Program Overview

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Health Humanities Approaches within Health Professions Education – online stand-alone module 2025 entry

Overview

The Health Professions Education online stand-alone modules are for those interested in developing themselves in a health professions education role, and offers the flexibility of learning to suit those currently employed.

This module will focus on integrating health and medical humanities within health professions education.

Entry Requirements

All candidates must have an existing teaching role in their workplace, with an interest in pursuing an academic career in healthcare education or healthcare education research.

Candidates should have either a relevant degree or work experience, specifically:

• A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree in a health profession or in a relevant field, including but not limited to Health Sciences. (If you studied your degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.)
• OR
• Significant professional or other relevant experience alongside evidence of prior alternative learning, such as professional qualifications or certifications.

Module Details

Health professions education can be enhanced and improved by incorporating healthcare humanities. Theoretical humanities approaches, as well as practical arts learning, can be incorporated into health professions education to improve the student experience and learning outcomes.

You will learn how to include humanities scholarship into your healthcare teaching, and why it can improve your students' knowledge and understanding.

Highlights

• A fully online part-time module which offers flexibility of learning to suit those currently employed in a healthcare or academic setting.
• As an interprofessional and interdisciplinary programme, the stand-alone module provides opportunities to learn collaboratively about a range of educational contexts and teaching practices.
• Experiential and immersive learning opportunities mean learners undertaking the module can have real-time experience of the concepts being taught.
• Award-winning learning technology infrastructure and support to provide innovative, interactive and flexible learning and to support the student learning journey.
• Staff from a variety of disciplines and healthcare backgrounds with expertise and experience in educating healthcare professionals.
• 15 credits at SCQF Level 11 awarded by the University of St Andrews and a certificate of award.

Teaching

• Teaching format
• Support

This stand-alone module is taken during one semester, from September to December.

The course will be delivered online with a mixture of some real-time, scheduled teaching and some independent study where there is flexibility of accessing learning materials at a time convenient to your own circumstances. All scheduled teaching will take place in GMT/BST when online attendance is required.

The module delivery platform is supported by an award-winning learning technology infrastructure. This innovative and interactive platform allows you to access all of the programme resources, announcements, timetable, and lectures (both live and recorded). To help build a sense of community online, this platform also hosts a discussion board for you to engage in threaded discussions with other learners on the course.

This programme will involve approximately 2 hours of weekly scheduled online attendance throughout the semester. The rest of the workload hours would consist of a range of activities, which can be undertaken in your own time during the semester. These may consist of preparatory reading and reflection, assignment preparation, small group work, and participation in online discussion forums.

There are a broad range of sources of support within the School and the wider University, which are available to you as a postgraduate student studying online. Throughout your programme you will be allocated an Adviser of Studies to provide academic support and advice.

The University has a mature and established Student Support Service able to offer advice on any welfare matters. The University Information Technology (IT) services can help if you require support, advice, or guidance with an IT issue. Academic and study skills support is available to students throughout their University studies, and also provides opportunities that support professional and personal development.

Fees

£1450

15% Recent Graduate Discount

If you have graduated from the University within the last three academic years, you may be eligible for a 15% discount on postgraduate taught tuition fees. Terms and conditions apply.

Funding and Scholarships

The University of St Andrews is committed to attracting the very best students, regardless of financial circumstances.

NHS Staff Discount

The University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount to NHS-funded staff who wish to undertake the programme.

Taught postgraduate scholarships

After Your Course

Careers

The University of St Andrews’ global reputation makes its graduates highly valued by employers. The Health Professions Education programme is aimed at individuals who may wish to develop their healthcare educational role, or wish to follow an academic career in healthcare education or healthcare education research, or pursue a PhD or MD.

In addition to broadening your subject knowledge and applying established techniques of research and enquiry, you will develop and demonstrate essential skills such as:

• critical thinking and creativity
• analysis and appraisal
• problem-solving and decision making
• personal leadership and project management
• interpersonal communication and team working

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.

Further Study

St Andrews offers a vibrant and stimulating research environment. One of the great strengths of our research degrees is the collegiate atmosphere which enables access to expertise beyond your formal supervisors and the ability to conduct interdisciplinary research.

Research students are supported by a supervisory team throughout their studies and are assessed by means of a substantial thesis of original research.

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