Health & Social Care Leadership | Bishop Grosseteste University

Ranked 1st in the UK for Teaching Quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)

Course summary

This course aims to enable an in-depth knowledge and understanding of leadership practice in Health and Social Care, informed by current scholarly research and including a critical awareness of current issues and developments at the forefront of this field.

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Key facts

Award	MA
Duration	1 year
Mode of study	Full-time
Start date	October 2025
Award	Bishop Grosseteste University
Institution code	B38

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About this course

You will be encouraged to develop critical self-reflection and self-management skills, along with developing the ability to learn through the reflection of practice and experience. You will also have the opportunity to undertake a research project relevant to your practice. This Master's degree course is aimed at advanced practitioners, supervisors and managers working or volunteering in the field of Health and Social Care who have extensive experience in practice, and whose current role is to lead, support and challenge those working within the field.

Throughout this course you will have the opportunity to work out your own ways of approaching situations and issues by exploring other perspectives and through increased self-awareness. The programme is designed to improve your ability to address issues involved in the successful implementation of practice and in securing better outcomes. You will be encouraged to develop a greater understanding of yourself and of the theoretical issues that examine the nature of leadership, thereby increasing your ability to manage complex issues in the future.

As a current student at BGU, I can confidently say that my experience here has been nothing short of exceptional. From the moment I stepped onto campus, I was impressed by the vibrant atmosphere and sense of community that permeates every aspect of university life. One of the University's standout features is its commitment to academic excellence. The faculty members are not only experts in their fields, but also dedicated mentors who go above and beyond to support student success. The curriculum is rigorous yet engaging, providing many opportunities for hands-on learning, research, and critical thinking. BGU stands out as a beacon of excellence in higher education. Current student on (MA) Health & Social Care Leadership course.

Don’t forget that BGU Alumni receive a 30% discount on all Master's course fees (for 2024/25) and 20% for 2025/26.

What you will study

Students on this course currently study some or all of the following modules:

Course modules

This module will develop an advanced understanding of a range of theories, roles, models, frameworks of organisations and in relation to health and social care. You will be encouraged to consider the wider organisational and contextual framework. The module will enable you to assess, interpret and analyse organisational problems and use rational analysis and creative thinking to consider strategies for action.

You will be required to think critically about leadership skills and the dynamic relationship between an individual and others. Considering different perspectives on leadership, you will be encouraged to identify your assumptions and values, and understand principled leadership practice within health and social care. The module will encourage you to consider your role in an environment where change is constant and where you are expected to deliver services in new ways.

This module will extend your research knowledge and skills and enhance your capacities to utilise research in health and social care practice, to critically review extensive literature and previous research findings for use in practice. You will be introduced to the ethical framework required to protect the rights, dignity and safety of those involved and the systems involved in approval of research activity.

During the course of this module you will consider the range of theories, models, frameworks and the practice of supervision. It will encourage you to have critical self-awareness, self-reflection and self-management, along with the ability to learn through reflection of practice and experience and encourage others to do so.

This module will offer an advanced grounding in decision making theory, and the significance of qualitative factors that affect decision making and professional judgement. This will include the consideration of beliefs, assumptions and values to enable you to critically evaluate the nature of knowledge, reality and human nature. It will explore the dynamics of the decision-making process and encourage you to use your experiences of decision making.

The dissertation is an independent study with tutorial support that will allow you to critically evaluate and analyse an organisational problem within your own work environment. It will develop your ability to articulate advanced knowledge and understanding of texts, concepts and theories and develop an appreciation of the relationship between theory and practice.

Entry requirements

You will need to have obtained or be predicted to obtain, normally an undergraduate honours degree in a Humanities or Social Science related subject (or equivalent).

In addition, all students will need to pay £57.20 for an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure Barring Service. A successful Enhanced Disclosure is required before commencing the course.

If you have any questions about the entry requirements for this course, please contact our Enquiries team for advice on +44 (0) 1522 583658 or email courseenquiries@bishopg.ac.uk.

BGU is committed to widening access and participation and we adhere to a strict policy of non-discrimination.

Further information

Click here for important information about this course including additional costs, resources and key policies.

In accordance with University conditions, students are entitled to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning, RP(C)L, based on relevant credit at another HE institution or credit Awarded for Experiential Learning, (RP(E)L).

How you will be taught

There is no one-size-fits-all method of teaching at BGU – we shape our methods to suit each subject and each group, combining the best aspects of traditional university teaching with innovative techniques to promote student participation and interactivity.

You will be taught in a variety of ways, from lectures, tutorials and seminars, to practical workshops, coursework and work-based placements. Small group seminars and workshops will provide you with an opportunity to review issues raised in lectures, and you will be expected to carry out independent study.

Placements are a key part of degree study within many courses at BGU. They provide an enriching learning experience for you to apply the skills and knowledge you will gain from your course and, in doing so, give valuable real-world experience to boost your career.

Academic staff

Dr Nicki Walsh

Assessment

A variety of assessments will be used, including presentation, observation, relationship building and research skills, ICT, critical thinking and analysis, all of which are designed to enhance your professional skills. We would expect students to make an early and significant contribution to improvement within their workplace.

Careers & Further study

The aim of this course is to improve your employment prospects and to enable you to achieve your personal learning goals. Graduates of this course will be able to develop their careers within their own workplace or to look for advancement opportunities within the wider Health and Social Care field. This includes statutory, private, independent and voluntary providers. Typical career and training top up degrees for MA students also include such areas as teaching, or further academic study (e.g. PhD study).

What Our Students Say

Discover what life is like at Bishop Grosseteste University from our students.

Support

Studying at BGU is a student-centred experience. Staff and students work together in a friendly and supportive atmosphere as part of an intimate campus community. You will know every member of staff personally and feel confident approaching them for help and advice, and staff members will recognise you, not just by sight, but as an individual with unique talents and interests.

We will be there to support you, personally and academically, from induction to graduation.

At BGU we have so much support available for our students, the type of support that has won us awards recently in the What Uni Student Choice Awards 2023, such as the Chaplaincy team, the Student Advice team, CELT, BGFutures and representatives at the Students’ Union.

Fees & Funding

A lot of student finance information is available from numerous sources, but it is sometimes confusing and contradictory. That’s why at BGU we try to give you all the information and support we can to help to throughout the process. Our Student Advice team are experts in helping you sort out the funding arrangements for your studies, offering a range of services to guide you through all aspects of student finance step by step.

Click here to find information about fees, loans and support which will help to make the whole process a little easier to understand. For all applicants, there are full instructions at UCAS to make it as easy as possible for you to fill in your online application, plus help text where appropriate. Full details of all tuition fees can be found here.

For all applicants, there are full instructions here to make it as easy as possible for you to fill in your online application, plus help text where appropriate.