Course Summary

The University of Bedfordshire Business School's 20 years' experience of teaching the Executive MBA has identified that practising managers have many motivations for embarking on the course. These include accelerated advancement in their chosen profession, a change of career direction, a desire to start their own business, acquisition of cutting-edge business skills and the ability to apply them more effectively.

By undertaking MBA study at the University you signal your commitment to an existing or future employer to taking charge of your career and to building strategic skills in readiness for increased management responsibility. Like the full-time MBA, the Executive MBA combines core disciplines with innovative subject areas such as entrepreneurship and leadership to understand the 'big picture' of business life and underpin career success in strategic management and leadership in the commercial and public sectors.

The Executive MBA is taught on the basis of a supported learning with the use of resources such as study guides and podcasts, and a live online classroom that combines traditional contact with lecturers with the use of new media. With the academic groundwork undertaken through self-directed individual and group study, the traditional face-to-face sessions become focused 'quality time' for critical discussion and application of business and management models to real-life business problems.

You will complete two projects during the course: one focused on leadership and the other a case study that integrates your previous learning. We require all students to have a minimum of two years of management experience, so you will be able to network with, and learn from, other experienced managers.

Executive MBA graduates have automatic entitlement to membership of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), which offers regular regional meetings with keynote speakers, networking opportunities and online access to a management resource centre. Whilst studying your MBA you will be able to attend our Knowledge Network meetings where business people meet to share their knowledge and experience, and listen to presentations from guest speakers. We also have an active Alumni Association, which offers further networking opportunities.

Why choose this course?

Executive MBA students come from a range of sectors and organisational backgrounds, including manufacturing information technology, retail and service, healthcare, the commercial and public sectors and both large and small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The Executive MBA is a career accelerator, and our experience shows that you will progress by applying your learning to your personal and professional life. It is also excellent preparation for further applied research-based academic study in the form of a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) also offered at our Putteridge Bury campus.

During this course you will:

• Gain an internationally-recognised degree
• Mix with other experienced managers
• Have opportunities to attend high-profile business events run by the University's Knowledge Hub and hear external speakers
• Benefit from our weekend tutoring with supported learning materials, offering flexibility for busy lifestyles
• Benefit from innovative learning materials and a course structured to maximise personal and strategic development opportunities
• Experience a MBA course that is delivered worldwide, with possibilities for international day schools/networking events

The Executive MBA (Healthcare) consists of core units of the MBA with additional units aimed at healthcare professionals:

• Leading and managing people
• Accounting for leaders
• Marketing products and services in a dynamic environment
• Governance and ethics for healthcare
• Operations and project management
• Strategy

Students can then select two options from the following:

• Information systems for hospital and health services
• Health economics: commissioning and providing for quality
• Perspectives on public health and patient safety
• Leading learning in healthcare environments

MBEHMAAP

Assessment

The assessment strategy is as follows:

1. The underpinning philosophy of all the assessments is developmental, building on your knowledge, expertise and capabilities to ensure that you are an able and confident leader and manager. This emphasis will enable you to explore, experience and develop your understanding of leadership, management and innovation within the general company, organization or business context, the healthcare policy landscape and your personal needs.

2. This is exemplified by the three projects running through the MBA - The Leadership, The Integrated Management Projects and the Personal Professional Development unit which is delivered through the induction and a range of workshops throughout the course then assessed, by portfolio at the end of MBA studies. The two projects completed at the end of each semester respectively allow considerable autonomy for participants to reflect upon their personal models of leadership and their individual competence areas. You will utilize the critical evaluation and reflective observation skills developed through the personal professional development program to critique across a range of leadership issues in public and private health sector environments. The two projects are inter - linked in that Integrated Management Project integrates all other aspects of the course within the case study of an individual organization.

3. The overall aim of the assessment strategy is that you will receive formative feedback from your course tutors, and student peers within the group. You will be supported to use this feedback as part of your learning journey through group and individual tutorial support from the team and the content of the personal and professional development workshops offered throughout the course. Your tutor will give you the active guidance to plan the next stages of your learning. This opportunity for supported self - reflection will enable you to take charge of your learning through developing critical evaluation and planning skills.

4. To facilitate and optimize learning for all students a range of assessment methods are used throughout the course. You will be required to undertake a variety of group- activities and individual assessments including group presentations, providing written feedback to your colleagues and producing action learning reports. They are all rooted in authentic and practical real world scenarios to enable learning to be transferred to workplaces. The assessments are designed to test knowledge and understanding of the appropriate underpinning theoretical input and research, but also to demonstrate your skills. An appropriate sample of all assessed work will be subject to multiple marking and external moderation to ensure quality standards and intended learning outcomes are achieved as well as consistency and fairness to all. The course will maintain a balance between examinations and assignments (group and individual) and may employ other formats including online tests and presentations. The final project the Integrated Management unit pulls together all aspects of the course through a detailed review of a specific organization.

5. Apart from the summative assessments (formal and graded, assessment of learning) there will be an emphasis on self, peer and group assessment for learning. However all formal assessments will be marked graded and moderated by professional tutors only. The aim is for you to become an independent and self - directed lifelong learner as you use feedback to develop your capacity to be self aware and self critical.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

1. Critically assess and demonstrate a systematic understanding of relevant knowledge about the economic, environmental, social and technological change issues relating to organizations in general and healthcare organizations in particular, their external context and how they are managed, including international developments and corporate governance.

2. Assess and apply relevant knowledge to a range of complex situations taking account of the development and progression of the relationships and expectations between markets, governance & legislative frameworks, customers, service users and other stakeholders.

3. Demonstrate a critical awareness of current issues in the management of business, services and administration which is informed by leading edge research and practice in the field, including concepts, processes and institutions associated with production, promotion and marketing of goods and /or services especially health sector specific.

4. Understand and synthesise the financing of the business enterprise or public health services, the sources, uses and management of finance and the use of accounting for managerial and financial reporting applications.

5. Synthesise and apply practically the range of theory and practice relating to the management and development of people within organizations to the health sector.

6. Demonstrate a capacity for critical reflection which integrates appropriate research techniques sufficient to allow detailed investigation into relevant organizational or service development issues and to show expertise in the interpretation of such material.

7. Acquire and analyse data and information, to evaluate their relevance and validity, and to synthesise a range of information in the context of new situations.

8. Effectively develop and manage relevant communication and information technologies for application to business in general and health sector in particular with reference to the global and national knowledge - based economy.

External Benchmarking

The Subject Benchmarking Statements and Academic Standards for a Masters award in Business and Management are used for this degree. The degree expects you, as a student, to be able to demonstrate relevant knowledge and understanding of organisations, the external context in which they operate and how they are managed. The degree will be a challenging learning experience and an integration between theory and practice. As a student you will reflect on your knowledge, experience and practice, using peer and tutor interaction as one of the key processes here. Further details of these benchmarks can also be obtained by accessing. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/masters/MBAintro.asp

Reference has also been made to the NHS Knowledge and skills framework levels 6-8 and the medical leadership competency framework.

Educational Aims

The educational aims of the course are grounded in the Universitys mission to provide challenging and innovative learning and teaching that empowers the active and professional learner. The aims are also rooted in the mission and practice of the Business School to provide enterprising and fit for purpose courses that are necessary for organizations, services or businesses to expand and diversify. The Schools learning and teaching strategy supports these aims through the development of an a stimulating and varied learning environment that, particularly at postgraduate level, engages actively with research and scholarly activity. In particular the course aims:

• To enable you to expand on your current management and leadership capabilities and to contribute to a global healthcare knowledge economy


• To enable you to appreciate the integrated nature of management study, and to relate both hard and soft issues to problem solving particularly in relation to health care


• To emphasise the international nature of management study and health sector knowledge


• To add value to your employment, progression and career management prospects


• To undertake advanced studies of organisations, their management and the changing external context in which they operate


• To develop and enhance a career in health sector management by developing skills at the appropriate professional level


• To develop the ability to apply knowledge and understanding of business administration, management and organizational development to complex issues, both systematically and creatively always seeking to improve management practice and organisational performance


• To enhance lifelong learning skills and personal development so as to be able to work with self - direction and originality and to make positive contributions to the health sector and society at large

The course recruits in October in the UK and by agreement with our partners overseas.

The course will normally be completed in 2 years. All the units in the first year are core, Three are shared with the Executive MBA and one governance and ethics has been specifically designed for the MBA healthcare. Then in the second year you will be asked to rate the healthcare specific options available and the most popular units will be available for study.

September Start

The start of each MBA course will be preceded by an induction period which includes team building, orientation and effective communication for leaders and managers. This is an essential component and you will need to participate before coming on the main learning platform of the MBA. The induction is followed up by a series of personal professional development workshops which provide the academic and career development skills in parallel.

Year : September to July

• Marketing Products and Services in a Dynamic Environment


• Leading and Managing People


• Accounting for Leaders


• Governance and Ethics for Healthcare


• Leadership project

Year 2: September to July

• Strategy


• Operations and Project Management


• Integrated Management project

Two optional units from:

• Health economics commissioning and providing quality


• Perspectives on Public health and patient safety


• Information systems for hospitals and health services


• Leading learning in healthcare environments

Student support

The Business School has extensive experience of supporting students who are studying and workplace learners. The MBA is paced and structured to enable you to manage your time over the period of the course. The course team will be your first point of contact while you are studying and you will be allocated to a student self study support group, which will also act as both a learning and motivational help to you. You are encouraged to meet up face to face apart from the times you are at the University or can contact via email.

The University also has a number of formalized and specialised support structures and departments.

Some learners get concerned about returning to study after a period away from formal education. You are probably aware, that whilst not formally studying, you have been learning from experience and this will be an invaluable resource and helpful in returning to academic study. Your general life skills will have developed in the period since leaving formal education or professional education. However assistance with study skills and IT support is available and you can access the Professional an Academic Development (PAD) department.

During your two years of study you will be offered a choice of academic and professional skills workshops in a personal and professional development unit. These workshops have been mapped against University of Bedfordshires Cre8 and SOAR (Self awareness Opportunity awareness Aspirations and Results) a dynamic, reflective process for personalised learning and development and with the many of the domains and elements identified for continuing practice of the medical leadership competency framework.

Self awareness Opportunity awareness Aspirations Results.

Team working

One of the key purposes is to improve your personal and organisational performance and quality through the continuous application of the skills required to work in successful teams, departments and organizations. In health care these are likely to be multi-disciplinary. The synergy provided by the use and development of team working skills is essential for this to occur both in your workplace and within your learning experience at the University. You will be working with other learners, in mixed groups, and with the course team to assess complex situation, solve business and organizational problems and issues, make decisions and anticipate future challenges.

The advantages of team working are well understood and self evident but in the context of this MBA healthcare course they are essential for creativity and results focused thinking. You will need to develop and apply your critical thinking and process skills and the team - working environment endemic within the degree will foster and deepen these interpersonal, inter-professional skills and abilities. Group activity will be accessed throughout the course via tutorial groups, group work within the workshop sessions, project work related to workshop scenarios and assignments. All team working will be organised so that the experience is constructive and you will gain feedback, both explicit and implicit that will enable you to develop your critical thinking skills and also reflect on your personal strengths and perceived areas for development. Team working will therefore be essential for the enquiry process needed for academic study as well as your own continuous professional development. Student self - supported learning groups will be organised to work within the University and these ideally should be used for self help and study outside the formal study periods. You will also be invited and encouraged to attend networking groups and more formal lecture / seminar sessions organised by the Knowledge Network within the University.

Career Management Skills

Some of the personal professional development workshops are designed to address career management skills relevant for learners at different points in their career. Also during the course you will network with other students, the course team and be invited to presentations and lectures provided by the Knowledge Network, a vibrant and lively meeting point for business people to share their knowledge and opportunities. More information can be obtained on http://www.theknowledgenetwork.co.uk/

The Business School offers courses on behalf of the Chartered Management Institute and the Institute of Leadership and Management as well as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The nationally recognised professional organisations all provide career management information and networks.

It is important to stress that we plan to integrate personal, academic and career development within the course and you as a professional learner will feel better equipped to make relevant decisions and moves in line with your personal and career goals.

Career/Further study opportunities

Career:

We anticipate that when you complete your MBA you will possess the ability to become a positive change agent in any organization, and in particular and an obvious champion for the added value of a dynamic and innovative organisational culture. You will also have had extensive and continuous opportunity for reflective and critical evaluation of your capability as a team worker and leader. The course will also equip you to cope with the ever changing economic and policy climate in the public or private sector by offering perspectives on both.

The course includes a professional and personal development strand likely to enhance your employability, career management skills or accelerate your career and bring value to your current and future employment. One key theme throughout the course is the diversity of the peer groups in which you will study thus providing a rich range of opportunities for learning, networking and maximizing post course opportunities.

During the course you will have extensive networking opportunities e.g. you can talk through career management and further development opportunities with your tutors your peers and the wider university community. Whatever you decide to do you will have a toolkit of knowledge and capabilities developed from the course that will support and enable you.

Further study:

Decisions relating to further study can be made during or after the course and you would be encouraged to keep in touch particularly by attendance at Creativity Clubs and the opportunities provided by the Knowledge Network. We will be running a series of Alumni events and you will be invited to these which will offer the opportunity for further study and contact with the University.

The tutors will always be there as a source of advice and help should you want to progress your development further. The course is aimed at self - directed and motivated individuals and it is unlikely you will sit still. Alumni will be particularly welcome to input into subsequent deliveries of the MBA. Students may wish to continue to the DBA after some time.

Entry

The unique, robust and specialist Masters level qualification is delivered within the Business School of the University and at partner institutions overseas. It is aimed at any person, with a suitable management background, who would like to develop their capabilities and apply their learning to release talents in others. In order to benefit from the degree you will need to have an educational, experiential or professional base that involves working with others in a management capacity. In order to cope with the demands of the course you should have:

• An Honours degree in any discipline from a recognized higher education institution


• Appropriate post - graduate Management experience of at least 2 years (or equivalent) preferably in a health or public sector context


• For international students English competence of IELTS 6.0 or equivalent is required


• Special entry is available for those with no degree but with extensive management experience

Successful completion of this degree will ensure you have the necessary knowledge and research transfer abilities to underpin managerial and leadership roles and to release enterprise, efficiency and imagination into your team, company or organisation. You will be a strong role model so you will need to be a person who is willing to critically reflect and engage with personal and organisational change. As the MBA is rooted in workplace practice and experience it is also essential that you have the support of your line manager, colleagues, or others with the necessary power and influence. Your success, as a student will be dependent on you taking your learning into your organisation, experimenting, challenging and actively reflecting on how you can apply new knowledge and skills in a way that makes a difference.

Some of these criteria may be a challenge to you. You are probably aware that undertaking an MBA will be hard work but many learners report that it can be fun and will enable you to develop your management and creative ability collaboratively and practically. You may want to discuss with the Course Director before acceptance for the degree and (s)he will explain more fully the implications and intended outcomes of the course and explore with you your ability to engage in the learning requirements of the qualification.

UK students Undergraduate entry requirements

Standard entry requirements for Foundation degrees (FD/FdSc)

A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.

Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.

• As a guideline, a typical offer would require you to obtain a UCAS tariff score of between 80-120 points, based on your level 3 studies.
• Students who require a Tier 4 Student Visa cannot apply for our foundation courses. For these courses the University of Bedfordshire is not able to sponsor Tier 4 Student Visa applications.

Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.

We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.

Standard entry requirements for Undergraduate degrees (BA/BSc)

We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.

The general requirement is one of the following:

• UCAS Tariff Score greater than 200, which should include either two A level passes or an AVCE Double Award
• An Access qualification
• Equivalent qualifications such as Irish Leaving Certificate, Scottish Highers, International Baccalaureate or BTEC National Diploma

Postgraduate taught courses

Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the  standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.

• UK/EU students application form
• International (non-EU) students application form
  

Students from the European Union

Entry requirements

As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.

We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.

How to apply

International students

• Undergraduate applications (BA/BSc) can be made direct to the University or via our representatives in your home country. If you intend to apply to more than one university in the UK you should apply via UCAS. If you want to apply to the University of Bedfordshire only you should apply directly using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Postgraduate applications should be made directly to the University using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Healthcare, nursing and midwifery students Many of these courses are not available to overseas students due to UK immigration law in regard to bursary funding. Please contact international admissions to find out if you are eligible to apply
• BA Nursing Studies Level 3 (with or without Overseas Nursing Programme) is available to overseas students - please contact International Admissions by email at international-admissions@beds.ac.uk for further information

(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)

Course application form for international students

We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.

• Course application form for direct applications [PDF]

How to complete your course application

Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.

Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section

Accreditation of prior certificated learning (APL)

APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.

Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `

The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.

We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.

• APL application form for International students [100Kb] updated 041007

What next?

Return your completed application to:

University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom

Contact International Admissions

T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk

Awarding institution

University of Bedfordshire

Teaching Strategy

1. The course is varied, both in curriculum content and delivery methods. The Teaching strategy for the MBA (healthcare) follows the guidelines in the Universitys Education Strategy.

2. This course adheres to the principles of CRE8 and thus emphasises a meaningful, active, reflective, collaborative and creative learning experience and provides an environment that matches the principles of SOAR (Self and Opportunity awareness, Aspiration and Results). These principles are practiced through the teaching, learning and assessment methods and outcomes. They are reflected in the range of assessments and subject matter requiring critical analysis and reflective activities and often linked to your healthcare work - base.

3. Lectures, seminars and tutorials will be used extensively, but, in addition, a great deal of participants time will be spent in small groups, involving, for example, discussion of case studies, simulation exercises, preparation for assessments, and work on presentations.

4. Although lectures and seminars are held monthly in term time it is clear that the private study demands on this type of course are considerable.

5. The teaching and learning approach of the course is through blended learning. This means a combination of pedagogic approaches, including using the use of latest learning technology, action, and independent learning. You will acquire a toolkit of diverse and complex skills and knowledge necessary for your development as a creative organizational change agent. Student centred self support groups, both face to face and / or via virtual contact, will be used throughout the course. There are thus a variety of pedagogic approaches in which the focus of the learning is experiential. They enable you to practise, experiment and evaluate in workshops, other face to face opportunities, to use the online technology and related facilities for critical reflection, knowledge acquisition and research.

6. The course offers opportunities for collaborative learning both in face to face groups and online where there is extensive use of collaborative learning tools such as discussion boards, blogs and wikis. These tools offer you considerable opportunities to learn from others in the group and extend your learning experience. Some learning events are facilitated by lecturers or other staff whilst others may be initiated and run by learners.

7. The teaching strategy will be eclectic. The focus on enhancing self - awareness and development of personal qualities necessary for effective leadership and management will be balanced with the development of underpinning theoretical knowledge, and research to explore, reflect and critically evaluate your own perceptions and understandings. This approach is designed to help you become an autonomous and self directed and lifelong learner, confident of your independent learner and researcher capabilities and able to manage your learning in line with busy work schedules. As you progress through the course you will develop a compendium of knowledge, and skills transferable to your workplace roles, scenarios and challenges.

8. In line with the Education Strategy the course includes research informed teaching throughout the curriculum. The University has a number of Research Centres that focus on business, health and public sectors that will inform your study. You will also be encouraged to undertake and bring your own research and experience in to the course.

9. There will be an initial induction at the start of the course held at Putteridge Bury, the University conference and postgraduate management centre or for overseas students at their local centre. The aim of the induction is to familiarize you with your student colleagues and the course team and to give you a very practical insight into the MBA learning experience. Attendance at this three day induction is required before continuing on the course and will include team building and effective Communications for business and administration. The induction will be facilitated by members of the course team and will focus on learning through critical reflection, peer and lecturer feedback, and self analysis. You will also be introduced to the different facilities and resources at your disposal. It is an essential element of the course and will ensure you approach the learning on the course effectively from the start of the semester.

10. Each study unit will have dedicated integrated learning materials, which can be accessed via the University Virtual Learning Environment BREO. These allow you to engage with business and health sector specific knowledge and research questions and methods. They are written specifically for this course by the relevant health and business academics within the team. You will receive information to help you with time management to ensure that you complete each unit of study within a specified timescale. In addition podcasts, wikis, and voice to voice seminar tutorials may be used, but please be assured technical training and support will be provided where necessary.

11. Action learning through the use of `real-life problems and scenarios will be integrated into workshops and other face-to-face sessions. This flexible process allows action, improvement and change together with relevant research to be achieved at the same time. You will be supported as you process the knowledge and understanding to change, develop and encounter challenges to implementing change and growth in your workplace or community of practice. Our aim is always praxis the transfer of theoretical knowledge to practical environments and vice versa.

12. The teaching strategy is designed to support you through the process of becoming an agent for change and innovation. Your learning experience while studying will give you the opportunity to explore, experience and develop your management abilities according to your personal and organizational needs and your leadership style. In this way you can construct and interpret new meanings for the way you conduct your working life or empower others to manage their roles and responsibilities.

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body Accreditation

N/A

Students with disabilities

The course team is aware of the requirements of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 and seek to ensure that the practices the Act seeks to encourage are followed. Concerning special educational needs (e.g. dyslexia) special provision is made for assessment for course work depending on the individual needs of the student. All formal teaching and learning is undertaken on premises that provide reasonable access for you if you have concerns about mobility. Advice on the nature of specific disabilities and the reasonable adjustments which can be made to accommodate disabled students is available from the Disability Advice Team.

Skills Development

Below is set out how we as the course team plan to help you to cope with skills development during the degree course.

The framework for skills development is the universitys CRE8 approach to learning stimulation:

• Personalised learning


• Curriculum


• Realistic learning


• Employability


• Assessment

and the Soar framework

• Self awareness


• Opportunity awareness


• Aspiration


• Results

Including the concept of MAP stands for three important dimensions:

• Motivation (interests, values)


• Ability (behavioural competencies)


• Personality (interactions with others, innate preferences

Whilst this approach is integrated throughout all taught units it is also the guiding principle behind the Personal professional development unit, which spans the whole program.

Communication:

In order to be a successful innovator it is essential that your communication skills are of a very high standard. Throughout the qualification you will be involved in expressing and reflecting on your ideas as well as influencing and shaping decisions. You will be communicating with a wide network of diverse people and groups and your oral communication skills will be effective and persuasive. Your written report writing skills similarly will be the standard expected of M level students, and the course offers a rich forum for further elaboration and development of this important capability.

Information Literacy:

This will be introduced to help you to access journals and information and make judgements and to critically engage with, and to make reflections on, increasingly extensive amounts of information now available through a range of technologies. In order to engage in academic research you will need to find, understand, evaluate and use information. Also important are the regulations and laws as well as institutional policies related to the access and use of information. Tutors will provide study skills practice to help you to understand how to approach abstracting relevant information from an academic article and hence to cope with the demands of academic practice. These academic practice skills are probably new to you and there will support from the course team to help you, particularly in the initial stages of the course. There will also be online guides to take you through accessing basic principles and procedures of the learning regime. In addition you will receive help from specialist staff to help you navigate your ways through Learning Resources (the Library), as well as giving your encouragement to produce new information through empirical research and use of digital media.

Research and Evaluation:

These skills are central to the learning strategy within the course to enable you to work through and resolve blockages to creativity and other related problems and concerns, probably from your workplace. You will need to demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking, and to further develop relevant theories relating to how you will translate these into action. The action learning process will support your development where peers and tutors will evaluate and give you feedback and share in your learning. So the research process will allow you time for data collection, reflection on current practice, enable you to work through problems that are not resolved by the traditional lecturer / seminar route, and to take action. In this way you are committed to innovation.

Creativity and Critical Thinking:

The course focus is on leadership, innovation and change and is structured around developing your capabilities as a critical and evaluative thinker to enable you to make reasoned arguments, based on research findings. Creativity is an essential part of these elements. You will be given the opportunity to think reflectively about learning materials and activities you are presented with, you can take time to pause and reflect, and then perhaps question what is said. You will use other sources of evidence to question as well as your own knowledge and experience. In this way you can establish the worth of the arguments and develop your independent learning skills. The evaluation and synthesis process will enable you to present your own interpretation of the information, logically and coherently. This is creativity in action and such learning will enable you to transfer these reflective skills to the workplace and mentor and support your colleagues to do the same, but in a productive and supportive learning culture. Testing out your critical and creative thinking skills will be done with other students, and tutors, in tutorials, self help groups and other course forums. Tools such as discussion boards and blogs are available to assist in an increased demand for collaborative learning on the MBA.

Improving learning and performance

The course aims to enable you to become an autonomous learner and a reflective and creative change agent who is able and willing to reflect on experience and explore and anticipate future opportunities, and then applying your learning to ensure innovation. Many people experience some internal blocks that inhibit development and the workshops and some particular face to face sessions will be organised to inspire you and give you space to release inhibitions, keep you motivated and engaged and facilitate risk taking, experimenting with new problem solving techniques that you can transfer to your workplace. In order to ensure this happens the course has the following continuous development design features.

• You will be actively engaged in using assessment feedback. The assessments are planned and designed to provide tasks and assignments with clearly defined criteria and standards and transparent learning outcomes explicit and clear for each assessment. There will however be an open endedness that is inherent in all assessments. For instance you may be asked to set and draw up a scenario for problem solving within your workplace environment as part of the assignment. You will therefore be active within an authentic learning scenario, the situation is dynamic and in real time, and most importantly you will be learning and monitoring a work situation, evaluating and making adjustments as events unfold. The aim of the feedback from the tutor would be to help you to recognise your own input to the problem, and to self assess efficacy in the achievement of the learning objectives. You will be encouraged to be open with student peers about feedback from assignments and to use this knowledge within the self study groups


• You will be supported throughout the course to take greater responsibility for your own development. Your self-study groups and the formal lectures / workshops will enable you to access resources, synthesise and make connections that will enhance problem solving behaviours and better understandings with which to manage difficult problems. This energetic and active approach to learning will enhance your confidence and self - esteem and will provide a continuous feedback loop ensuring your motivation to act as a professional and autonomous learner


• The course is designed to ensure there are open connections and communications between the tutor, the student and the wider course team to maximize learning opportunities. All tutors are experienced in facilitation and active listening skills. He or she will work with you in a constructive relationship to ensure a clear sense of purpose and positive intention, in line with you own personal, business and administration needs and goals


• You will be encouraged to reflect and evaluate the implications of your learning style for your preferred patterns of problem solving, decision making and team working. Such feedback enables you to improve your communication patterns, work more effectively with others who perhaps you label difficult and to reduce conflict. Other diagnostic tools may also be used in the workshops. However it is anticipated that personal evaluation of learning relating to creativity and innovation will be the most powerful evaluative process for the assessment of progress and direction

Progress files

You will be expected to keep a progress file, along with all students of the University. Over the duration of the qualification you will be collecting a large amount of information, which is an important record of your achievements. Some of the content of your progress file can be presented as evidence in the portfolio for the personal and professional development unit.

Professional standards

Whilst there are no dedicated professional standards specifically for managers in the health service this award has combined the range of policy and guidance issued by Government departments such as DOH, DfEE and professional organizations such as GMC and NHS Institute for Innovation and improvement. These public sector organizations, like the university also have links with National Standards. The University has links and partnerships with both the Chartered Management Institute and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and actively networks with both these organisations to ensure professionalism and excellence. We would expect you to demonstrate this professionalism in your managerial career by:

• Being a inspirational and ethical leader that people want to work with so that you are able to transform your organisational culture to ensure innovation and leadership are of paramount importance


• Being able to manage yourself and being positive to manage emotional responses to situations and people in a constructive manner


• Managing relationship through self awareness of ones own emotions and those of others to successfully engage others


• Leading and following others to ensure sustainable and ethical change, in line with governance and policy frameworks is occurring in your organisation


• Using communication strategies that bring differing viewpoints and generate positive results and to use suitable language and perspective when delivering messages


• Showing awareness and knowledge of the applied social sciences in the health sector generally and your team working and healthcare setting in particular


• Be a respectful and listening manager / team player who is open to the full range of stakeholder perspectives and who will evaluate ideas constructively and positively


• Recognising how cultural, gender and professional or disciplinary differences are a factor in the delivery of quality health services and show sensitivity to inter-cultural, inter-professional working


• Being committed via mentoring and coaching to continuing personal development and promote the CPD ethic within your business


• Being mindful of the ethical implications of your practice through dialogue with peers, clients and mentors, and adhere to professional ethical standards at all times in relation to action learning and action research, formulating alternative solutions as necessary, including the demonstration of an awareness of the ethical implications of creativity versus conformity. Your tutors will adhere to ethical, personal and professional standards at all times. The University has specific policies and procedures to ensure such standards are rigorously adhered to

Strategy for developing and embedding the professional standards

These standards underpin and drive and learning teaching and assessment philosophy of the qualification and are integrated into all aspects of the Masters provision.