Overview

The BSc (Hons) Healthcare Management is for you if you want to develop a global mind-set to apply theoretical approaches to professional management issues for effective health care.

You consider the international context in which health care and their professional practice sits and are encouraged to critically evaluate globally relevant evidence, alternative approaches and strategies.

You also enhance knowledge and understanding of international issues which may impact upon leadership and management practice. You are taught to be research-based and enquiring as they are key to equipping you with the skills to ensure your practice is fully evidence based and that you are able to access, utilise and evaluate research to inform innovative practice or to address challenges in the workplace.

Research skills are a core thread throughout the course and you develop your research knowledge and skills, alongside leadership and management.

You study the course over a 52-week period and over three semester, each lasting 14 weeks.

The structure of the course increases the opportunity to work alongside other students from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

Course structure

Core modules

You analyse and evaluate issues, complexities, and opportunities associated with contemporary healthcare management. Emphasis is on the healthcare worker as a key member of the multidisciplinary team as they consider, debate and apply the theory relating to the management of high-quality patient care within a constantly changing healthcare setting. You study issues such as risk, patient safety, and change. Theory from international, national, and local literature is utilised to support you to appreciate a diversity of approaches for managing healthcare delivery.

Dissertation: Evaluating Effective Management in Complex Healthcare Settings

You are allocated a project supervisor at the start of the module who guide you throughout the project development. You evaluate evidence in your professional practice, develop recommendations and propose how to enhance practice.

Health Economics and Policy

You learn knowledge and understanding of basic economic principles, which are applied to health and healthcare settings. You explore how resources can be allocated most efficiently to maximise benefits to society from the resources available, and look at health economics from both a macro and micro perspective.

You consider the impact of contemporary health and social care policy and management issues, the structure, funding and organisation of health and social care and issues relating to legal, social, ethical and professional perspective. The module is suitable for clinical and non-clinical staff working within health and social care settings.

Information and Technology in Healthcare Management

You develop your awareness of a range of health informatics data and research, to enable you to appraise the effectiveness of technology in improving patient experiences/outcomes.

You consider contemporary health and social care policy with a specific emphasis on the data and research that is available to inform professional practice and enhance the patient journey. The structure, funding and organisation of health and social care is explored along with the economic, social and environmental implications of emerging health informatics systems and technologies. You consider the ethical, legal and professional issues that exist or may exist in the future.

Management and Professional Development for Healthcare Management

You develop self-awareness and self-knowledge in relation to your management and leadership style, considering the human dimensions of change and the importance of working with others. You explore the theories of personal effectiveness and emotional and social intelligence which enables you to enhance the skills and behaviours required to establish partnership or collaborative working practices that recognise the strengths, capabilities and development potential of its workforce. Appropriate self-assessment strategies and tools are utilised to support the evaluation of your management and leadership style. You engage critically with the content and develop your reflective skills to support critical analysis and development of management and leadership action plans.

How you learn

You consider application of the theoretical concepts as they apply to real life work place changes. The use of keynote teaching sessions, followed later by a student-led seminar in which you apply your knowledge to your own area of practice, is key to support integration of the wider context in healthcare into their local service delivery.

Shared learning with other peers enhance learning and enable wider understanding of the healthcare agenda.

The modules utilise traditional and innovative learning and teaching methods underpinned by an adult-centred approach that complement the course’s aims and outcomes. Key concepts are presented, and student-led seminars are used to further explore key themes and theoretical frameworks. Other learning and teaching methods include workshops, discussion groups, case studies, electronic learning, personal and group tutorials, and independent study. Key active international and national researchers within the School will share their experiences with you.

You develop your ability to study independently and are expected to undertake self-directed reading and apply research and critical perspectives to your professional situations, both practical and theoretical, and to use a range of techniques and research methods applicable to your roles as professional healthcare workers.

Computer laboratories and campus library facilities add to the learning and teaching experience as you self-manage literature and apply it to a range of outcomes.

How you are assessed

Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is included in both modules delivered in Semester 1 to ensure you receive timely and constructive feedback to develop your group presentation, academic writing and referencing skills thus promoting and supporting the transition from level 5 to level 6 study.

Formative processes are built-in to all modules across the course. The interactive nature of individual modules encourages you to share ideas and test assumptions within a non-threatening environment to enhance problem-solving and develop confidence in your ability to present informed arguments. Discussion with, and feedback from your peers is essential to the development of knowledge and transferable skills. You draw on workplace or prior workplace experiences to critique ‘real’ events which enhance learning and preparation for assessment.

Summative Assignments
These give you the opportunity to critically evaluate key areas in relation to your own area of work and apply theory to real life practice situations.

The diversity of assessments considers the range of learning styles so that you are not disadvantaged by the assessment process and to provide rich learning opportunities. The assessments enable you to develop transferable skills around forms of written and verbal communication required from leaders and managers, such as reports, oral presentations, defence of posters and ideas, action plans and personal reflection.