Pharmacist Independent Prescribing PG Cert

Teaching

You will be taught using a variety of structured learning activities including in-class work, directed study, self-directed study and distance learning activities. Interactive workshops take a variety of formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through discussion and small group activities. Seminars enable the discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures. 

All prescribing courses share some teaching sessions to stimulate a multidisciplinary learning arena. This will include nurses, allied health professionals and pharmacists. In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled throughout the course.

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support from Student Services and Library Services, and also the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will help you to flourish and be successful.

Contact time

Students taking the Post Graduate Certificate in Pharmacist Independent Prescribing as a Stand-alone Course will take both mandatory modules in parallel across semesters 1 and 2 in order to complete within one academic year.

Alternatively, students can take these modules as part of the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice following the same route as their peers from other professional groups with MACP4014 across semester 1 and 2 in year 1 and MACP4015 across semester 3 and 4 in year 2.

The course requirements are at least:

• 26 days of structured learning activities
• 144 hours learning in practice

Part-time students can expect to have 6 hours contact time each week. For example:

• MACP4014 (30 credits) is 12 x 6 hours structured learning activities spread over semester 1 and 2
• MACP4015 (30 credits) is 14 x 6 hours structured learning activities spread over semester 1 and 2

6-hour day might include:

• 1-hour lecture
• 2-hour Problem Based Learning launch
• 3-hour workshop

Independent self study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake approximately 6-10 hours per week of independent study, if taking the Postgraduate Certificate in Pharmacist Independent Prescribing as a part-time stand-alone course (12 weeks in each semester). 

Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library and online, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for assessments.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including The Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources. 

Duration

Students can take the Post Graduate Certificate in Pharmacist Independent Prescribing as a Stand-alone Course. They will take both mandatory modules in parallel across semesters 1 and 2, in order to complete within one academic year (maximum 2 years).

Alternatively, students may choose to take these two modules as part of the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice, part-time, following the same route as their peers from other professional groups; with MACP4014 across semester 1 and 2 in year 1 and MACP4015 across semester 3 and 4 in year 2.

Timetables

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that whilst we try to be as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week and some classes can be scheduled in the evenings.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior academics, professional practitioners with industry experience, demonstrators and technical officers.

Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Teaching is informed by the research and consultancy, and (as at November 2019) 88 per cent of Post-qualifying course lecturers have a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. 

Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade.  Assessment methods include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as reflective logs, reports, portfolios, presentations and an E-Portfolio.

A typical formal summative assessment pattern is:

MACP4014

30-minute Objective Structured Clinical Examination 

E-Portfolio, including competency document and 3000-word reflective log that focuses on two of the four domains of study specified by the GPhC (2019): patient-centred care and professional knowledge and skills.

MACP4015

15-minute presentation and written report

E-Portfolio, including competency document and 1500-word reflective log that focuses on two of the four domains of study specified by the GPhC (2019): professionalism and collaboration.

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback on OSCE performance is available upon request from the module leader. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate. 

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.  

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.