Masters Degrees (Service)

Service Design has become the new frontier for designers who want to make a difference at scale, and in so doing advance the discipline of design. The service sector represents almost 80 per cent of the advanced economies, and in recent years the role of design in transforming both public and private sector services has become widely recognised. The programme at the Royal College of Art is the leading specialist service design programme worldwide and with around 80 students and researchers and 10–12 live projects at any time, it’s almost certainly the largest dedicated service design studio globally.

Students emerging from the programme are finding immediate employment as service designers as industry and governments seek to transform their customer and citizen experience. We’ve just enhanced our programme by creating three new platforms for service design. The first is Service Innovation, which focuses on developing citizen and customer centric solutions to address immediate social, cultural and economic challenges. The second, Envision, not only speculates on the future of healthcare, education, retail, banking, transportation, but uses future forecasting techniques for society, culture and technology to design service experiences for the next decade and beyond. The final platform, Public Service and Policy, brings together social and political science with design to transform public service provision as well as government policy

The RCA Service Design programme offers a two-year MA in Service Design as well as opportunities for MPhil and PhD research. Right from the start, students are immersed in the unique interdisciplinary environment of the RCA, enabling them to become specialists in service design while participating in the exciting design education environment of the School of Design. Students are taught by the leading practitioners of the discipline, as well as by pioneers of service design from industry and academia.

To ensure the programme teaches the complete skills required for service design, it is delivered in association with Imperial College London, enabling students to complement their skills in service design by participating in Imperial’s MBA programme, as well developing their competence in digital technology with Imperial’s department of computing.

The programme combines lectures, workshops and projects grounded in empirical evidence drawn from ‘real world’ practice as well as theory. Students undertake group and individual projects that tackle the different domains of public service provision, consumer and business services, in partnership with leading service sector companies and public sector organisations.

As a result alumni graduating from the programme are joining leading design firms such as Engine, Fjord, IDEO and Livework, professional services firms including McKinsey and IBM Business Consulting Services, government departments including UK Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Justice and the Cabinet Office, as well as multinational corporations such as Jaguar, Barclay’s, Royal Bank of Scotland and Tesco.

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There are excellent prospects for roles within global IT Service Management as it is an expanding sector with a skills shortage. Professional bodies in this area (i.e. itSMF and the SFIA Council) recognise the need for quality and standards in the provision of IT Services underpinning IT Service Management and the quality and skills of staff employed in this profession.

This course has been designed to meet the need for competent and qualified staff that can enable organisations to maximise the value of Information Communications Technology (ICT) and IT Services. It is suitable for any student wishing to move into IT Service Management, and is particularly relevant to business strategic planning, service delivery and support, continuity planning, application and infrastructure management, quality management, project and change management.

Our online learning programmes are flexible and designed so you can balance study with your commitments at work and home. The programme structure and learning materials enable you to study at your own convenience and develop your own study schedule while offering opportunities for you to engage with your peers.

Northampton Integrated Learning Environment (NILE) is a dedicated online university learning space for students. Your tutors will use NILE to engage with you, and you will use NILE to access course materials, assessment information, virtual classrooms and discussion boards. Your assessed work will be submitted and graded online, so you will be able to see your grades and feedback wherever you are in the world. The system that underpins NILE is Blackboard and access to this system is through nile.northampton.ac.uk. We also have a mobile app so you can stay connected to the University of Northampton wherever you are; iNorthampton is available for Android and Apple mobile devices.

Course content

The rationale for the course is based on the recognition that the effectiveness of all IT Services is a vital aspect to the prosperity of any organisation. The course embraces best practice from leading service providers, and by continual reassessment, ensures all material is relevant to today’s computing and management expectations.

The course encompasses IT Service Management through a series of progressive units developing the student’s knowledge from fundamental concepts, through to units addressing IS strategy. Subjects covered include: management information, quality management, application development, infrastructure, service support and delivery, continuity planning, people and operational issues of implementing IT Service Management Best Practice. The course addresses current standards for IT Service Management, such as ISO20000 and ITIL®.

Core learning will be delivered electronically and you will be encouraged to engage with your fellow students and tutors online. Studying online will give you the flexibility to study at your convenience* without the need to travel or physically attend classes, whilst enhancing your employment opportunities. You will be supported throughout the process by our great teaching staff that are professionally qualified and have industry and academic experience to share with you.

Studying this programme will give you an opportunity to undertake PRINCE2 qualifications.

*Modules are delivered within trimester periods so you will need to complete them in specified times.

What you will study

This programme is 30 months in duration. The academic year is split into trimesters. For a September start you will study as follows;
-Trimester one – September to December
-Trimester two – January to April
-Trimester three – May to July

Year One
Trimester one – September to December
You will study one module; Quality and IT Management.
Trimester two – January to April
You will study two modules; Change Management and Project Management.
Trimester three – May to July
You will study one module; Service Improvement.

Year Two
Trimester four – September to December
You will study two modules; Service Transition and Service Operations.
Trimester five – January to April
You will study two modules; Strategic Management of IS and Research Methods and Dissertation. You will commence work on your Dissertation.
Trimester six – May to July
You will study one module; Information Systems Methods and commence work on your Dissertation.
Trimester seven – September to December
You will complete your Dissertation.

February start information available soon.

For further information on course content and modules please refer to the NILE site: https://nile.northampton.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_27700_1&content_id=_1027153_1&mode=reset%E2%80%8B

Course modules (16/17)

-Quality and IT Management
-Information Systems Methods
-Service Improvement
-Service Transition Management
-Service Operation Management
-Strategic Management of IS
-Change Management
-Project Management
-Dissertation and Research Methods

Assessments

The course has a mixture of assessment involving reports, case studies, portfolios, oral presentations as well as examinations. The emphasis is on assessment by coursework and in the final year an applied research project is a key element of the course.

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In the current economy where services contribute to 70% of the UK economy relative to manufacturing, there is a real need to equip managers with the ability to support services in a dynamic context.

The Leadership and Service Management programme aims to engage students in applied research and scholarship to support the design, engagement and transformation of service organisations. The programme will concentrate on the links between the major business functions and their role in the service sector. The programme will address business and management issues from the service sector in general (rather than from one sub-sector) with an emphasis on different service sub-sectors learning from each other.

See the website http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sbe/executive-education/programmes/accredited/lsm/

The programme aims to:
- Develop individual skills and prepare participants for management career progression in the service sector, mainly through development of both their technical knowledge and skills, and their conceptual and analytical abilities;

- Develop the people management skills of participants to enable them to deal effectively with a range of managerial issues relating to individuals and teams;

- Develop skills to design, evaluate and develop service systems

- Provide insights into the field of business management for private, public, and third sector services operating in the dynamic context of support services;

- Enable participants to see ways in which theory can be applied in practice to complex issues with the aim of improving business and management practice;

- Develop and manage customer-facing service skills and the engagement and transformation of service organisation.

The Leadership and Service Management programme is specifically designed for experienced managers seeking to develop practical skills whilst working towards a university award. The programme prepares participants for management career progression in the service sector.

Structure

The programme is offered on a part-time basis. The minimum period of study for the award of MSc is thirty calendar months. The minimum period of study for the award of Postgraduate Diploma is eighteen months.

Delivery

The Diploma programme is part-time and will normally extend over a period of 18 months. It involves a combination of short courses, distance learning and work-based assignments and projects. The programme is delivered via block release and learning methods are tailored to participants' needs. The MSc element of the programme is delivered over a period of 12 months and involves a series of taught sessions covering research methods and project design.

Content

The programme starts with an induction event, and consists of a number of core modules covering the essential elements contributing to business competitiveness, as well as three modules which explore service design, evaluation and delivery.

To ensure maximum relevance and usefulness to both the participant and organisation, the topic of work-based assignments and projects is agreed between the participant and the University, to address a specific issue which is impacting on the participant's area of work.

Core modules:
- Financial Management
- Managing and Leading People
- Operations Management
- Marketing Management
- Service Marketing
- Service Operations
- Service Strategy

Find out how to apply here http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sbe/executive-education/apply/

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The Business Analysis and Service Design pathway will give you the capability to use information and information management to design agile and innovative business services.  

Commercial focus

Our students learn to apply their knowledge and skills to design technology-based solutions to application domains in business and management. They also gain a thorough understanding of management and leadership issues to enable them to work effectively within a variety of organisations.

After you’ve graduated

Graduates will be equipped for a variety of roles in the digital economy including business analysis, digital marketing, service development, strategic data analysis and consulting roles.

Not sure which pathway to choose from 3 choices? Apply for the one that you feel fits you better and you will be able to change the pathway within the first few weeks from your arrival to the university.

Why Henley?

• Consistently maintain highest standards: Henley is in top 1% of business schools worldwide to hold accreditation from all three bodies in the UK, Europe and US
• Excellent networking potential : 72,000 Henley alumni members in 150 countries
• High calibre students: always oversubscribed, 1,000 ambitious new Masters students join Henley each year
• Award winning campus: beautiful, green, 134 hectares, with state of the art facilities
• World-leading faculty: widely published, frequently asked for expert comment by media and to speak at events
• Henley is proud to be part of the University of Reading. The University is ranked within the top 200 universities worldwide (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016/17 and QS World University Rankings 2018) and 98% of the research is rated as being of international standard.

Course content

Compulsory modules

• Business Informatics - INMR91
• Research Methods - INMR62
• MSc Dissertation (Information Management) - INMR90
• Business Domain and Requirements Analysis - INMR66
• IT Project Management - INMR65
• Business Service Design - INMR92

Optional modules

In addition students must choose two optional modules from the list below.

• Systems Analysis and Design - INMR72
• Managing Complexity Using Systems Thinking and Strategic Modelling - INMR76
• Business Intelligence and Data Mining - INMR77
• Big Data in Business - INMR89
• Enterprise Systems - INMR88

How we teach you

A holistic approach

Effective leadership requires more than first-class business acumen. It also requires a degree of self-awareness and sensitivity. Henley is renowned for its well-researched, professional approach to this aspect of business education and all our postgraduate programmes examine this aspect of leadership - helping to create emotionally intelligent graduates who can be fully effective in their chosen careers.

How you will learn

Henley Business School enjoys a strong reputation for the practical application of business ideas and concepts, underpinned by academic excellence and the strength of our research. We offer high-quality technical skills training as well as a deep understanding of the importance of personal development for leaders, a thread that runs through all of our Masters programmes.

Our postgraduate masters programmes feature a mix of core and optional modules, allowing you to tailor your degree towards your individual personal development needs and career ambitions. You will complete up to 10 taught modules during your programme, totalling 180 credits. One module usually equates to 20 credits or 10 hours of work per week. Your week will include lectures, tutorials, workshops and personal study, with each accounting for 25% of your time on average. This stimulating mix of lectures and interactive tutorials provides you with the opportunity to discuss and explore the subject material in depth with your lecturers and fellow students. You will be introduced to the latest thinking and research findings and be able to challenge some of those that have created it. You will also explore real-world issues and tackle current business challenges, and interact with guest lectures and speakers from industry, giving you the opportunity to test, extend and refine your knowledge and skills.

How we assess you

You will learn and be assessed through a wide variety of teaching methods which vary depending on your chosen Masters programme. These include online materials and multimedia content, guest lectures, individual and group assignments, case studies, field visits, dealing room simulations, presentations, applied projects, consultancy work and examinations.

On average examinations form around 70% of the assessed work with the remaining 30% coming from coursework, including a written dissertation or project depending on your chosen programme. The exam period falls between April and June in the summer term, with students taking an average of 5 or 6 exams. Graduation normally takes place in December.

Ongoing support

While postgraduate students are self-motivated and determined individuals, study at this level can present additional pressures which we take seriously. Lecturers are available to discuss the content of each module and your personal tutor can meet with you regularly to discuss any additional issues. Full-time support staff are also available to help with any questions or issues that may arise during your time at Henley

Careers and accreditations

Each pathway of our MSc Information Management is designed to give a rigorous academic understanding of real-life and current business issues. Graduates of the Systems Analysis and Design pathway will be equipped to manage and utilize information resources in various business fields including business & management, construction management and healthcare through a thorough understanding of systems analysis and design methodology.

A number of our students join our PhD programmes each year.

Students who pass the module – Business Domain and Requirements Analysis with a mark of 60 or above will be eligible for the British Computer Society Professional Certificate in Business Analysis Practice.

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The Master of Design programme provide the opportunity for you to develop creative thinking and innovative strategies through an advanced understanding of the practical application of design thinking and design strategy that can be applied in a global context.

Service Design is a relatively new discipline that has emerged in the UK simultaneously with an increase in the service sector of the economy and the development of services which require innovative approaches to design, development and delivery in public, private and civil society organisations. Through the use of a specific set of methods and processes based on design thinking, Service Design aims to develop services that are useful and desirable for customers/stakeholders and profitable and efficient for the provider.

The course will provide you with the opportunity to develop and use design thinking as a device for modelling multi-faceted service experiences. In particular this requires the ability to design user research, to facilitate development workshops, and to project manage a process when initially outcomes are unknown. A detailed understanding of the management of design and innovation in service organisations is gained through case studies and project based learning. You are introduced to a range of concepts in Service Design such as co-design, user-driven innovation and social innovation. You are also encouraged to develop your own approaches and to respond to emerging industry practices.

You will benefit from staff research interests in methodology and in user experience design strategies. You may also have the opportunity to participate in one of Ravensbourne’s regular industry development projects with a strong service design dimension.

Study units

Stage One: developing a knowledge base and new reference points - introduces the learner to a range of theories and practices in the strategic use of design and innovation, with a particular focus on the method of design thinking in the global context and how it relates to Service Design. Emphasis is also placed on beginning to develop an innovation and leadership toolkit of skills and techniques.

- Unit 1: Cultural and Contextual Design Studies
- Unit 2: Practical Application of Design Thinking in Service Design
- Unit 3: Managing Design in a Global Society and Economy

Stage Two: putting new learning into a professional context - builds on the practical application of design thinking with a focus on innovation and industry oriented professional practice

Teaching and learning methods in this term are reflective of real world practices ensuring that participants are well versed in new service/product design methods, blueprinting, modelling, brand guardianship, consumer marketing and routes to market.

- Unit 4: Professional Practice in Management and Consulting
- Unit 5: Strategic Design and Innovation
- Unit 6: Studio Practice

Stage Three: evaluating and advancing existing knowledge

- Unit 7: Major Project.

Course aims:

- To encourage a human centred approach to design.
- To demonstrate that real innovation comes from gaining a deep understanding of the interaction between service providers and end users, their wants needs, participation and potential for co-creation.

Programme Aims of the Master of Design

The Master of Design programme aims to provide the opportunity for you to develop creative thinking and innovative strategies through an advanced understanding of the practical application of design thinking and design strategy to management and organisational leadership, in order to equip you with the knowledge and skills to apply your learning in a global context. In particular, this programme aims:

- To equip you with an advanced knowledge and understanding of the contextual background to, and developments in design thinking and to reflect on that learning in order to advance your own practice and subject area and to innovate.

- To develop effective managers and leaders with effective design management skills who through creativity and global awareness are able to influence and create positive change in their organisations whether at an operational or a strategic level.

- To equip you with independent study skills that support research, practice and professional development and allow you to continue developing as life-long learners throughout their professional lives maintaining contact with emerging practice from a variety of fields.

- To provide a stimulating environment, which is supportive, flexible and collaborative and allows you to develop your potential.

- To develop a high level of professionalism and confidence to initiate and lead complex design projects involving diverse disciplines and business functions.

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Course outline

The MSc in Financial Service Management is a rigorous and advanced intellectual training in the area of financial service management based on the most current and modern academic thinking and industry best practice. It is designed for students who intend to pursue a career in the financial service sector, through a well-focused education in the theories and methodologies that are utilised today for valuation using financial service tools.

The programme aims to provide a coherent analytical framework for the study of finance and management, focused towards the financial service sector. The emphasis throughout the programme is on contemporary financial service theories and their application in real-world decision-making in the financial industry and the roles and responsibilities attached.

It is particularly designed to develop a range of conceptual and analytical skills for dealing with a variety of financial service theories, issues, practical financial service business situations or cases and the strategic nature of demands within the financial sector.

The programme is a 12-month full-time programme designed for postgraduates with an entry point in the Autumn Term of each year. The programme has been developed to produce practical and proactive financial service management specialists, geared towards fulfilling the demands of the financial service sector, both locally and abroad.

The programme is aimed at students who have recently acquired their bachelor’s degree in management or service related fields and wish to enhance their knowledge of managing and working in organisations within a wide array of competing economic, social, political and cultural conditions.

Find out more about our Business School on http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/business.

Teaching methods

Teaching across our postgraduate programmes is through a combination of formal lectures, tutorials and seminars. Our lectures aim to encourage healthy dialogue between faculty and students, and between students themselves, while our small tutorial groups ensure that students can engage even more closely with their teachers. Members of the Business School faculty also make a point of being available to students outside the scheduled teaching sessions – something which our postgraduate students find particularly valuable.

We frequently use case studies to examine business decisions taken in real situations, and business simulations and games give you first-hand experience of decision-making in the world of work. Role-play and group problem-solving exercises help you to apply some of the theoretical concepts delivered in lectures and you will have the opportunity to undertake individual or group projects with local companies on topical business issues.

Apply here http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/business/msc/financialservicemanagement.

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Course Outline

Over 70% of the world’s economy is services. The MSc Management in a Service Economy aims to equip graduates with the ability to create and deliver reliable customer centred service - a key differentiator for business today. In many industries, profit margins on product sales have shrunk enormously, leading to an increased focus on generating profits through value-added services. Thus, the best firms now bundle customer-centred service with a manufactured product and create service centred solutions. Some, like IBM have moved completely to service and solutions.

Service Management as a body of knowledge has made immense progress in the last decade. Economies are more and more service-focused and it has become imperative to study all aspects of managing service. Buckingham is among the very few universities in the world to have responded to the demand for the creation of expertise in this area and to have established a track-record of success.

Find out more about our Business School on http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/business.

Teaching Method

Teaching across our postgraduate programmes is through a combination of formal lectures, tutorials and seminars. Our lectures aim to encourage healthy dialogue between faculty and students, and between students themselves, while our small tutorial groups ensure that students can engage even more closely with their teachers. Members of the Business School faculty also make a point of being available to students outside the scheduled teaching sessions – something which our postgraduate students find particularly valuable.

We frequently use case studies to examine business decisions taken in real situations, and business simulations and games give you first-hand experience of decision making in the world of work. Role-play and group problem-solving exercises help you to apply some of the theoretical concepts delivered in lectures and you will have the opportunity to undertake individual or group projects with local companies on topical business issues.

Modules available on this course

• Dissertation
• Financial Information for Business / Accountability, Responsibility and Governance / Business Simulation
• Integrated Service Management and Marketing
• Managing People Across Cultures
• Managing People and Leadership in Services
• Practical Research Methods
• Project Management
• Service Operations

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This exciting MSc programme focuses on leadership, change management, evidence-based service innovation and delivery all key to the delivery of high quality health care. The programme is intended for experienced, qualified health care professionals who may work in and across a range of health care settings and in a variety of clinical, managerial and leadership roles.

The course aims to:

• Develop leadership knowledge and skills which can be applied to the delivery of a quality, evidence-based service linked to service user, staff and organisational outcomes
• Develop transformational leaders capable of improving and innovating health and social care delivery in a range of settings
• Develop a critical awareness of self in the leadership of service delivery and innovation
• Enhance critical awareness and reflection on the interfaces between policy, research, commissioning, service and practice
• Enable you to contribute to the advancement of your practice and the service you deliver by your professional development and life-long approach to learning

You have the option to exit after Year 1 with a PgCert Leadership Studies in Health Care and to exit after Year 2 with a PgDip Leadership Studies in Health Care.

The course is delivered one day per week.

Modules

There are two options for this course; a 3 year route and a 4 year route.

Modules for 3 year route:

Year 1
(3 core modules, 20 credits each)

• Research in health and social care
• Strategic leadership in health care
• Innovation for excellence - leading service change

Year 2
(1 core and 2 optional modules, 20 credits each)

Core module:

•Leading continuous quality improvement in health care

Optional modules:

• Mentorship and coaching for leadership
• Leading patient and public engagement in health care
• Professional development through contract learning

Year 3

• Dissertation (60 credits)

Modules for 4 year route:

Year 1
(2 core modules, 20 credits each)

• Research in health and social care
• Innovation for excellence - leading service change

Year 2
(1 core and 1 optional module, 20 credits each)

Core module:

•Strategic leadership in health care

Optional modules:

• Leading patient and public engagement in health care
• Professional development through contract learning

Year 3
(1 core and 1 optional module, 20 credits each)

Core module:
• Leading continuous quality improvement in health care

Optional modules:

• Mentorship and coaching for leadership
• Leading patient and public engagement in health care
• Professional development through contract learning

Year 4

• Dissertation (60 credits)

Professional links

The School of Health and Social Care delivers postgraduate education programmes and applied research linked to practice and workforce innovation and research capacity building. The work undertaken by staff and students is recognised both nationally and internationally.

Employability

With a range of flexible pathways available, our courses and modules are designed to enhance career opportunities by equipping health care professionals with the knowledge and skills to manage change, lead improvement initiatives and become an effective leader.

LSBU Employability Services

LSBU is committed to supporting you develop your employability and succeed in getting a job after you have graduated. Your qualification will certainly help, but in a competitive market you also need to work on your employability, and on your career search. Our Employability Service will support you in developing your skills, finding a job, interview techniques, work experience or an internship, and will help you assess what you need to do to get the job you want at the end of your course. LSBU offers a comprehensive Employability Service, with a range of initiatives to complement your studies, including:

• Direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
• Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
• Mentoring and work shadowing schemes.

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Mission and Goals

The programme has the aim of preparing a highly qualified designer able to take on a design role concerning the product service system (considered as a blend of products, communication strategies, services and spaces used by profit and non profit entities –enterprises, institutions, associations, etc.- to represent themselves in an integrated form to their reference market) in international contexts in which the individual innovation is no longer sufficient to combat increasing competitivity. The fundamental educational objective is to offer a wide range of design tools able to provide appropriate skills in creatively managing products, services, events, and communication strategies in an integrated way.

See the website http://www.polinternational.polimi.it/educational-offer/laurea-magistrale-equivalent-to-master-of-science-programmes/product-service-system-design/

Career Opportunities

The graduate in Product Service Systems Design typically finds employment in companies in the design sector but also within research institutes for the design sector (Trend Institute, Research Agencies, etc.) and in consulting and communication companies.
In particular, certain roles which this figure may occupy are: product-, interior-, communication-, service- designer, brand designer, corporate coordinator, trends analyst, art director.

Presentation

See http://www.polinternational.polimi.it/uploads/media/Product_Service_System_Design_02.pdf
This MSc programme (open to approx. 40 Italian and 40 international students) offers an interdisciplinary course held in a multicultural context that leads to a professional qualification internationally accredited.
A “product-service-system” is defined by a blend of products, communication strategies, services and spaces. The center of the product-service-system is represented by people (users, suppliers, employees or stakeholders) who interact with the multiple design components. The approach to design is strongly interdisciplinary and provides participants with a wide set of design tools, some basics of projects management, logistics, supply chain management, communications and media. Career opportunities are within the
traditional design industry, but also as Service designer, Retail designer, Brand designer, Corporate coordinator, Art director, Ethnographic Researcher, Trend analyst. PSSD students have the possibility to apply for the double degree program at Tongji University (Shanghai) or for the internal double degree with Management Engineering at Politecnico di Milano. For more info about the double degree with Management, please visit http://www.ddpssdme.polimi.it/
The programme is taught in English.
For more information about the programme visit our website: http://www.pssd.polimi.it

Subjects

- First year:
Culture and History, Design Innovation and Design Methods, Visualization and Prototyping, Innovation Studio, Teambuilding, Network and Services, Product Service System Design Studio, Network and Services, Design Seminar, Elective courses.

- Second Year:
Final Synthesis Design Studio, Elective courses, Professional Workshop, Internship, Final examination.

See the website http://www.polinternational.polimi.it/educational-offer/laurea-magistrale-equivalent-to-master-of-science-programmes/product-service-system-design/

For contact information see here http://www.polinternational.polimi.it/educational-offer/laurea-magistrale-equivalent-to-master-of-science-programmes/product-service-system-design/

Find out how to apply here http://www.polinternational.polimi.it/how-to-apply/

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The MSc Health and Public Service Management course has been designed for professionals working in healthcare organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors. The University has a long tradition of providing high quality healthcare management courses and has successfully delivered similar postgraduate programmes for over 20 years.

During the course, you will examine the challenges facing healthcare and related public service areas, making strong links between academic theory and management practice to create a relevant context. You will also specialise in a key area through your chosen dissertation topic.

See the website http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/303-msc-health-and-public-service-management

What you will study

You will study 180 credits over the duration of the MSc Health and Public Service Management course. The modules you will study are:

Postgraduate Certificate
- Managing Resources and Projects (20 credits)
Develop the capability of dealing with current issues associated with resourcing the UK public sector.

- Managing People and Organisations (20 credits)
Analyse key concepts in organisational behaviour and management and evaluate these in a public sector context.

- Strategy and Leadership (20 credits)
Critically evaluate various approaches to strategy and leadership in the public service context and gain the practical skills to lead and manage services effectively.


Postgraduate Diploma
- Health, Policy and Innovation (20 credits)
Develop an awareness of different theoretical approaches to health and policy making and the ability to promote reflective thinking around public service innovation.

- Partnership Service Improvement and Delivery (20 credits)
Critically appraise recent approaches to managing and improving performance. You’ll examine and analyse the opportunities and constraints of providing collaborative public services.

- Conducting Research (20 credits)
Develop your ability to plan, execute and write up a piece of research whilst gaining a critical understanding of the nature of social and policy research.

MSc
You will complete a 40 credit dissertation on a topic you have selected.

Learning and teaching methods

During the course you will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Leaders from the public sector are regularly invited to deliver guest lectures on topics embedded within the course, so you will benefit from their wealth of experience.

Full-time study involves completing the six taught modules and a dissertation over one full academic year. You will have 12 class contact hours over two days each week – Wednesdays and Thursday between 2-8pm.

For part-time students, the taught component is delivered over two academic years, with a commitment of around six hours on one day each week. You can expect to complete the course over three academic years, but the flexible modular structure allows you to progress at your own pace and combine study with work and/or personal commitments. During the first year of the MSc you will study on Wednesdays between 2-8pm. On your second year you will study on Thursday’s between 2-8pm.

Work Experience and Employment Prospects

This course will develop your understanding, competence and confidence if you are a manager, or aspire to a position of significant managerial responsibility, in healthcare and related public service areas.

Your studies will help develop and refine your management techniques in the context of the healthcare sector. Therefore, upon graduation, you will be equipped with a broad management skill-set that can be applied throughout a range of public services but will also enable you to specialise in a healthcare profession.

Assessment methods

You will be assessed by coursework for each module, usually through work-based assignments that involve the application of academic theory to work practice. Coursework can range from reports to poster presentations, and even speeches.

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This innovative Postgraduate Certificate programme has been developed to enable you to respond effectively to the requirements of the Department of Health to develop responsive, evidence-based services. As a senior clinical or service lead in a healthcare organisation, you need the most up-to-date knowledge about evidence-based practice and service transformation to equip you to respond to the challenges of initiatives such as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies or Practice-based commissioning.
Based on the Exeter Leadership Model, this Programme provides you with the latest research knowledge and skills in clinical leadership and evidence-based practice together with individualised coaching and mentoring to support your task in service transformation. It will also offer you an opportunity to reflect on your own leadership skills alongside the latest academic thinking. The programme is delivered over a single year.

Course Content

The academic scope of the programme incorporates the following topics to help you work more effectively as a leader:

Leadership theory
Health service complexity
Values-based service change
Supervision and appraisal
Management of change

Learning and teaching methods include lecturers and seminars, small group facilitated reflective sessions, individual coaching and mentoring sessions with a senior member of the Programme staff. The learning environment will include university-based sessions and workplace visits. The distinctive intention of this programme is to support clinical and service leaders in making transformational service changes in the context of the latest academic research in leadership conducted by the University of Exeter.

Find out more about the PGCert Clinical Leadership and Transformational Service Change programme on the course website http://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/programmes/pgcertcltsc/.

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The purpose of the MSc in Fire and Rescue Service Management is to promote increased understanding of critical management processes and hopefully to enable satisfactory performance in high-consequence, high risk situations.

Strategic managers in the Fire and Rescue Service in risk critical situations face unique challenges in both preparing for and dealing with situations which threaten life and critical infrastructure or reputation.

This postgraduate course brings together insights regarding risk perception and decision making across domains ranging from the operational context, cognitive psychology, economics, and public policy. It suggests strategies to ensure a mature effective response to various managerial situations.

MSc Fire and Rescue Service Management develops the abilities of critical decision makers to grasp a situation, formulate a response assess success and failure and redefine an improved response. The course offers tools and strategies which allow Fire and Rescue Service managers to generate, evaluate, and select among decision options.

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION

There are potential short-term placements within fire and rescue services.

There are exchange visits to Hong Kong Fire Service offered to a limited number of students and also opportunities to work with International partners to develop fire and rescue service infrastructure in those countries where there are limited resources available.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND ASSESSMENT]]
MSc students take practical classes, carry out casework and conduct lab-based dissertation research projects. Students also have access to a wide range of analytical instrumentation in the Faculty of Science and Technology’s Analytical Unit. In collaboration with Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service all students are tested in a simulated command environment.

Assessment is by examinations, practicals and coursework. Practical assessment involves command simulations.

The course focuses on managerial decision making within the fire and rescue service, in both an operational and non-operational context. It includes environmental scanning (both external and internal), strategy formulation (strategic or long range planning), strategy implementation, and evaluation and control. Situational awareness and risk decision making in time pressured and high risk situations. Students will be tested in command simulations representative of those applicable to the emergency incident domain. The theory and practical sessions will build confidence through the development of practical expertise and specialist knowledge in the field of strategic management.

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About the course

What is digital service design? It’s the art of building customer experiences with a strong digital element.

This new multi-disciplinary course is designed to help graduates develop cutting-edge user experience design techniques for designing digital products and services. The course features close integration with leading digital companies to help you develop deep knowledge of both design theory and practice as well as to equip you for employment in the digital sector.

The course has been designed in collaboration with Wilson Fletcher, a leading digital design studio, to closely mirror current professional practices. In the course, you will have the opportunity to apply for an industry internship at the end of your third term. Additionally, some of our digital design partners may also offer dissertation opportunities.

Aims

Brunel’s MSc course in Digital Service Design prepares you for roles in the fast-growing digital industry by providing a programme led by industry experts and practitioners.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Generate ideas and turn them into viable concepts and working prototypes.
Work in multidisciplinary teams in a studio setting and take responsibility for your work.
Problem-solve and design for both user and business needs.
Understand the skills, tools and methodologies necessary to develop compelling strategies, products and services.
Design and develop experiences, products and services of high quality with digital media at their core.
Demonstrate a critical and practical understanding of the issues relevant to digital service design and their use in the context of modern industry and commercial environments.
Have a thorough and clear understanding of the methodologies and professional skills necessary for effective digital service design in a business environment.
Reflect – critically and in-depth – on relevant aspects of the state-of the art of both the practice and theory of digital service design.

Course Content

Typical Modules:

Digital Design Methodologies
Digital Innovation
Systems Project Management
Digital Service Applications
Research Methods
Data Visualisation
Dissertation

Special Features

Quality internships
You will have the opportunity to apply for an internship with a high-profile company.

As a result of enrolling on this course, you will have the opportunity to form a network of industry contacts which will be invaluable when you enter into the world of employment.

You will work on a number of individual and group practical projects based on real-world briefs.

You will develop the technical, interpersonal, creative and strategic skills needed to succeed in the digital service design industry.

A cutting edge programme
You will explore areas of design and rapid prototyping, innovation methodologies, interview and workshop facilitation, journey mapping, customer research methodologies, project management and how to develop and present actionable recommendations and much more.

Women in Engineering and Computing Programme

Brunel’s Women in Engineering and Computing mentoring scheme provides our female students with invaluable help and support from their industry mentors.

Teaching

You will be taught by our lecturers and practising researchers, through a mixture of lectures, seminars, lab sessions, guest lectures from industry experts, talks and workshops. We will thus be providing you with theory-based teaching that is based on up-to-date research in this exciting area.

Academics and guest lecturers on the course come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have experience working on high-profile projects at companies like Wilson Fletcher, Marks & Spencer, The Telegraph, W12, Virgin Media, BBH, IDEO, Friday, SapientNitro, RBS, Hugo & Cat etc.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework, examination and dissertation. You will also produce a portfolio of evidence for the Digital Design Methodologies module. Examinations are held in May.

Work Placements

This course is focused on employment and students have the opportunity to undertake an internship after they complete their dissertation. Digital design companies potentially offering internships include: Wilson Fletcher, ORM, Hugo & Cat, DDB, Furthermore, BBH, The Guardian, M&S, W12, Friday, UsTwo.

Selected students may also have the opportunity for a company-sponsored dissertation project in term three.

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Designed for

Service science is an exciting and a crucial area in which we must increase expertise in order to stay ahead. This MSc programme is aimed at future leaders of services-based industries, and provides you with the opportunity to focus on the transition from product-centric to service-centric thinking.

The Course Provides

During the course you’ll consider the complexity of services that bring together a mesh of organisations, people, technologies and information to deliver value to the customer. You will understand the importance of experience and value to all stakeholders and be able to create a stakeholder map and use it to inform service design or redesign.

Enrolment on the MSc Service Management and Design gives you the opportunity to take the short “Lean Six Sigma Green Belt” course in addition to your Masters programme.

Course Content

Core Modules:
1. Service Design and Delivery
2. Reputation and Relationship Management
3. Service Support Technologies
4. Leading Change
5. Financial Analysis and Control Systems
6. Project Planning, Management and Control
7. Organisations, People and Performance

Plus two elective modules from the full list of modules.

Learning Style

The taught component of the course is a mixture of lectures, seminars, technology-enabled learning, syndicate/group work, practical work and forum activities. Module leaders are experts in their fields and are supported by external speakers working in organisations at the forefront of their fields.

Industrial visits are available to all students and the course is assessed through post module assignments.

Each module will usually last one week.

After You Graduate

Our degree was developed within the Service Systems Research Group at WMG, working alongside leading companies such as IBM, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems. You’ll join our collective drive to actively shape research and teaching in this area. It is particularly relevant for the ‘servitisation’ of manufacturing companies, but is not sector-specific and is equally applicable to public sector, healthcare, financial services, oil and gas, tourism and a broad range of other industries.

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This is an innovative Postgraduate Certificate designed for managers and leaders working in the health and social care sector, across wellbeing partnerships and those providing and developing services with communities and patients.

The programme equips leaders and managers with knowledge and skills and helps develop confidence to undertake effective service improvement programmes – leading and co-ordinating systems and service across health, wellbeing and social care settings.

The programme is intended to:
-Develop a critical understanding of the changing strategy and policy context in the health and social care sector
-Provide an opportunity for participants to review their own practice within their organisation and others within the partnership context
-Enable participants to lead service improvement in the health, wellbeing and social care sector
-Provide opportunities for inter-professional and inter-organisational learning

The Certificate will be of particular relevance to those working in the following areas:
-CCGs and other commissioners
-Local Government notably in Public Health and developing services to reduce inequalities
-Provider organisations including voluntary sector
-Co-ordination of networks and partnerships, notably those working within Health and Wellbeing Board structures

Modules

-Leadership and Management Theory and Practice
-Quality and Service Improvement

Learning activities and assessment

The curriculum is organised into two 30-credit modules. One module will be studied each semester. Each module combines theory with application to practice.
-Leadership and Management: Theory and Practice - this module analyses a range of approaches to leadership and management, providing the opportunity for students to develop their own skills
-Quality and Service Improvement - this module covers; service improvement principles and techniques, such as LEAN; quality improvement approaches including how to positively use service feedback and management complaints; effective ways to work in partnerships, networks and with communities

This programme combines study and assessment of theory alongside its application within a work setting.

Study is through a blended learning approach; 4 days attendance on campus for each module (2 blocks of 2 days); a virtual learning environment to support private study; ongoing tutor support.

Assessment of the programme includes practical application of skills and knowledge, demonstrating a theoretical understanding and enabling students to grow in confidence in their role.

Modules studied on the Certificate can go on to contribute to study at Masters level within the Faculty of Health Studies.

Career support and prospects

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

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