Students must hold a relevant professional qualification (or equivalent) and have a minimum of two years post- qualifying experience by the time they start the unit. They will normally have completed the learning (but not necessarily the assessment) for the Enabling Work Based Learning unit* before undertaking this unit.

This unit will provide the opportunity for students  to:

• Extend the skills, knowledge and attributes gained in the Enabling Work Based Learning unit with respect to managing, enabling and holistically assessing professional learning in work-based settings;
• Develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to take a lead role in the practice education of a range of professional learners including those who are failing and marginal and those with additional or complex learning needs;
• Demonstrate they have met the standards for practice educators specified by their appropriate professional body.

This course requires 100% attendance.

This course is for Social Workers only
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.

*In order to proceed to Supervising A Learner In Practice, there are some requirements of the course. The Trainee Practice Educator is required to have attended the taught element of the first unit, Enabling Work Based Learning, and also have worked with a social work learner in practice as a part of the assessed requirements for unit 1 and submitted the assessment for unit 1 (if completed the equivalent of this unit in another institution please enquire at Bournemouth University if you need to undertake this unit prior to undertaking unit 2). If the Trainee Practice Educator has a Bournemouth University approved extension which goes beyond the application window for unit 2, or has failed unit 1, then please speak with the Social Work Practice Education Team because the Trainee Practice Educator may still be able to apply for unit 2.  Please note, in order to qualify as a Practice Educator both units of the social work practice education course need to have been successfully completed and all assessments passed, therefore if continuing onto Unit 2 prior to successfully completing unit 1,please be aware of the risks to qualifying involved. 

This unit is also available at Level 6 (degree level).

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.

ILO’s 1-3 will be assessed by a practice assessors report based on a minimum of two observations of practice and feedback from a learner (1,000 words equivalent). Pass/Fail 

ILO’s 4-5 will be assessed by a reflective assignment (2,000 words) 100% 

Having completed this unit the student is expected to:

1. Take full responsibility for managing the learning and assessment of a qualifying student (or equivalent) in a work-based learning situation. Ensuring the provision of an effective learning / assessment environment whilst maintaining the quality of service delivery.

2. Critically apply appropriate skills, knowledge and attributes to facilitate the development of professional capability in others, using a range of strategies that encourage and support critically reflective practice. 

3. Use professional judgement to make complex decisions about the holistic assessment of the professional capability of learners against agreed objectives and criteria including learners who are at the point of qualification.

4. Critically evaluate aspects of their own professional development as a practice educator, demonstrating the ability to synthesise information, gain new insights / develop original responses to problems and show how they integrate appropriate professional values with all aspects of teaching and assessment, using power appropriately and applying new learning to future practice. 

5. Demonstrate an applied and systematic knowledge of relevant contemporary practice education issues and debates, including evidence of an in depth and critical understanding and synthesis of current theories, research, policies and legislation some of which is informed by work at the forefront of the field.

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.