MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice

Entry standards

All applicants must have a relevant professional qualification with a minimum of one year’s experience (post-qualification) and a degree or equivalent with the potential to achieve at postgraduate level, and be employed in a teaching/training capacity.

Nurses must have three years’ full-time experience (or equivalent part-time) in relevant professional practice in the last ten years.

English language requirements

Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 7 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).

Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - structure and modules

Module Titles

Core Modules

• Journey of Development
• Effective Learning in the Practice Setting
• Advancing Learning and Teaching Skills
• Innovation and Learning
• Dissertation (for the MSc)

Optional Modules

• Research for Practice (compulsory for the MSc)
• Leadership and Management
• Curriculum Development: Diversity in Delivery
• Supporting Students
• Advanced Communication Skills

Core Modules 

Journey of Development 

This module will expose you to a culture of development, whereby you can focus on and design your personal and professional journey of development, leading to deep learning and independence. 

Effective Learning in the Practice Setting 

This module gives you the opportunity to consider and critically evaluate links between theory and practice and to explore strategies relevant to the facilitation and support of learning within the workplace. 

Advancing Learning and Teaching Skills 

This module increases your knowledge and understanding of the complexities of learning and teaching, assessment and evaluation in order to review critically and enhance your expertise in these areas of professional practice. 

Innovation and Learning 

This module provides a stimulating and challenging learning experience, developing conceptual knowledge and understanding of experiential learning, exploring practice-based innovation and change. 

Dissertation (for the MSc) 

The MSc dissertation/project is intended to enable teachers to acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to actively contribute through research to the development of the area of professional practice in which they work. 

Optional Modules 

Research for Practice 

This module assists you to explore and examine the nature of the research enterprise, and its relationship to the natural and social sciences which include health, education and/or social care. It develops a critical understanding of the range of theoretical, methodological and ethical issues associated with the study of health, education and social care. You will examine the convention of dividing research into qualitative and quantitative approaches and their relationship to evidence-based policy and practice. Please note that this module is compulsory should you wish to progress to the MSc.

Leadership and Management 

This module invites you to critically review your assumptions about leadership and management, and to reflect on your own and your organisation’s leadership practices.

Curriculum Development: Diversity in Delivery 

Through undertaking this module you will gain an understanding of the processes involved in curriculum design and development and explore innovative strategies to enhance the learning journey. As a focus of the module is diversity in delivery, a number of strategies will be explored: curriculum design, curriculum models and factors that influence curriculum development. You will be given the opportunity to explore the nature of knowledge and experience and how a curriculum can address these aspects. To explore this further, consideration will be given to the integration of information technology and the use of skills laboratories to enhance curriculum design. 

Supporting Students 

This module examines ways of creating supportive learning communities and the implications for the teaching and learning process. It includes an evaluation of the core conditions of acceptance, empathy and congruence, learning theories and their relationship to the support process.

Advanced Communication Skills (Cancer Care pathway)

This module uses innovative, experiential teaching methods to explore advanced communication skills. Significant issues that will be covered during the module are: handling strong emotion, breaking significant news, managing patient anxiety, patient assessment, information-giving, as well as communication issues with colleagues and members of the multidisciplinary team.

Optional Modules and Credits

The standard optional modules on this programme are shown below. The amount of credits awarded for each module is shown in brackets.

• Research for Practice (compulsory for MSc) (30)
• Leadership and Management (15)
• Curriculum Development: Diversity in Delivery (15)
• Supporting Students (15)
• Advanced Communication Skills (15)

Additional Optional Modules

You have the opportunity to undertake additional modules from a very wide range if required. The amount of credits awarded for each module is shown in brackets.

• Advanced Communication Skills (15)
• Assessment in Public Health Practice (15)
• Cancer Pathophysiology and Treatment (15)
• Case Management (15)
• Challenges in Pain Management (15)
• Chronic Disease Management (15)
• Clinical Issues in Palliative Care (15)
• Contemporary Issues in Mental Health Care (15)
• Current Issues in Advanced Midwifery Practice (15)
• Developing Dementia Care (15)
• Epidemiology and Health Protection (15)
• Ethics (15)
• Leading Empowered Partnerships (15)
• Learning Review (15)
• Learning Through Professional Practice (15)
• Minor Ailments Management (15)
• Minor Injuries Management (15)
• Nurse Independent/Supplementary Prescribing (V300) (30)
• Nutrition (15)
• Principles and Practice of Perineal Repair for the Midwife (15)
• Protecting and Safeguarding the Child (15)
• Psychosocial Aspects of Care (15)
• Radiotherapy and Supportive Care (15)
• Sexual Health (15)
• Skills for the Children’s Workforce (15)
• Valuing Work-based Learning (15)

Programme Structure and Modules

* See optional modules list

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - entry standards

Entry standards

All applicants must have a relevant professional qualification with a minimum of one year’s experience (post-qualification) and a degree or equivalent with the potential to achieve at postgraduate level, and be employed in a teaching/training capacity.

Nurses must have three years’ full-time experience (or equivalent part-time) in relevant professional practice in the last ten years.

English language requirements

Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 7 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).

Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.

Planned intake

20 on any module

Start date

September

Programme director

• Mrs Alison Rhodes

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - fees and funding

Fees

Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice (part time):

UK/EU - £3,660 
Overseas - £5,580

www.surrey.ac.uk/pgfees/2012

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - professional context

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - teaching

Teaching

The Learning and Teaching Framework offers a progressive structure at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels that will assist you to move seamlessly from one stage to the next. You may wish to choose to study for one of these awards or undertake modules on a ‘stand-alone’ basis to allow flexibility and freedom. 

The framework commences with the Mentorship module, leading on to the Practice Teacher qualification, the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice, the Postgraduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice and the MSc in Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice. 

Mentorship module 

The Mentorship module can be accessed by a variety of health care professionals who have a responsibility to support learning in practice and forms part of the NMC standards for Supporting Learning and Assessment in Practice (Mentor).

A nurse or midwife wishing to undertake this module will be required to have one year’s post-qualification experience prior to attending. In preparation for this module, you would be encouraged to engage in the Associate Mentor preparation provision, which will be offered within NHS Trusts, led by Trust personnel with educational responsibilities. 

Once this preparation has been completed, you will be able to become part of the practice mentorship team, working alongside a registered mentor and assisting in the support of learners and learning in practice. 

The Mentorship module is a generic module (offered at Level HE3) that assists participants from a number of professional groups to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills. This is done through exploration, enquiry and reflexivity and aims to develop and enhance coaching, assessment and facilitation skills. 

Those who show an aptitude for learning, teaching and supporting learners or a keen interest in this area will be actively encouraged to progress on to further study.

Practice Teacher qualification 

The Practice Teacher NMC qualification can be accessed by individuals on the NMC register. This pathway includes three modules: Mentorship (Level HE3), Journey of Development and Effective Learning in the Practice Setting. 

This qualification forms part of the NMC standards for Supporting Learning and Assessment in Practice (Practice Teacher), which offer preparation for primary care nurses who are supporting learners undertaking specialist community public health nursing qualifications and specialist practice qualifications. Other practitioners who wish to develop their role in practice education may also opt to complete the above modules.

Conversely these modules can be accessed on a stand-alone basis, which would benefit practice educators from health care compulsory and post-compulsory sectors. The modules can be studied individually, although it is envisaged that they would be studied at the same time. 

Once the Mentorship module has been successfully completed at Level HE3, plus the Journey of Development and Effective Learning in the Practice Setting modules, the nurse or midwife can record this study as meeting the NMC standards for the Practice Teacher qualification. 

The anticipation would be that you would undertake further study by stepping on to the remaining modules associated with the Postgraduate Certificate (Advancing Learning and Teaching Skills, and Innovation and Learning). 

Postgraduate Certificate 

For nurses and midwives, this forms part of the NMC standards for Supporting Learning and Assessment in Practice (Qualified Teacher). On completion of the four core modules, the nurse or midwife can record this study as meeting the standards for the Qualified Teacher along with evidence of 360 hours of teaching and would therefore be eligible to register with NMC. 

Once you have achieved 60 Level HEM credits through successfully completing the four core modules, you would be eligible for the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice and therefore could exit the programme. Alternatively, you could proceed to the Postgraduate Diploma and would be actively encourage to do so. 

Postgraduate Diploma 

As all core modules will have been previously completed (60 Level HEM credits) you will be required to complete a further 60 Level HEM credits by accessing and choosing from the optional modules. The credit accumulation and transfer process can be utilised to achieve this (that is, if modules were initially chosen as stand-alone and you had not registered for an award). The optional modules are an eclectic way of achieving the outcomes for this award. 

Once you have completed 120 Level HEM credits, you would be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma if you chose to step off the programme. However, you would be encouraged to progress to the MSc stage. 

MSc 

To be awarded the MSc, you are required to successfully achieve 180 Level HEM credits through successful completion of a research project.

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - learning

Self study hours

150 hours per 15-credit module

300 hours per 30-credit module

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - graduate profile

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - more

Tailoring the Student Experience 

At the initial applicant enquiry an informal discussion will take place to offer information regarding the framework and to ascertain your previous learning and development. This discussion will assist you to make an informed decision as to the right journey of development for you, based on your needs, wishes and interests. It will also take into account the requirements for your professional role. This is an exciting component of the recruitment and selection process, informally exploring your needs and future aspirations for career and study.

MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - apply

• MSc Learning and Teaching for Professional Practice - Part-time - starting September 2011