Degrees for Education

Education for Health and Social Care Professionals
Masters, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate
Why study MA Education for Health and Social Care Professionals at University Campus Suffolk?

This is a part-time course aimed at allied health professionals, health and social care professionals, nurses, midwives and health visitors. It seeks to develop the skills required to teach, supervise and assess students and other practitioners, be they pre or post-registration, undergraduate or postgraduate learners, in the higher education or clinical practice setting. It also aims to develop the skills practitioners require to identify and promote initiatives which develop the culture for continuing professional development.

The programme adopts and supports interprofessional learning, and as such accommodates professional standards from a number of professional bodies.

Students come from a diverse range of backgrounds including diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses, midwives, health visitors, dieticians, pharmacists and speech therapists. Lecturers who contribute to this course come from a diverse range of backgrounds.
What modules will I study?

The study of this course is divided up into three sections to allow students to study for a Postgraduate Certificate, a Postgraduate Diploma or a Masters degree.

Modules for the Postgraduate Certificate include (60 credits in total):
Learning and Teaching in Context
Assessment in Context
Professional Role Development – a portfolio based module

Modules for the Postgraduate Diploma include those modules studied on the Postgraduate Certificate plus (120 credits in total):
Research Methods
Optional module
Contemporary Perspectives in Health and Social Care

Modules for the Masters include those modules studied on the Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma plus a substantial dissertation (180 credits in total).

Students will require access to a learner group for the PgC element of the programme. They will also need to obtain additional library access during the inter-block periods when they are not attending University Campus Suffolk. Students are advised that there is a requirement for independent self-directed study during the inter-block periods, for example a 20-credit module requires about 120 hours of self-directed study.
How will I be assessed?

Courses will be assessed through a combination of a teaching portfolio, critical self evaluations, essays, projects and presentations.
Application process

Applications will be made by on line directly to UCS. On receipt of an application form, students will take part in an informal discussion. The informal discussion may be conducted over the telephone if students are distant to UCS. The informal discussion will normally be conducted by the Course Leader. This will provide the opportunity for the Course Leader to discuss the academic requirements of the programme, the practice requirements of the work based learning modules and the commitment required from the student to undertake the programme.

For those students who do not hold an honours degree this informal discussion provides the student with the opportunity to present evidence of their ability to work at this academic level. This may be through presentation of an extended curriculum vitae detailing professional qualification, work experience, conference papers presented, participation in research, clinical audit or other relevant experience.

If it is considered that the student has not been able to demonstrate an ability to work at master’s level they will be advised to take and successfully complete one, or more, appropriate honours level modules prior to being accepted onto the programme.

The Programme

This postgraduate programme is designed to meet the market demand for Continuing Professional Development opportunities and qualifications in cardiovascular rehabilitation for health professionals, and will help hospitals and primary care trusts to fulfil their NSF targets and aims. It is also designed to provide postgraduate education and training opportunities for those aspiring to work in this high profile field. The course is characterised by its multidisciplinary approach, stressing the importance of evidence-based practice in ensuring high standards of cardiovascular rehabilitation. Each module is accredited with 20 points of professional development by the Royal College of Physicians, London.
Applications are invited from:
health professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, health visitors, dietitians, health promoters, etc)
those with related undergraduate degrees (e.g. exercise, nutrition, health, biomedicine, physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, etc) or equivalent professional qualifications and background experience, who wish to work in this field.

An experienced team of academics and practitioners from the Centre for Exercise and Nutrition Science, Faculty of Health and Social Care, and NHS staff (e.g. surgeons, cardiologists and other cardiovascular rehabilitation professionals) deliver the programme, which is taught through a combination of lectures, group seminars, laboratory workshops, practical sessions and tutorials.
Programme Structure
Taught Modular Programme
Each taught module involves attendance at a 20-hour, three-day intensive course (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 9.30am to 5.00pm) followed by 12 weeks of home-based learning and the submission of a 5,000-word written assignment, or its equivalent
Taught modules are scheduled monthly
Following completion of six taught modules, students commence the research project and the production of a Masters Dissertation.

Students select six from the following modules:
Cardiovascular Diseases, Risk Factors, Investigations and Treatments (core module)
Cardiovascular Anatomy and Exercise Physiology (core module)
Clinical Exercise Testing and Prescription
Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health
Exercise Assessment and Leadership
Cardiac Psychology
Public Health Policy, Programme Planning and Management
Advanced Exercise Practice
Research Methods and Data Analysis (core module for MSc students)

Each module is accredited by the RCP for 20 CPD points.
Assessment

Each taught module is assessed by a 5,000 word written assignment or its equivalent – e.g. poster presentation. There are no formal examinations.
Masters Dissertation

Following the completion of six taught modules, MSc students are required to undertake a programme of personal research leading to the submission of a 16,000-word Masters Dissertation. Projects may be laboratory-based at the University, or work-based, and students are under the direction of an individually allocated supervisor.
Exit Awards

Postgraduate Certificate – successful completion of three taught modules
Postgraduate Diploma – successful completion of six taught modules
Timetable and Study Pattern

Taught modules are scheduled monthly.

One-year, full-time MSc students normally undertake one taught module per month, thereby completing the taught modules between September and April (eight months), and undertake the Masters Dissertation from May to September (four months).
However, students who wish to work at a slower pace may take up to six years to complete the MSc course.
Flexibility of Study

The course is highly flexible, and students may study modules at their own pace to fit in with work or other commitments. The programme is designed to attract students nationally and internationally since each taught module is studied over three days of attendance in Chester, followed by 12 weeks of home-based learning.
Stand-Alone and Conference Modules

Taught modules may also be attended as:
stand-alone modules (carrying 20 Level M credits), or
a three-day conference module (without assessment) for which a certificate of attendance will be given (and 20 CPD points from the RCP).