This is a bespoke unit for Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust and is part of the Dorset HealthCare Leadership Development Pathway.

The aim of the EPL 1: Leading Self unit is to critically reflect on your capability and capacity to understand and manage/lead yourself under the challenges and pressures of change within the work environment. This assignment will be based on the application of knowledge gained from the Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust Evidencing Professional Learning: Leadership Pathway.  

All the information you need to undertake the assignment for this unit will be provided in an online briefing session with the unit lead. You will also be offered a follow-up group tutorial to help you develop your assignment.  

Important information: Please note that a one-hour group tutorial session will follow the teaching day.

 At the master’s level, there is an emphasis on the requirement for an informed and critically considered stance to be apparent in both practice development and theory. 

Students may study this unit at Level 7 if they have been awarded: 

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

If you do not meet the criteria, you can still apply for this unit, but we may ask you for evidence to confirm your employer's support and/or ask you to complete pre-admission work. 

Fees and funding 

This unit is funded by Dorset HealthCare University Foundation Trust. Please ensure you have secured funding before applying. 

Your assignment will be in the form of a reflective essay and action plan.  It will need to demonstrate reflective critical analysis and evaluation of relevant acquired knowledge and learning, plus any impact/change this has had on others already via any feedback received, i.e. team members and colleagues. It should include an identified objective in terms of improving your effectiveness and will be accompanied by an action plan to be inserted at the end of the assignment outlining the remaining tasks required to achieve the specified objective. It must also integrate some additional reading (via your organisation’s intranet materials for the programme, plus Bournemouth University library resources). 

Having completed this unit the student is expected to:

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical awareness of a body of knowledge gained as a result of a learning event(s). 
2. Critically evaluate the impact of the learning on yourself as an autonomous and independent learner 
3. Demonstrate application of new knowledge/skills in identifying and solving problems at a professional level. 
4. Critically reflect on and evaluate any change/improvement in professional practice. 
5. Critically review how the results of your new learning can be disseminated. 

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.