MSc Advanced Social Work Practice

This course is designed for experienced practitioners in health and social care who wish to become a Best Interest Assessor. 

The aim of this module is to enable students to continue to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills of leadership, education and professional development.

The module enables students to critically review leadership within the context of the advanced practice role, to understand the leaning and teaching approaches that support clinical development and to evaluate strategies to support and develop themselves and others.

The module will normally address:

•          Leadership theories and application to practice and understanding self as a leader.

•          Conceptual frameworks relating to leading and following, power and control, compliance and subversion.

•          Strategies for developing a learning culture within organisations.

•          Examination and application of skills to support leadership at an advanced practice level.

•          Evaluation of the role of the advanced clinical practitioner as a leader

This module is aimed at all registered and practicing nurses or midwives, and allied health and social care professionals.

This module evaluates and applies established theories and models relevant to decision making in the context of health and social care. These are drawn from a wide variety of disciplines including clinical reasoning, philosophy and ethics, legal frameworks, Service User involvement, Inter-professional and Values Based Decision Making. Throughout, students will develop their critical thinking skills, with an emphasis on applying their learning to decision making in the students’ own health and social care context.

The module will comprise of theoretical lectures, workshops, tutorials and seminar sessions to facilitate the development of the fundamental knowledge, understanding and skills underpinning the roles and responsibilities of coaching and its application within leadership.

The development of knowledge, skills, confidence and competence to select and apply a range of coaching skills within leadership practice.

Emphasis will be placed on how the skills of the professional leader may be utilised to coach peer practitioners to help them reach their full professional potential. 

A key learning activity for this module is practical work in which students practise their coaching skills and through peer group learning develop a functional, supportive community of coaching practice.

The whole student group are required to participate in a collaborative, facilitative and supportive manner at each study day.

In these challenging times Health and Care services need to be developed to meet growing demands but with decreasing resources. This course explores models, theories and the evidence base to enable you to identify how to lead change within your service.  

In this module students develop their skills and understanding of different methodologies and methods that can be used in healthcare research. Application of these skills will be invaluable to those looking to undertake MSc projects.  

The term "research" is used in its broadest sense to denote any form of inquiry including quantitative research, qualitative research, mixed methods, systematic reviews, literature reviews, audit and service evaluation.  

The module aims to develop the student's knowledge and understanding of research approaches applicable to Health and Social Care. It is designed to advance students' knowledge of research design and data interpretation. There is a focus on the critical appraisal of published evidence, enabling students to appraise research literature and evaluate the relevance to their own clinical practice and in a wider healthcare context.   

This course provides social workers and healthcare professionals with understanding and skills of the role of a Best Interest or the Approved mental capacity professional. It is particularly relevant to, Social Workers Occupational Therapists, and Nurses. You should be currently working in an appropriate area of practice prior to applying. Delivery of the module will embody the Herts learning principles – using a blended and flexible learning approach. Please note that the online learning days may include a range of synchronous and asynchronous teaching sessions, and you will need to attend and engage with these on the days specified. This course is for social work and other health care professionals with a working interest in this area. The course can be taken as a standalone course or as part of a postgraduate award. If you take this course as part of a postgraduate award you need to be a qualified social worker with a degree or equivalent.  

If you have any queries about the module, please contact the module leader Brian Littlechild via b.littlechild@herts.ac.uk

This course introduces a relatively new way of approaching shared decision making in health and social care internationally. This approach focuses on shared exchange of scientific and experiential knowledge between service users and service providers.  In doing so, the course follows the coproduction approach which has originated in social work, as well as the strengths- based approach, aimed at optimising motivation and collaboration. 

This module is designed for social workers and other health and social care professionals, who want to gain an in depth understanding of theories and concepts associated with the well-being of individuals, communities and professionals. It is a part-time module offering both online and face to face teaching in normal circumstances.

The aim of this module is to enable you to undertake study to better prepare professionals to integrate the notion of well-being into their practice and personal well-being.

Wellbeing has become a much-vaunted term in contemporary society and particularly in health and social care practice. But what do we mean when we use this term? This module invites students to engage in critical enquiry to enhance their understanding of wellbeing in a variety of contexts.  Students will engage in discussion and debate on the various theoretical perspectives on wellbeing and its place within contemporary health and social policy. The module will equip students with a theoretical perspective as well as an understanding of the emerging research evidence surrounding wellbeing in practice. Students will be encouraged to engage in a wider discourse of wellbeing and to explore how these notions may lead to reconfiguration of how we see ourselves as practitioners as well as the how and why we seek to work with individuals, families and communities nationally and globally. 

Who should attend the course?

Candidates wishing to pursue the Practice Educator Course must be a registered social worker with at least two full years' post-qualifying experience at the start of the practice education training course, including 1 year as ASYE. They should be at PCF level 7 - experienced social worker level.

Course aims

The course is to enable candidates to:

Become Practice Educators (Stage One and stage Two) who will be able to provide an effective learning and assessment environment for learners by supporting, facilitating, teaching and assessing learners within a Social Work Practice learning setting. 

Critically reflect on their own professional development and performace as a Practice Educator. 

Critically evaluate current reserach in practice education and appropriately apply adult learning theories, supervison and assessment models to their practice. 

Course content

The course aims to develop an understanding of supporting, developing and assessment of social work students.  Taught elements include:   

• Update of changes of social work education that impact practice learning and practice education
• Assessment framework, and procedures, and assessment methods
• Supervision models
• Integrating theories and research to practice
• Support for non-achieving candidates
• Theories of adult learning
• Reflective and anti-oppressive practice in practice learning and practice teaching
• Higher Education Institute quality assurance systems

How does the course map with the Practice?

This level 7 module has been developed with reference to the Professional Capabilities Framework for social workers (PCF) and the Knowledge and Skills Statements (KSS) for both Adult and Children practice educators. The module is designed to enable registered social worker to study at the postgradute level to become Practice Educators under the Refreshed Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) developed by the British Assocation of Social Workers. 

Where is the course taught and by whom

The course will be mainly delivered on line, apart from the first lecture and the reacall day. It is facilitated by lectures with expertise in practice education from the University. 

You can find out information about the MSc Advanced Social Work Practice programme here

This module is designed for AHP health professionals who want to gain an in depth understanding of a particular subject area in which they have a specific interest and that is not provided through taught modules. There are no specific days when you are required to attend the University. Communication is with an allocated supervisor and arranged to suit your needs.

 This module enables you to explore, reflect upon and develop your learning and skills associated with an aspect of your professional practice. It allows students to negotiate the scope of study to either enhance the depth of knowledge, develop and evaluate practical skills or evidence impact upon learning on personal and professional practice.

 This is a module is tailored to your own area of interest that will enable you to explore, reflect upon and develop your learning and skills associated with an aspect of your professional practice. Guidance is provided throughout the module by an academic supervisor who will enable you to shape the module to your individual needs. 

The topic chosen will be relevant to the student’s professional practice. The choice of topic and learning outcomes will be the subject of negotiation between the student and the academic tutor. The student will be expected to clearly identify the aims, objectives and methodology to be employed in their study as well as the assessment type and format.

Delivery of the module will incorporate independent learning supported by an academic tutor who will guide the student through the module.  Supervision may take place through MS Teams, zoom, telephone or email as agreed by the student and the academic tutor.

The nature of the assessment and the number of elements is dependent upon the topic under study and the learning outcomes identified for the proposed study. You will be expected to negotiate the assessment of the module in conjunction with your supervisor.  

The modules can be studied with any module within the framework and particularly complement the following courses to provide a bespoke area of study: 7HSK2130 Negotiated Learning 2

 You must submit the topic of choice form in the downloads section on this page with your application.

This negotiated learning module is facilitated by academic tutors with experience in this area. You will be supported throughout the period of study. 

If you are not sure which is the most suitable option, we will be happy to advise you.