Master of Science in Healthcare Management and Leadership

Course Description

The Master of Science in Healthcare Management and Leadership programme prepares students for the higher leadership and management roles in the healthcare industry. It integrates a thorough grounding in advanced business management and healthcare theory, and practice with an understanding of the structure and operation of the healthcare systems.

The overall course objectives are:

Knowledge:

• Criticaly reflect on and appraise the utility of management and leadership theory in the development and functioning of healthcare systems.
• Analyse healthcare systems in global and local context in relation to financial flows within health systems.
• Evaluate the importance of managing Change in Healthcare at different levels in context of change management and implementation theory.
• Critically analyse the functions and processes of healthcare management, and how healthcare services are organised, delivered, and evaluated.
• Critically analyse and assess the value of Healthcare Management functions in both private and public sector in relation to management and health systems theories.

Skills:

• Apply an in-depth knowledge and understanding of healthcare management theories informed by current scholarship and research.
• Critically assess current issues and developments in the subject of healthcare management in relation to change management theories.
• Critically interpret and apply methodologies for evaluating, analysing and appraising organisational practice.
• Analyse, interpret and assess the value of evidence in scholarship and research related to healthcare organisations, leadership, strategy, finance and operations to inform problem solving in healthcare settings.
• Apply change theories to healthcare environment in relation to challenges in healthcare systems.
• Critcally analyse and apply leadership and management theories to practice.

Competences:

• Develop and implement a number of plans to improve processes within organisation, department or entity.
• Prepare and communicate information on complex contemporary issues in healthcare management, strategy and leadership to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Develop a strategy which is in line with the National Healthcare strategy.
• Create a leadership strategy draft related to improved healthcare delivery.
• Manage across boundaries – and evaluate how high quality services can best be designed, configured and delivered.
• Formulate Healthcare related management reports in a timely manner.
• Synthesis data related to Healthcare Management to identify risks.

Entry Requirements

Candidates who apply for this course must possess one of the following:

• a Level 6 degree in a related field;

OR

• a Level 5 diploma or higher diploma and 5 years’ work experience in a supervisory or managerial role.

Preference is given to applicants having a Level 6 degree in a discipline related to the healthcare industry and a minimum of 3 years’ work experience in management within the sector.

Students whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate English language capability at IELTS level 6.0 or equivalent.

Target Audience

This course is targeted at Healthcare professionals with work experience; people such as

• Nurses and Midwives;
• Nursing Managers;
• Ward Managers;
• Clinic/Department Managers;
• Physiotherapists;
• Social Workers;
• Doctors;
• Professionals allied to medicine, such as paramedics;
• Staff within the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries;
• General Managers without clinical qualifications.

Kindly note that the target group focuses on people already employed within the Healthcare sector and who wish to have a more thorough background in the subject in order to progress further in their career.

Career Paths

The programme aims to prepare you for senior posts such as

• Chief Executive Officer,
• Managing Director,
• Head of Department of any healthcare entity such as a hospital, clinic or ward, amongst others.

Modules

You are required to complete all 6 compulsory modules (36 ECTS), and only 4 elective modules out of the proposed 6 (24 ECTS), as well as the Dissertation (30 ECTS) to fulfil the requirements of this Master’s Degree.

How you’ll be assessed

The course comprises:

• Evening classes for part-time courses.
• Classes held throughout the day for full-time courses.
• Guided learning, presentations, comprising synchronous online discussions, tutorials and/or videos.
• Self-study hours comprising research, reading and assignment work.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out via two mandatory components:

• Modular Assessment
• Dissertation Assessment

The programme includes different forms of assessment which allow for and promote students’ critical engagement. The formative and summative assessment tasks may include an in-class assignment and/or a home-based written assignment using diverse assessment tools which may take the form of online and in-class discussions, examinations, case studies, reports, proposals, essays, and presentations, etc., as applicable to the diverse modules. 

Dissertation Assessment

Assessment of dissertations is primarily based on:

• Depth of critical understanding of the theoretical framework;
• Application of appropriate research tools;
• Critical approach to analysis, interpretation and evaluation of research findings;
• Depth and level of argumentation build-up;
• Original contribution to the generation of new knowledge/hypothesis/models;
• Scholarly presentation meeting academic standards