The aim of the Leading and Managing Teams Unit is to critically reflect on your capability and capacity to understand and manage / lead yourself and your team.  

This Master's level unit is designed to enhance knowledge and skills on team leadership and management of those in leadership and management roles. Students will be able to gain a systematic understanding of relevant literature including a critical awareness of current issues and recent research related to leading a team. 

This unit aims to address the needs of new managers and leaders in health and social care who have responsibilities for supervising or leading teams and will support them to develop the practical skills to manage a team. 

The current environment calls for high levels of sustained performance from individuals and teams. Getting the performance management basics right is essential in the form of behaviours, structures and processes. However, the presence of this basic performance architecture does not guarantee success; rather success comes from a supportive organisational culture which encourages high performance, staff who challenge and support each other and leaders who model appropriate behaviour.  

Students will critically reflect on their leadership style and skills, extending knowledge of themselves when engaging with colleagues, and will apply this understanding to practice. They will have the opportunity to explore a range of team management and leadership models, delegation, motivation, the role of the leader as a coach and mentor as well as models for giving feedback and dealing with conflict. 

This course is taught virtual and will consist of online blended learning and teaching methods; including ‘live’ virtual seminars, case studies, recorded presentations, reflective activities, tutorial support and online resources provided through Bournemouth University’s virtual learning environment. Unit guides and specific reading materials will be designed to enable students to continue in the professional development of their existing knowledge base and maximise opportunities to advance their professional practice.  Core text, and encouragement to read widely, will also provide foundation knowledge for students to analyse and advance their professional practice.  Small group tutorials will also be offered to discuss the assignment. 

Aims 

The unit aims to provide an opportunity for new managers and leaders to: 

• Develop a systematic understanding of relevant literature including a critical awareness of current issues and recent research related to leading a team.
• Develop the practical skills needed to manage a team.
• Explore a range of team management and leadership models, delegation, motivation, the role of the leader as a coach and mentor
• To develop skills for giving and gaining feedback and dealing with conflict.
• To develop skills and knowledge which will support them to be effective within their role
• To critically reflect on how they can contribute to the development and maintenance of an effective learning culture within their organisation. 

 This unit is an optional unit on 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 the criteria you are still able to apply for this unit but we may ask you to complete pre-admission work. Please contact the Course Leader for more information. 

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.

Your assignment will be in the form of a reflective essay. 

Students will need to undertake a self-managed 360 degree feedback exercise, and find a mentor to support them with reflecting on their feedback. 

Having completed this unit the student is expected to:

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical awareness of a body of knowledge on the leadership and management of teams. 
2. Critically evaluate of the impact of the learning on yourself as a team leader/manager. 
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 your professional practice related to managing and leading a team.

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.