PGDip/PGCert Work-based Learning for Individual and Organisational Transformation
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2025-06-01 | - |
| 2025-09-01 | - |
| 2026-01-01 | - |
| 2026-06-01 | - |
| 2026-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
Work-based Learning for Individual and Organisational Transformation
Overview
This course is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive skill set and knowledge base to drive positive change within their respective fields. Through a focus on education, leadership, and service improvement, transformation, and reform, participants will enhance their expertise while contributing to the advancement of their practice area.
Course Details
Attendance
- Part-time
- Nine month
- 18 month
Next Enrolment
- June 2025
Introduction
This work-based learning programme will help you to:
- Develop and equip you with the knowledge and skills to create and transform your area of practice
- Develop yourself within three areas: education; leadership; and service improvement, transformation, and reform
- Allows you to focus on developing your knowledge and skills to enhance your area of practice
- Be able to lead a work-based project for the benefit of service users and/or service improvements
- Learn how to deal with complex problems through work-based learning, development, and project leadership
- Learn to base your practice on sound research and evidence-based practice
- Learn the skills to empower and develop yourself and others to deliver organisational change through your transformation of practice
- Gain the confidence to try new and creative approaches
- Opportunity to learn and share knowledge and skills with other professionals for individual and service transformation
This is for you if...
- This programme is for professionals in practice from a range of public and private sector providers including health care practice, policing, education, third sector and local authority.
- This programme reflects the diversity of each organisation and individual members of staff.
- It is delivered in partnership with your organisation through negotiated work-based learning where you are supported, enabling you to advance your practice.
- It values workplace learning, and the expertise developed in your area of practice.
- It develops and equips you with the professional knowledge and skills needed to enhance and transform your area of practice.
- It offers you the option for flexible study, which enables you to combine work and learning, so that you can co-ordinate your study around your work and other commitments.
Modules
Evidencing Personal and Professional Development (30 credits)
The purpose of the module is to help you reflect on your prior personal and professional experiences. You will utilise frameworks and tools to capture and record these experiences and develop a portfolio of evidence demonstrating your personal and professional development which will be assessed and valued.
Independent Learning Studies (30 credits)
The purpose of the module is for you to be guided through the learning process that enables you to assess, plan, implement and evaluate your own learning and performance. This will be achieved through work-based activities which address your needs and interests with support from your tutor and work-based mentor.
Work-Based Project (30 credits)
The purpose of this module for you to manage a work-based project to support you in developing skills for managing change and guide you in undertaking research to transform and develop your area of practice and your organisation.
Finding and Disseminating Evidence (30 credits)
This module focuses on preparing you to write for publication, in a peer-reviewed journal on the work-based learning project above. You will take a critical approach in searching for research findings from practice, use available literature and your work-based learning project.
Assessment
A range of formative and summative assessments will cater to your individual learning style. These include:
- Portfolio
- Project Proposal
- Project Report
- Reflective Essay
- Peer Presentation
- Electronic Poster Presentation
Teaching
A range of teaching strategies is used, including masterclasses, action learning, online learning, guided study, work-based learning, independent learning, and peer-supported learning. This course is offered as a blended teaching-learning approach and can be delivered virtually; however, face-to-face is highly recommended.
Programme Leader
Jo Sullivan
Jo Sullivan is the Programme Lead for the PG Diploma in Work-Based Learning for Individual and Organisational Transformation.
Employment and Stats
This programme will support you in career development and application for leadership roles within your area of practice. It will develop your project management skills and change management skills, allowing you to lead service transformation. Through the advancement of critical thinking skills, this programme will enable you to influence sectoral best practice, through publication and dissemination.
Further Study
The programme will interface with a range of other programmes offered by the school, as part of an Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) route.
- MSc Nursing
- MSc Leadership and Management for Health Care Practice
- MSc Leadership and Management in Education
- Professional Doctorate in Health and Social Care
Career Links
The programme team are linked into a variety of employers. As examples of organisations who have approached us to discuss their staff developments and are keen to use the programme as part of their staff and organisational development, discussions have taken place with:
- Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
- Greater Manchester Training Hub
- Working Well Matters
- Greater Manchester Police (GMP)
- Health Education England (HEE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO)
Requirements
Applicant Profile
This course will only be offered through your organisation. In addition, you must be engaged in paid and/or unpaid work and where a written agreement with your employer for support in undertaking this module/programme is agreed. There will be identification of a Learning Guide / Mentor who can support you in your place of work.
Standard Entry Requirements
- Undergraduate degree: A minimum of a second-class honour's degree 2:2 or above.
- An equivalent academic or professional qualification from the UK or elsewhere i.e., incorporating study at least comparable to 120 credits at level 6.
English Language Requirements
International applicants will be required to show a proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.5 (with no element below 5.5) is proof of this.
Alternative Entry Requirements
Accreditation of Prior Learning
We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.
The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.
Two forms of APL may be used for entry: The Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
Tuition Fees
The tuition fees for this programme are on a per-module basis.
Enrolment Dates
- June 2025
- September 2025
- January 2026
- June 2026
- September 2026
Program Outline
PGDip/PGCert Work-based Learning for Individual and Organisational Transformation (University of Salford)
Degree Overview:
This program focuses on equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to drive positive change within their respective fields through a focus on education, leadership, and service improvement, transformation, and reform. The program aims to:
- Develop participants' professional knowledge and skills to enhance and transform their practice.
- Allow participants to focus on developing their expertise to improve their practice area.
- Equip participants to lead a work-based project for service improvement.
- Teach participants to deal with complex problems through work-based learning and development.
- Assist participants in basing their practice on sound research and evidence-based practice.
- Empower participants to develop themselves and others to deliver organizational change through practice transformation.
- Increase participants' confidence to try new and creative approaches.
Outline:
This program is designed for professionals from various public and private sectors, including healthcare, policing, education, third sector, and local authority. It reflects the diversity of each organization and individual members of staff. The program is delivered in partnership with your organization through negotiated work-based learning.
Structure:
- Part-time study
- Nine-month or 18-month duration
- Next enrolment: June 2024
Modules:
- Evidencing Personal and Professional Development (30 credits): This module assists participants in reflecting on their past professional experiences and developing a portfolio of evidence demonstrating their personal and professional development.
- Independent Learning Studies (30 credits): This module guides participants through the learning process to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate their learning and performance.
- Work-based Project (30 credits): This module helps participants manage a work-based project to develop skills for managing change and guides them in undertaking research to transform and develop their practice and organization.
- Finding and Disseminating Evidence (30 credits): This module prepares participants to write for publication on their work-based learning project, taking a critical approach to searching for research findings from practice.
Assessment:
Assessment methods include a range of formative and summative assessments tailored to individual learning styles. Some examples include portfolios, project proposals, project reports, reflective essays, peer presentations, and electronic poster presentations.
Teaching:
Various teaching strategies are utilized, including masterclasses, action learning, online learning, guided study, work-based learning, independent learning, and peer-supported learning.
Careers:
This program supports career development and application for leadership roles within your practice area. It develops project and change management skills, enabling individuals to lead service transformation. Graduates can also influence sectoral best practice through publication and dissemination.
Other:
- The program interfaces with other programs offered by the school as part of an Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) route.
Type of study Year Fees Part-time 2024/25 £1,000 (per module)
