Programme Specification
A statement of the knowledge, understanding and skills that underpin a
taught programme of study leading to an award from
The University of Sheffield
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Programme Title
Leadership
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Programme Code
MGTT163
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JACS Code (if applicable)
Not applicable
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Level of Study
Postgraduate
5a
Final Qualification
Postgraduate Certificate
5b
QAA FHEQ Level
M
6a
Intermediate Qualification(s)
6b
QAA FHEQ Level
7
Teaching Institution (if not Sheffield)
The programme is jointly-delivered by The University of
Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University.
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Faculty
Social Sciences
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Department
Management
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Other Departments involved in
teaching the programme
Sheffield Hallam University
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Mode(s) of Attendance
Part-Time
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Duration of the Programme
1 year
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Accrediting Professional or Statutory
Body
Not applicable
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Date of production/revision
June 2010
15. Background to the subject area and programme
Higher Level Skills are vital in a knowledge economy. National and regional government policy continues to
promote collaboration between Higher Education and Industry creating new routes and methods of engagement
to address the needs of business and the skills and qualifications of the work force (The Leitch Review of Skills,
2006) and playing a central role in enhancing innovation in business and industry (The Sainsbury Review,
2007).
The Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership provides an integrated, flexible, applied learning experience for
its participants as they develop as leaders within their respective organisations. The programme is the first
example of a collaborative programme between Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield and a
range of collaborative partners in the public sector within the City Region including: Sheffield Council, South
Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, South Yorkshire Police, various NHS organisations and other government agencies.
A shared concern within all agencies within the City Region is to engage in joined-up, multi-agency working, and
therefore to develop leaders within all partner organisations who are capable of working in this way.
Following discussions with client groups, the programme seeks to address a set of five key areas of
competencies for public sector city leadership as follows:
1. the importance of any actions being consumer-centric in terms of their focus;
2. given the cost-conscious climate all agencies operate within, the importance of being able to adapt to
change in order to continue to deliver on services;
3. in order to make change happen, the need for leaders to be innovative in terms of how they identify
ways to improve the services offered;
4. to be able to meet these leadership challenges, the need for leaders in all agencies to work together in
order to achieve integrated planning and delivery of services;
5. In order to address the personal & professional developmental challenges for all managers and leaders
in achieving these aspirations, the need for leadership and coaching support for individuals in this
process.
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16. Programme aims
The programme aims to develop participants’:
 understanding of alternative leadership management theories and practices in modern organisations;
 application of theoretical knowledge across multi-agency boundaries in the public sector;
 critical skills to allow them to make real changes in the provision of public services.
17. Programme learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding:
On completion of the programme, participants will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding and
application of relevant knowledge related to:
K1
The alternative leadership strategies for enhancing multi-agency processes in the provision of public
services.
K2
The notion and value of market and customer orientation in a collaboratively delivered service provision.
K3
Ways of encouraging a culture of innovation and improvement in organisations, with particular focus on
public service innovation.
K4
A critical approach to managing processes and information to ensure a business focus underpinning
service planning and delivery.
K5
The ability to apply the principles of inquiry in each of the core stages of organisational problem solving
and change.
Skills and other attributes:
On completion, participants will be able to:
S1
Apply relevant leadership skills to different contexts (e.g. cross agency working).
S2
Engage in coaching and mentoring activities.
S3
Exercise initiative and personal responsibility.
S4
Take difficult decisions, analyse problems and initiate change arising out of innovative ideas.
18. Teaching, learning and assessment
Development of the learning outcomes is promoted through the following teaching and learning
methods:
The programme is delivered via:
Workshops - Two day workshops are used to both present subject knowledge and engage in interactive learning
activities. Additional virtual day added on to workshops will ensure that learning support is delivered in a flexible
way. Virtual learning materials will be provided in support of each module.
Action Learning Sets - Learning sets are facilitated groups, usually between 6-8 people who support each other
in addressing work-based challenges. It is possible to use these sets to both focus on supporting individual
agendas as well as a structure for multi-agency project work. Each participant will engage in a series of half day
learning sets.
Leadership Master Classes - These are specialist sessions delivered by leading experts in different approaches
to leadership. The emphasis is on different approaches and frameworks for public sector leadership in order to
challenge and stimulate participants thinking about these issues.
One-to-One Coaching - Whilst participants need to work together, they all also have their own individual
development needs and aspiration. Each participant has the opportunity to be coached by an experienced
coaching professional in terms of his or her developing approach towards leadership.
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Opportunities to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes are provided through the following
assessment methods:
Learning outcomes in terms of both knowledge and understanding and skills will be assessed using a variety of
innovative assessment methods:
Written reports, both individual and group, will be used to assess learning outcomes.
Presentations, in powerpoint or other visual forms will be utilised to maximise work based learning
opportunities.
Reflective logs will also form an important part of the assessment process. This is in line with accepted best
practice in this form of delivery.
The key objective of the portfolio of assessment methods is to maximise successful interventions and
applications informed by relevant academic frameworks. Whilst it is vital to retain the focus on critical reflexivity
that is the hallmark of Masters level working, it is essential that this is wedded to a focus on generating useful
learning and behaviours for the partner organisations.
19. Reference points
The learning outcomes have been developed to reflect the following points of reference:
QAA reference point

Subject Benchmark Statements
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/subject-guidance/Pages/Subject-benchmarkstatements.aspx

Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (2008)
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/The-framework-for-higher-educationqualifications-in-England-Wales-and-Northern-Ireland.aspx

University Strategic Plan
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/strategicplan

Learning and Teaching Strategy (2011-16)
http://www.shef.ac.uk/lets/strategy/lts11_16

Management School Learning ,Teaching and Assessment strategy

QAA statement on Masters Degree Characteristics (March 2010)
20. Programme structure and regulations
The programme consists of five modules. Four of these are based around specific themes – i.e. ‘Building a
Culture of Innovation and Improvement’, ‘Initiating, Adapting to and Managing Change’, ‘Business Focus
Underpinning Service Planning and Control’, and ‘Developing Customer-centric Services’. The fifth module – in
the area of ‘Leadership and Coaching’ provides an opportunity for integrating the learning that emerges from the
other four modules and enables participants to work together on themes and projects of mutual interest and
benefit.
The home institution for the programme is Sheffield Hallam University, though participants will also have access
to the facilities of the University of Sheffield. The programme is delivered flexibly over one year, with teaching
delivered at Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield or on client premises.
Detailed information about the structure of programmes, regulations concerning assessment and progression
and descriptions of individual modules are published in the University Calendar available on-line at
http://www.shef.ac.uk/govern/calendar/regs.html.
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21. Student development over the course of study
The programme has the following features:
 an approach to learning & development which treats participants as adults who have their own issues,
interests and existing competencies to bring to the learning experience;
 a critically reflective agenda which encourages participants to examine their own leadership practices
and then to decide how they need to change their own behaviours as a result;
 an appropriate balance between content and process, where participants are encouraged to apply
appropriate concepts and frameworks to their own practice and to bring their practice;
 multiple opportunities for participants to engage with each other in multi-agency working;
 flexibility - a programme for busy people with demanding workplace agendas which allows them to
progress at a pace appropriate to their needs.
The programme runs over one year. The ‘Leadership and Coaching’ module runs throughout the year and
provides a significant link with the rest of the modules. Learning gained from the remaining four modules plays a
part in coaching interventions and learning set activity within the ‘Leadership and Coaching’ module.
Masterclasses are used to highlight key leadership issues facing managers engaged in cross agency issues in
the provision of public service. The other four modules normally run in the following sequence, although
participants, for flexibility reasons may take them in a different order:
1. Innovation
2. Change
3. Customer Centric Services
4. Business Focus
As participants complete these individual modules, learning is applied to specific cross agency problems facing
the partner clients. Whilst there are no pre-requisites, learning from individual modules will feed into the other
modules in order to achieve an overall learning experience at Postgraduate Certificate level. Assessment
through application is an important feature of the learning experience for this programme.
22. Criteria for admission to the programme
Detailed information regarding admission to programmes is available from the University’s On-Line
Prospectus at http://www.shef.ac.uk/courses/.
The normal entry requirement are as follows:


for graduates, an honours degree from an Approved Institution;
for non-graduates, a professional qualification in management that is deemed to be equivalent to the
holding of an honours degree from an Approved institution;
 for candidates who do not hold relevant academic qualifications, relevant evidence of learning from
experience.
Partner clients may also identify suitable participants for the programme from an experiential point of view.
23. Additional information
The host institution will be Sheffield Hallam University.
This specification represents a concise statement about the main features of the programme and should be
considered alongside other sources of information provided by the teaching department(s) and the University. In
addition to programme specific information, further information about studying at The University of Sheffield can
be accessed via our Student Services web site at http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid.
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