This module aims to:

Provide a process which will enable students to use and extend knowledge and skills that they have acquired during their programme of study and complete an independent project;

Provide students with the opportunity to explore an area of interest within healthcare leadership in greater depth, using appropriate management research methodologies and/or data collection methods;

Provide students with the opportunity to focus on academic and personal reflection throughout the programme;

Enable students to undertake a self-managed process of systematic practitioner inquiry within the domains of leadership and management.

(LO1) Students will be able to engage with a client organisation with the aim of investigating a current management problem.

(LO2) Students will be able to diagnose and analyse client problems and issues using a structured programme of management research.

(LO3) Students will be able to collect and analyse data from a wide variety of sources in order to evaluate the selected issue.

(LO4) Students will be able to prepare and present the findings, conclusions and recommendations.

(LO5) Students will be able to prepare a poster in order to present and discuss their research.

(LRE1) A problem solver.
The focus of the work-based project is to solve a particular problem or issue within the organisation.

(LRE2) Organised and able to work under pressure.
This skill will be developed via meeting with the client organisation, meeting the research brief, and meeting several phased deadlines throughout the project preparation.

(LRE3) An excellent verbal and written communicator.
Students will need to demonstrate high level written communication skills in the management report, poster and presentation.

(LRE4) IT literate.
Students will demonstrate this through the production of the project, poster, and presentation.

(LRE5) Ethically aware.
Students will conduct their research under strict ethical guidelines, which are taught in the research methods training and applied in the project itself.

(LRE6) Internationally aware.
Students from diverse international backgrounds will have the opportunity to engage and collaborate with each other, enabling a rich understanding of global healthcare and developing skills in cross cultural working.

The Learning and Teaching Strategy has been guided by the Curriculum 2021 Framework, Attributes, and Hallmarks, and as such, all module content will be informed by current and cutting-edge research in the relevant subject area(s). The module has been designed with a focus on global citizenship, by ensuring that students are given the opportunity to collaborate with their peers. This will enable students to build their confidence by sharing their own experiences, as well as helping them to understand how their learning might be applied to different healthcare settings and international contexts.

The module will begin with a series of e-lectures covering key information, and ensuring students’ understanding of the research methodology and planning that will underpin the work based project. Students will also be directed to key academic and practitioner readings to further develop their learning.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 6 hours

Description: The e-le ctures will equate to 3 hours/week over 2 weeks, undertaken asynchronously.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform

Students will be allocated a project supervisor for their work based project. It is expected that students will have at least four supervisory meetings, and the first meeting will involve the approval of a proposal for the individual project.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 4 hours

Description: The first meeting will include formative feedback on the student's project proposal, and the content of the other three meeting will be dependent on the needs of the student.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform

Students will be required to prepare for the poster presentation session. This will involve them drawing out the key points from their poster and creating a presentation.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 8 hours

Description: The preparation will equate to 8 hou rs, undertaken asynchronously.
Attendance Recorded: No

Ahead of the final poster presentation session, students will attend an assessment support session where they will each present an early draft of their poster presentation. Students will be encouraged to critique the presentation of their peers, facilitated by the module instructor, providing valuable feedback for further development.

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 2 hours

Description: The assessment support session will be undertaken synchronously for the group midway through the module. The date and time of the session will be confirmed at the start of the module, and where necessary, the session will be repeated depending on the number of students and the time zones of the students’ location.
Attendance Recorded: Yes - tracked via the learning platform.

The final poster presentation session will involve students discussing the poster presentations submitted by their peers for assessment 3 (if there are issues with time zones another seminar will be provided). Peer discussion and questions will be encouraged. This session will be recorded and moderated by the module instructor.

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 2 hours

Description: The poster presentation session will equate to 2 hours undertaken synchronously. The date and time of the session will be confirmed at the start of the module.
Attendance Recorded: Yes - tracked via the learning platform.

Self-Directed Learning Hours: 578 hours

Description: Initially students will undertake independent tasks and reading in order to support their learning and research. Students will work on their project proposal and, after formative feedback on the proposal, continue on to work on their project.

The context for management research.

Developing the research proposal further.

Planning and conducting the research project, including data analysis, building Research Methods module content.

Composing the management report.

Academic journal writing.

Poster preparation.

Presentation skills.