Work-based Learning for Individual and Organisational Transformation
Part-time
Nine month
18 month
January 2025
In a nutshell
This course is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive skill set and knowledge base to drive positive change within their respective fields. Through a focus on education, leadership, and service improvement, transformation, and reform, participants will enhance their expertise while contributing to the advancement of their practice area.
This work-based learning programme will help you to:
- develop and equip you with the knowledge and skills to create and transform your area of practice
- develop yourself within three areas: education; leadership; and service improvement, transformation, and reform
- allows you to focus on developing your knowledge and skills to enhance your area of practice
- be able to lead a work-based project for the benefit of service users and/or service improvements
- learn how to deal with complex problems through work-based learning, development, and project leadership
- learn to base your practice on sound research and evidence-based practice
- learn the skills to empower and develop yourself and others to deliver organisational change through your transformation of practice
- gain the confidence to try new and creative approaches
- opportunity to learn and share knowledge and skills with other professionals for individual and service transformation
You will:
- Achieved a master's level award using work-based learning
- Be part of working in partnership with employers who value your work and expertise
- Develop your knowledge and skills helping to transform your practice and organisation
- Develop project management skills, change management skills and undertaking research to transform your practice and your organisation
- Develop the skills to write for publication and take a critical approach in searching for research findings from practice
- Develop a structured and rigorous approach to dissemination of research findings
This is for you if...
This programme is for professionals in practice from a range of public and private sector providers including health care practice, policing, education, third sector and local authority.
This programme reflects the diversity of each organisation and individual members of staff.
It is delivered in partnership with your organisation through negotiated work-based learning where you are supported, enabling you to advance your practice.
It values workplace learning, and the expertise developed in your area of practice.
It develops and equips you with the professional knowledge and skills needed to enhance and transform your area of practice.
It offers you the option for flexible study, which enables you to combine work and learning, so that you can co-ordinate your study around your work and other commitments.
All about the course
For the Post Graduate Certificate (PGCert), you will need to study the following two modules:
- Evidencing Personal and Professional Development
- Independent Learning Studies
For the Post Graduate Diploma (PGDip), you will need to study all four modules:
- Evidencing Personal and Professional Development
- Independent Learning Studies
- Work-based project and Finding
- Disseminating Evidence
Evidencing Personal and Professional Development (30 credits)
The purpose of the module is to help you reflect on your prior personal and professional experiences. You will utilise frameworks and tools to capture and record these experiences and develop a portfolio of evidence demonstrating your personal and professional development which will be assessed and valued. The added benefits of this module is for you to develop a portfolio further in order to submit evidence for the award of credit for larger chunks of learning.
Independent Learning Studies (30 credits)
The purpose of the module is for you to be guided through the learning process that enables you to assess, plan, implement and evaluate your own learning and performance. This will be achieved through work-based activities which address your needs and interests with support from your tutor and work-based mentor. You will negotiate and determine your own aims, objectives, learning outcomes and assessment criteria for the work-based activity. This provides a framework and a vehicle for the development and assessment of skills and knowledge, is both product and process orientated and facilitates goals for future learning and performance.
Work-Based Project (30 credits)
The purpose of this module for you to manage a work-based project to support you in developing skills for managing change and guide you in undertaking research to transform and develop your area of practice and your organisation. You will be asked to keep a learning journal to build up a portfolio of work and attend sessions to develop your knowledge and skills. You will produce a project report and project portfolio to the University of Salford to gain the required academic credits.
Finding and Disseminating Evidence (30 credits)
This module focuses on preparing you to write for publication, in a peer-reviewed journal on the work-based learning project above. You will take a critical approach in searching for research findings from practice, use available literature and your work-based learning project. This will enable you to have a structured and rigorous approach to effective dissemination of research findings.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
The School of Health and Society
We are focused on enhancing the health and wellbeing of patients, service users and athletes and our commitment to public involvement help us retain our strong focus on real-world issues.
Programme Leader
Jo Sullivan
Jo Sullivan is the Programme Lead for the PG Diploma in Work-Based Learning for Individual and Organisational Transformation.
Jo is a registered Adult Nurse and Health visitor with a lengthy clinical career. Jo also has extensive academic experience in developing and leading work-based learning programmes designed to meet specific learning requirements. Jo has a keen interest in ensuring individuals have the best opportunity to develop their own work-based expertise, whilst contributing to the transformational and innovative delivery of work-based practice.
Jo has a passion for inclusive education and work-based / practice-based learning. Her research focuses on the creation of inclusive working and educational environments for neurodivergent individuals, and how this diversity can enhance work-based experiences for everyone.
Jo has led collaborative projects with large national companies and organisations to create and design work-based learning programmes for their workforce. These directly facilitate the enhancement and improvement of organisational delivery and helps them to attain their wider strategic vision.
What about after uni?
This programme will support you in career development and application for leadership roles within your area of practice. It will develop your project management skills and change management skills, allowing you to lead service transformation. Through the advancement of critical thinking skills, this programme will enable you to influence sectoral best practice, through publication and dissemination.
Further study
The programme will interface with a range of other programmes offered by the school, as part of an Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) route.
- MSc Nursing
- MSc Leadership and Management for Health Care Practice
- MSc Leadership and Management in Education
- Professional Doctorate in Health and Social Care
Career Links
The programme team are linked into a variety of employers. As examples of organisations who have approached us to discuss their staff developments and are keen to use the programme as part of their staff and organisational development, discussions have taken place with:
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, to support the Trust in developing newly qualified professionals in the second Year of their preceptorship programme, developing their staff who undertake in-service training for anaesthetics, quality improvement, and leadership by furthering their development within an academic programme and creating impactful change in practice. The Trust also want to use the programme to support the development of their Theatre and Anaesthetic staff.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, to support cancer specialist in furthering their service-based learning and development into academic awards, whilst also meeting the requirements of The Christie and Greater Manchester Cancer strategy workforce education plan.
Greater Manchester Training Hub, GP nurse Fellowship and Foundation Programme, has been supported by the School over the past 3 years. The team and the training hub now want GP nurses to have the opportunity to further their academic progression through Practice Based Learning
Working Well Matters, deliver vocational rehabilitation programmes for professionals in Occupational Health, they would like the OH professionals to be able to develop their practice and academic skills through vocational rehabilitation-focused practice learning and development.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP), as a school we provide education routes into Policing. We want to be able to offer experienced police officers practice-based learning opportunities to help further the academic development of GMP and their educators, support the individuals by recognising their training within an academic framework, and simultaneously supporting the organisational transformation.
Health Education England (HEE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are delivering a Global Workforce Development Programme, we are delivering the Action Learning set elements to 7 countries. Whilst the participants will receive a certificate of attendance, HEE and the WHO are keen to support participants in gaining academic recognition for their work on workforce transformation. We are discussing the role this programme may play in that process.
What you need to know
Applicant profile
This course will only be offered through your organisation. In addition, you must be engaged in paid and/or unpaid work and where a written agreement with your employer for support in undertaking this module/programme is agreed. There will be identification of a Learning Guide / Mentor who can support you in your place of work.
Access to undertake the course will be commissioned through your organisation, therefore individual applications cannot be considered.
The programme is targeted at professionals in practice from a range of public, private and third-sector providers including healthcare practice, policing, education, and local authority.
A vital component of the programme is the tripartite relationship between the student, their employer and the university programme tutors. This relationship supports the students in focusing their development on specific areas of need in practice, which in turn drives organisational change at the same time as personal and professional development.
Undergraduate degree
A minimum of a second-class honour's degree 2:2 or above.
An equivalent academic or professional qualification from the UK or elsewhere i.e., incorporating study at least comparable to 120 credits at level 6.
In addition, engaged in paid and/or unpaid work and where a written agreement with their employer for support in undertaking this module/programme is agreed. There will be identification of a Learning Guide / Mentor who can support the student in their place of work.
English Language Requirements
International applicants will be required to show a proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.5 (with no element below 5.5) is proof of this. If you need to improve your written and spoken English, you might be interested in our English language courses.
Accreditation of Prior Learning
We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.
The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.
Two forms of APL may be used for entry: The Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
How much?
The tuition fees for this programme are on a per-module basis.
All set? Let's apply
Still have some questions? Register for one of our Open Days or contact us:
By email: enquiries@salford.ac.uk
By phone: +44 (0)161 295 4545