The Master's level unit is designed to enable qualified practitioners in health and social care to increase their self-leadership capability and capacity to better manage self and others under the multiple pressures of the work environment. The development focus is upon the quality of the leader’s thinking, creativity, and deeper self-awareness in the moment; ultimately developing advanced level professional leadership impact. Personal resilience and better relating within complex and critical situations is a fundamental goal of this leadership unit.

Key areas covered:

• Implications for managing self and others in changing complex and critical situations.
• Developing deeper levels of self-awareness.
• Creating presence, clarity and quality of mind in the moment.
• Developing clear thinking leaders and synergistic leadership teams.
• Developing ‘state of mind’ understanding to assess and problem solve in difficult and unpredictable circumstances.  
• Professional values and ethics in advancing human rights.
• Understanding and working with diversity.
• Developing better inter-professional and collaborative working relationships in professional practice.
• Evidenced based professional practice.

This unit can be undertaken as part of the MA Leading and Developing Services programme.

This course requires 100% attendance.

Normally students may enter Level 7 (Master's level) study if they have been awarded:

• Undergraduate degree (honours or non-honours)
• An equivalent qualification (the learning outcome of which are demonstrably appropriate in terms of knowledge, understanding and skills) equivalent to 120 credits at Level 6.

If you do not meet this criteria you are still able to apply for this unit but we may ask you to complete a study skills handbook to familiarise yourself with academic writing at masters level or pre-admission work. This will be sent to you when we have received your application form.

Fees and funding:

You will need to pay or indicate employer support of payment for unit or course fees to the university.

Applicants should contact their employing organisation for further details.

Pre-purchased places

The Faculty of Health & Social Sciences has contractual arrangements with NHS organisations, Local Authorities and the Pan-Dorset & Wiltshire Teaching Partnership for pre-paid places on specified modules. If you work within Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset or Hampshire and Isle of Wight you may be able to access the pre-paid places. These arrangements allow organisations to nominate the staff they wish to send on each unit or course.

The pre-arranged agreements allow individuals, such as yourself, a route to access appropriate professional development opportunities that are seen as strategically important to your organisation (in consultation with your Line Manager/Education Co-ordinator). All requests for pre-paid places must first be agreed by your organisation prior to completing an application.

Coursework will focus on an analysis of a complex situation that examines the students practice at a structural and individual level and evidences critical self-awareness and thinking in professional practice.

This comprises a reflective report and an action plan for future practice

Having completed this unit the student is expected to:

1. Develop a critical self-awareness and understanding of the role of thought, mind and consciousness in terms of how reality is created and perceived, and the implications for healthy psychological functioning.

2. Demonstrate how this state of mind awareness and understanding impact professional leadership insight and creativity.

3. Demonstrate ability in the moment to act, know and be at the best optimal level adjusting for a reduction in one’s level of leadership impact.

4. Demonstrate how these new insights have improved risk decisions and responses, collaborative, partnership and team working.

Course review:

In order to take advantage of new approaches to learning and teaching, as well as developments in practice to benefit our students we regularly review all of our courses. This course is currently going through this process and we will update this page to give you full information about what we will be offering once the review process has concluded.  These changes will come into effect for all new students from September 2025. Applicants will be notified by our admissions team of any changes.