• Innovation and Improvement in Practice (Core)- This module aims to prepare students to lead a quality improvement project within their workplace. The main focus of the module is how to bring about successful change using the processes, tools and techniques associated with service improvement.
• Public Health and Inequalities (Core)- This module aims to provide a comprehensive grounding to the professional and academic field of public health concepts and principles, and will introduce students to some of the issues that are presenting challenges to people’s health and wellbeing in today’s rapidly changing society. Globalisation, new technologies, and a growing and ageing population can be linked to issues such as climate change, air pollution, loneliness and the pandemic spread of viruses.

YEAR 2

Students will study two core modules, plus a negotiated module.

MODULES

• Compassionate Leadership in Practice (Core)- This module aims to introduce students to the behaviours of compassionate, collective, and inclusive leadership practices, through developing a critical understanding of the core concepts, facilitators, barriers and enablers to embedding compassionate leadership within a workplace culture.

• Research Designs and Methods (Core)- The module aims to enable students to make choices about appropriate methodologies when undertaking a quality improvement, innovation, or research project. They will critically appraise a range of project designs from different perspectives to gain understanding about traditional research methodologies for practice, and apply knowledge, skills and attributes of good research enquiry to prompt future practice developments.

YEAR 3

MODULES

• Dissertation- This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to: 1) Demonstrate independent thought and develop originality in the evaluation, application and synthesis of knowledge through the critical exploration of a topic relevant to health professions and the area of health and social care. 2) Enhance the academic skills necessary in the selection, planning, preparation and writing of a dissertation, which integrates both empirical and theoretical knowledge gained within the programme.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or optional modules. Modules are designated as core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

Entry requirements & applying

Each application will be considered individually and on its own merits. The Programme Leader will make the final admission decision. The entry requirements for the MSc Professional Practice in Health are drawn up in accordance with the University’s regulations.

Candidates must satisfy/hold one, or a combination, of the following conditions:

• An initial honours degree from Wrexham University or another approved degree awarding body.
• A non-graduate qualification, which the university deems to be of satisfactory standard for the purpose of post-graduate admission.
• Have relevant work experience at a senior level that is deemed to compensate for the lack of formal qualifications, and have held a position of management responsibility within the health or social care sector for a minimum of three years within the previous five years.

In a case where there is lack of clarity or a need to gain deeper insight into a candidate’s suitability for the programme of study, an informal interview with the candidate may be required. This may be undertaken face to face, or via an appropriate online platform. This will allow the candidate an opportunity to provide evidence to the satisfaction of the interview panel of their ability to complete academic work of the required standard in the subject area, and to complete successfully the scheme of study proposed.

In addition, candidates who are not able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study (within the last 5 years) may be made a conditional offer, requiring the student to undertake the Preparing for Academic Success (Level 6) module prior to commencing the Masters level programme.

Teaching & Assessment

Assessments will be designed to ensure that students reflect their area of practice and professional expertise in summative and formative work, and that there is evidence of emersion and developing expertise commensurate with Masters level study. Appropriate academic assessors will be allocated to facilitate this.

Assessment methods include, but are not restricted to: Written Assignments, Reflective Portfolio, Presentations, and Reports.

Teaching and Learning

We offer workshops and support sessions in areas such as academic writing, effective note-making and preparing for assignments. Students can book appointments with academic skills tutors dedicated to helping you deal with the practicalities of university work. Our student support section has more information on the help available.

Career prospects

Our Careers & Employability service is there to help you make decisions and plan the next steps towards a bright future. From finding work or further study to working out your interests, skills and aspirations, they can provide you with the expert information, advice and guidance you need.

This programme assists health care professionals to develop within the NHS Agenda for Change careers and employment framework, with achievement of Masters level study being a key attribute of those wishing to progress through Band 7 and above roles.

Emotional intelligence, communication, and leadership will be threads throughout all modules, with compassionate leadership being an indicative learning thread. This is both to reflect the developing professional, the requirement of evidence of masters level study for those pursuing Band 7 (and above), and the importance of developing a sustainable and resilient workforce. This will enable students to explore both academic and professional progression and aims to increase the future employment options of students undertaking the programme.

Fees & funding

You do not have to pay your tuition fees upfront.

The fees you pay and the support available will depend on a number of different factors. Full information can be found on our fees & finance pages. You will also find information about what your fees include in the fee FAQs.

All fees are subject to any changes in government policy, view our postgraduate fees.

Programme specification

You can see the full programme specification here.