NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY
POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
1.
Programme or Pathway Title, and Award
2.
External Admissions Code if applicable
3.
Northumbria Programme Code
14FHPG-N CAM6 – FT, 14PHPG-N CAM6 - PT
4.
Mode of Delivery
On Site
X
Distance Learning
Distance Delivery
5.
Mode of Attendance
Full Time
X
Sandwich
Part Time
6.
Location of Delivery
Northumbria
x
Other UK please specify
MSc Child and Adolescent Mental Health
x
Overseas please specify
7.
Collaborative Provision if applicable
Franchised
Validated
Joint
Dual
Partner Institution
8.
Date(s) of Approval/ Review
9.
QAA Subject Benchmark Group if applicable
10.
PSRB accreditation if applicable
11.
Educational Aims of the Programme Specified in terms of the general intentions of the programme and its distinctive characteristics; these should be
consistent with any relevant benchmark and with the Mission of the University.
17.9.04
This programme is focussed towards the development of advanced practitioners in Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health who work in primary care
and universal services (such as education, social care, youth justice and non statutory sectors). Students will critically evaluate the literature and their
practice experiences within the local and national context in order to advance their understanding and practice application of their unique professional
contribution. This contribution will be in the support and promotion of young people and their families in maintaining or regaining their individual,
emotional, social and developmental potential. In addition how their role as professionals integrates with other agencies and professionals within a
‘comprehensive CAMH service'.
The overarching aims are to:


Give students from a range of backgrounds, who work with child and adolescent mental health across the primary care context the opportunity to
study at Masters level (either part time or full time) as defined by the NQF and facilitate their academic development, progress and achievement.
Deliver high quality teaching that not only demonstrates a synergy between research and teaching, but also represents the most recent evidence
based practices in Child and adolescent mental health and the interface between primary care and specialist care.
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NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY
POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION


12.
Offer a diverse portfolio of provision that allows students to develop their enquiry and research skills as well as subject specific knowledge in
CAMH and skills within a validated pathway.
To explore issues of leadership, support, development of capacity within a total systems approach to Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH)
within the context of contemporary child and adolescent mental health care practice.
How Students are Supported in their Learning/Employability/Career Development eg curriculum design, personal development plans,
placements, fieldwork, practical projects.
The modal student accessing this course is likely to be a professionally qualified individual in current practise and working with children and
adolescents with mental health issues across the primary /specialist interface. As such, the course aims to facilitate their career development through
the development of their abilities in:
 dealing with complex issues, making sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicating their conclusions clearly to specialist
and non-specialist audiences;
 demonstrating self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems in the filed of child and adolescent mental health and acting
autonomously in planning and implementing tasks;
 continuing to advance their knowledge and understanding of child and adolescent mental health
and will have:
 transferable skills in exercising initiative and personal responsibility and decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations.
 independent learning ability required for continuing professional development.
13.
Learning Outcomes of Programme Specified in terms of performance capabilities to be shown on completion of the programme/pathway.
a) Knowledge and Understanding
On completion of the course students will have a critical knowledge / understanding of:
1. A range of philosophical perspectives on research in their area of child and adolescent mental health and the interface with specialist CAMH
services
2. A variety of information sources to assist in developing knowledge and research to develop CAMH across primary care
3. A range of methods applicable to research in child and adolescent mental health, primary care and the interface between primary care and
specialist CAMH services
4. Specific knowledge in child and adolescent mental health and primary care CAMH
5. The context of CAMH in terms of politics, policy, ethics and governance.
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POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
b) Intellectual Skills
On completion of the course the students will be able to:
1. Analyse critically a research / practice problem in their practice context relating to CAMH and primary care
2. Conduct a background review of CAMH care across the primary care /specialist interface
3. Plan a programme of research / practice development.
4. Examine critically methods of research.
5. Examine critically the context of their research / practice with the context of CAMH and primary care
c) Practical Skills
On completion of the course the students will be able to:
1. Present research in a variety of manners appropriate to the target audience.
2. Design and execute an empirical / practice based project based on primary or secondary data.
d) Transferable/Key Skills
On completion of the course the students will have gained personal skills including:
1. Communication skills
2. Team working skills
3. Leadership Skills
4. Time management skills
5. Project management skills
6. Problem Solving
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14.
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Specified to enable learners to achieve and demonstrate the above learning outcomes.
The student is encouraged to acquire specific knowledge and skills through the core units on the development and application of knowledge in health,
and how the boundaries of knowledge are advanced through research. These modules provide a masters level grounding in the underlying
philosophies, policies and methods applicable to the health arena. The project modules provide a common framework for undertaking masters level
research using either empirical, practice project or systematic review approaches. The students customise the project through the selection of the
research question and apply this to develop the capacity of Child and Adolescent mental health (CAMH) care and primary care CAMH. Specific
modules will focus on key contemporary health care themes relevant to child and adolescent mental health and its management, primary care and
working together to develop a comprehensive CAMH service. Throughout their engagement with the programme students are encouraged to develop
their learning through peer and tutor interaction, either face to face or through electronic communications.
Each module is assessed on whether the student has achieved it’s learning outcomes. A variety of approaches are used across the framework
including assignments, portfolios and reports, which will show evidence of achieving the learning outcomes, for example, a portfolio may include
elements of practical and transferable skill as well as others. In assessments the student is able to customise the topic towards CAMH and primary
care CAMH issues.
15.
Programme Structure Diagrams can also be used to demonstrate the structure.
Programme Structure Refer if necessary to appended diagrams
Credit Requirements
Level 6/7
Postgraduate
Certificate
stage
AA113 – Research Skills: Foundations and philosophies of enquiry (20 L7)
MH192 – CAMH: Children with Emotional / Behavioural problems (20 L7)
PP079 – Change and Professional Practice (20 L7)
Maximum of 20 credits at level 6 & minimum of
40 credits at level 7.
Postgraduate Certificate awarded for 60 credits.
Level 6/7
Postgraduate
Diploma
stage
AA114 – Research Skills: Design and Methods (20 L7)
MH195 – CAMH: Emotional behavioural issues in adolescence (20 L7)
MH194 – Promoting, Regaining and Maintaining CAMH in primary care (20 L7)
Or
MH193 – CAMH: Working together (20 L7)
Maximum of 30 credits at level 6; minimum of 90
credits & maximum of 120 credits at level 7.
Postgraduate Diploma awarded for 120 credits.
Level 6/7
Project one of:
PP189 – Empirical Study (60 L7)
PP190 – Practice Project (60 L7)
PP191 – Systematic Review (60 L7)
Maximum of 30 credits at level 6; minimum of
150 credits & maximum of 180 credits at level 7.
Masters Degree awarded for 180 credits.
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POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
16.
17.
Interim Awards Credit Structure and Programme Learning Outcomes for Interim Awards. Please delete rows as appropriate and specify learning
outcomes for each of the interim awards.
Award
Credit Structure
Programme Learning Outcomes
Postgraduate
Certificate
Postgraduate
Diploma
60 credits. Max 20 at level 6; min 40 at level 7.
A1,2,4,5 B1,2,5 D1,2,3,6
120 credits. Max 30 at level 6; min 90, max 120 at
level 7.
A1-5 B1-5 C1 D1-6
Variation From Assessment Regulations Provide details of any approved variations from the standard University regulations.
Not Applicable
18.
Mapping of Learning Outcomes
This section shows how the individual modules (with module learning outcomes as written in the module descriptor) together contribute to programme learning outcomes. It should be
presented as a matrix of programme learning outcomes (as identified numerically in section 13), against modules. Where a module contributes to a programme learning outcome it should be
flagged. Standard practice will be for a single symbol to indicate a learning outcome is addressed in the module. The matrix below is for a programme structure with 6 learning outcomes in
each of the categories of section 13, with 2 modules at level 6, and 7 modules including some options at level 7.
MODULE
Core/
option
a) Knowledge &
Understanding
1
2
3
b) Intellectual Skills
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
c) Practical Skills
d) Transferable Key Skills
1
1
2
2
3
4
5
6
Level 7
AA113
MH192
PP079
AA114
MH195
MH194
MH193
PP189
PP190
PP191
C
C
C
C
C
O
O
O
O
O
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY
POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
19.
Admission Requirements Please give details of specific programme requirements.
The entry requirement for the course is normally a second class honours degree or better in a subject related to health. Candidates with ordinary
degrees or non degree level professional qualifications will be considered on the basis of equivalence to the normal requirem ent. Experience in a
relevant professional field may be counted towards entry.
With candidates for whom English is not their first language, they must demonstrate a sufficient level of competence in English (TOEFL 6.5 or better).
Advanced standing entry into the programme will be considered for individuals with a relevant Postgraduate Certificate (60M).
Advanced standing entry into the programme will be considered for individuals with a relevant Postgraduate Diploma (120M
20.
Application Procedure The appropriate procedure should be indicated.
The standard application procedure for Postgraduate study in HCES will apply. Applications should be sent to the PGF Administrator who will record
them and forward them to the programme director.
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