Bsc (Hons) Professional Practice (Sept 2014)

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE

Programme Specification

This Programme Specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided

Awarding Institution / Body

/ University of Central Lancashire

Teaching Institution and Location of Delivery

/ University of Central Lancashire; Preston (Main Campus)

University School/Centre

/ Health Sciences

External Accreditation

/ N/A

Title of Final Award

/ BSc (Hons.) Professional Practice

Modes of Attendance offered

/ Part Time

UCAS Code

/ N/A

Relevant Subject Benchmarking Group(s)

Other external influences

/ QAA (2008) The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
SEEC (2010) SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education
Francis (2010) Independent Inquiry into care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust January 2005 – March 2009, Volume I
DH (2012) The NHS Outcomes Framework 2013/14
NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework
The NHS Improvement Plan: Putting People at the heart of Public Services June 2004
National Service Frameworks

Date of production/revision of this form

/ January 2014

Aims of the Programme

The aim of the BSc (Hons) Professional Practice is to enable professional health and social care practitioners to explore, develop and enhance their practice. The award has been designed to provide students with the opportunity to share professional knowledge and insight in a multi-professional forum, reflecting on the place of their clinical expertise and practice in relation to other disciplines contributing to healthcare.

Learning Outcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods

A.Knowledge and Understanding
At the end of the programme of study the student will be able to:
A1 Critically evaluate the impact of professional practice on health and social care
A2. Demonstrate enhanced knowledge and expertise in meeting the challenges inherent in practice
A3. Support and enhance the service user and carer experience of health and social care
A4. Initiate and lead practice development that enhances the quality of health care provision
A5. Ensure that practice is grounded in current research and evidence
A6. Consider the drivers that influence and shape professional practice in the context of health and social care organisations
A7 Create new insights and solutions for practice
A8 Develop their leadership and decision making skills to support health and social care needs and problem solving and decision making in complex and unpredictable situations
Teaching and Learning Methods
Each module will identify appropriate learning and teaching strategies. A range of approaches are used, with the most popular being:

Lecture/discussion with application to practice and networking of ideas
Directed study and reading
Use of VLE for supplemental reading, module information and discussion board
Some modules are delivered by VLE

Assessment methods
Each module will identify appropriate assessment strategies. Assessment strategies are mapped to module learning outcomes to ensure successful achievement of learning.
A range of assessment strategies are used, with the most popular being:
Written assignments e.g. essays, case studies, reflective accounts
Presentations – oral and poster presentations
Portfolio development – written and e-portfolio
B.Subject-specific skills
At the end of the programme of study the student will be able to:
B1. Demonstrate enhancement of their professional expertise within their field of practice
B2. Demonstrate a consistent professional image within the organisation or their professional field
B3. Maintain and inspire professional evidence based practice
B4 Demonstrate effective practice in changing health and social care environments
B5 Analyse their professional practice in order to generate and/or recognise how best practice and imaginative ideas can be applied to different situations
B6 Demonstrate skilled practice based on critical reflection and the application of specialist knowledge
Teaching and Learning Methods
Each module will identify appropriate learning and teaching strategies. A range of approaches are used, with the most popular being:

Lecture/discussion with application to practice and networking of ideas
Directed study and reading
Use of VLE for supplemental reading, module information and discussion board
Some modules are delivered by VLE

Assessment methods
Each module will identify appropriate assessment strategies. Assessment strategies are mapped to module learning outcomes to ensure successful achievement of learning.
A range of assessment strategies are used, with the most popular being:
Written assignments e.g. essays, case studies, reflective accounts
Presentations – oral and poster presentations
Portfolio development – written and e-portfolio
C.Thinking Skills
At the end of the programme of study the student will be able to:
C1. Identify and solve problems
C2. Work with and handle diverse and complex information in order to improve health and wellbeing of patients/clients
C3 Determine appropriate professional actions and draw conclusions based on evidence that reflects factual information
C4 Reflect on and review their own practices and that of others
C5 Critically appraise issues relating to professional practice in health and social care
C6 Critically analyse contemporary evidence for their practice underpinning inter-professional approaches to care
Teaching and Learning Methods
Each module will identify appropriate learning and teaching strategies. A range of approaches are used, with the most popular being:

Lecture/discussion with application to practice and networking of ideas
Directed study and reading
Use of VLE for supplemental reading, module information and discussion board
Some modules are delivered by VLE

Assessment methods
Each module will identify appropriate assessment strategies. Assessment strategies are mapped to module learning outcomes to ensure successful achievement of learning.
A range of assessment strategies are used, with the most popular being:
Written assignments e.g. essays, case studies, reflective accounts
Presentations – oral and poster presentations
Portfolio development – written and e-portfolio
D.Other skills relevant to employability and personal development
At the end of the programme of study the student will be able to:
D1. Practice as an autonomous practitioner enhancing their scope of practice within their organisational boundaries
D2. Balance the demands of their personal and professional lives nurturing their self-awareness to encompass personal and professional growth throughout their programme of study
D3. Demonstrate the ability and desire to learn for oneself and improve one’s self-awareness, emotional intelligence and performance
D4. Develop a personal development plan to influence and shape their on-going professional career
D5. Communicate and work with colleagues, service users and carers demonstrating interpersonal sensitivity when imparting knowledge and information
D6. Use information technology when working to meet the needs of patient/clients
D7. Demonstrate an appreciation of organisational culture, policies and processes
Teaching and Learning Methods
Each module will identify appropriate learning and teaching strategies. A range of approaches are used, with the most popular being:

Lecture/discussion with application to practice and networking of ideas
Directed study and reading
Use of VLE for supplemental reading, module information and discussion board
Some modules are delivered by VLE

A structured process that is integral to higher level learning
Concerned with learning in an holistic sense (academic and non-academic)
Something done with guidance and support
A process that involves reflection, creation of personal records, planning and monitoring progress towards achievement of personal objectives
Intended to improve the capacity of the individual to communicate their learning to others who are interested in it (academic staff/ employers)

QAA state that “the ultimate responsibility for deriving benefit from PDP should rest with each student”.
Your personal development work will be focused on the use of a personal learning portfolio we will advise you as to the development of a paper based document.
At the initial induction event (before you start the course) we will be facilitating a range of activities to help you establish a network of other professional practitioners. One of the activities will be to ask you to undertake some personal learning activities

a learning styles questionnaire
a values clarification exercise

in order to help you start your own personal development plan. Your plan may fit with your NHS PDP, but could be a separate activity. During you programme you will be invited to attend progression workshops. These will assist you in moving forward with your plan – reviewing and reflecting on the past years learning and considering the coming year’s activity.
We will be developing with you a range of important themes, underpinning professional practice:

Your own health in relation to current policy and guidelines
Understanding service user/carer perspectives on practice in your field
Inter-professional learning and working in practice

No matter which module you choose to study, you should consider these issues in relation to current policy, research and practice experience.
Reference
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2009) Personal development planning:
guidance for institutional policy and practice in higher education. QAA
16.Admissions criteria
Programme Specifications include minimum entry requirements, including academic qualifications, together with appropriate experience and skills required for entry to study. These criteria may be expressed as a range rather than a specific grade. Amendments to entry requirements may have been made after these documents were published and you should consult the University’s website for the most up to date information.
Students will be informed of their personal minimum entry criteria in their offer letter.
General:

Have a current professional registration with a relevant professional/statutory body, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council or Health Care Professions Council
Please note that for individual modules you may be required to be working in clinical practice for at least 18 hours a week
Hold 120 credits or equivalent at level 5 study: this should preferably be via a Diploma in Higher Education course but for those students with no prior academic credit / qualifications, an AP(E)L Portfolio route is available in order for students to demonstrate the ability to study and achieve level 5 outcomes and show equivalence to Dip HE (please note that this takes time, an APL claim should be started at least 9 months prior to the start of the academic year in September)
Have the ability to be self-funding or have the commitment of their employer to support course fees
Have their managers support for the course (where appropriate)

Informal enquiries are welcomed. Your application will be considered on its merits and in the light of the nature and scope of the programme. You may be invited for an informal discussion before being offered a place. The purpose of this discussion is first to ensure that you understand the nature of the programme and its demands and to plan your modular route leading to the identified award. Identification of financial support will be noted.
17.Key sources of information about the programme

School of Health website

School of Health NHS Contracts Unit

Course leader and module leaders

School of Health CPD brochure

18.Curriculum Skills Map
Please tick in the relevant boxes where individual Programme Learning Outcomes are being assessed
Programme Learning Outcomes
Level / Module code / Module title / Knowledge and understanding / Subject-specific Skills / Thinking Skills / Other skills relevant to employability and personal development
Level 6 / A1 / A2 / A3 / A4 / A5 / A6 / A7 / A8 / B1 / B2 / B3 / B4 / B5 / B6 / C1 / C2 / C3 / C4 / C5 / C6 / D1 / D2 / D3 / D4 / D5 / D6 / D
7
NU3113 / Work Based Practice Project / Core /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
OR
NU3593 / Dissertation / Core /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
NU3047 / Valuing Research / Core /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 

[A1]

[A1]LO A3 and D5 will be covered by optional modules for those students opting for Dissertation due to the nature of clinical focus within the options. This is monitored by the course leader when students select the final module.