Leadership and Management PgCert

Program Overview

The Leadership and Management Postgraduate Certificate program at Lancaster University Management School enhances leadership and management skills through core modules on personal development and leadership understanding. Students can choose optional modules to specialize in areas such as change management, team working, and people management. The program offers flexible learning options, including online delivery, optional workshops, and mentor support, and allows for accreditation of prior learning and progression to higher-level degrees.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Leadership and Management Postgraduate Certificate programme is designed for individuals seeking to enhance their leadership and management skills. It aims to deepen understanding of key concepts related to leadership and management, while improving the ability to apply this knowledge to real work situations. The program consists of two core modules and a selection of optional modules. Students may also be eligible for exemptions from certain modules based on prior learning. Assessment methods vary and can include coursework, project proposals, reports, reflective commentary, and oral presentations. The program duration is 1-3 academic years.

Outline:

Core Modules:

• Personal Learning and Development: This mandatory module introduces the Postgraduate Certificate Programme and helps students develop self-awareness about their strengths, development needs, and necessary skills and knowledge.
Students design their individual learning plan with support from a learning mentor.
• Duration: 12 months, running alongside other taught courses in the Postgraduate Certificate.
• Delivery: Face-to-face workshop at the start followed by online self-study, online group mentoring, personal mentoring, reflection activities, and completion of a learning portfolio.
• Assessment: Learning portfolio representing progress throughout the module.
• Entry Requirements: Being in work (paid or unpaid) in a role allowing for the requirements of the Postgraduate Certificate.
• Start Dates: January, April, September
• Understanding Leadership and Management: This module explores the concepts of leadership and management, current debates and issues, social and ethical challenges, organizational culture, values, and power.
Students delve into understanding their own leadership style, behaviours, and habits.
• Duration: Approximately 10 weeks.
• Delivery: Online learning, self-study, reflection, discussion, and sharing learning.
• Assessment: Applied work-based assessment such as a reflective account, project report, presentation, or portfolio of evidence (equivalent to 2000 words).
• Entry Requirements: Being in a work role (paid or unpaid) enabling the application of concepts.
• Start Dates: January, March, September

Optional Modules:

• Analysing Drivers for Change: This course explores the process of analyzing drivers for change in an organization, developing critical understanding of external and internal factors influencing the need for change, and skills in managing change complexity and uncertainty.
• Duration: Approximately 10 weeks.
• Delivery: Online learning, self-study, reflection, discussion, and sharing learning.
• Assessment: Applied work-based assessment such as a reflective account, project report, presentation, or portfolio of evidence (equivalent to 2000 words).
• Entry Requirements: Being in a work role (paid or unpaid) enabling the application of concepts.
• Start Dates: October, April
• Collaborative and Team Working: This course delves into the features of high-performing teams and develops skills for working as a team leader or member.
• Duration: Approximately 10 weeks.
• Delivery: Online learning, self-study, reflection, discussion, and sharing learning.
• Assessment: Applied work-based assessment such as a reflective account, project report, presentation, or portfolio of evidence (equivalent to 2000 words).
• Entry Requirements: Being in a work role (paid or unpaid) enabling the application of concepts.
• Start Dates: November, May
• Delivering a Work Based project: This module focuses on developing a substantial work-based project that involves practitioner enquiry, implementation, and review.
• Duration: 6-9 months.
• Delivery: Online learning, mentor support, optional face-to-face workshops and online webinars.
• Assessment: Demonstrating successful completion of a substantive work-based project, typically compiled into a project report with an executive summary and reflections (around 12000 words or equivalent).
• Entry Requirements: Enrolment on a postgraduate diploma or master's course.
• Leading and Managing People: This course focuses on managing people for effective performance throughout the employment life cycle, managing day-to-day performance, dealing with performance issues, understanding individual motivation and behavior, and developing effective people management responses.
• Duration: Approximately 10 weeks.
• Delivery: Online learning, self-study, reflection, discussion, and sharing learning.
• Assessment: Applied work-based assessment such as a reflective account, project report, presentation, or portfolio of evidence (equivalent to 2000 words).
• Entry Requirements: Being in a work role (paid or unpaid) enabling the application of concepts.
• Start Dates: June, November
• Leading Others Through Change: This module explores various approaches to leading others through change, developing the ability to understand and influence others, and managing different individual responses to change.
• Duration: Approximately 10 weeks.
• Delivery: Online learning, self-study, reflection, discussion, and sharing learning.
• Assessment: Applied work-based assessment such as a reflective account, project report, presentation, or portfolio of evidence (equivalent to 2000 words).
• Entry Requirements: Being in a work role (paid or unpaid) enabling the application of concepts.
• Start Dates: June, October
• Models for Planning Change: This course explores various strategies for achieving work-based change, enhancing the ability to select and apply change models in different organizational contexts, and exploring factors affecting change adoption.
• Duration: Approximately 10 weeks.
• Delivery: Online learning, self-study, reflection, discussion, and sharing learning.
• Assessment: Applied work-based assessment such as a reflective account, project report, presentation, or portfolio of evidence (equivalent to 2000 words).
• Entry Requirements: Being in a work role (paid or unpaid) enabling the application of concepts.
• Start Dates: February, September, June
• Work-based Improvement and Innovation Project: The syllabus for this project is determined by the focus and nature of the project, and is agreed upon between the student and their mentor.

Assessment:

Assessment methods vary depending on the module and can include:

• Coursework
• Project proposals
• Reports
• Reflective commentary
• Oral presentations

Teaching:

• Online+ Model for Distance Learning: This model combines online learning, self-study, reflection, discussion, and application of learning to the individual's organizational context.
• Optional Themed Workshops: Face-to-face workshops are available for students who prefer this mode of learning.

Other:

• The program is offered by the CETAD team within the Lancaster University Management School.
• Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is available, allowing students to potentially receive credit for prior experience or qualifications.
• Progression routes to a Postgraduate Diploma and Master's degree are available through the Professional Practice route.
• The University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses.
• The University provides limited financial support for students needing IT equipment or broadband access.