Person-Centred Dementia Studies

Entry requirements

Applicants will require current experience of working with or supporting people with dementia, either through employment, regular voluntary work or caring.

EITHER

• An honours degree at 2:2 level or above

OR

• Qualifications and experience are considered to be equivalent to the above. All students applying via this route will be assessed and where necessary interviewed by the Programme Lead

Please see the University website for full details.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Our Postgraduate Certificate in Person-Centred Dementia Studies has been designed specifically for current or potential future leaders or managers of dementia services in health and social care organisations, charities or businesses.

Effective leadership in person-centred care is fundamental for the ability of an organisation to deliver services that work well for people living with dementia. This course will provide you with evidence-based practical interventions to expand your knowledge and skills in order to provide exemplary dementia care.

Additionally, the course provides a developmental route for professionals to improve the quality of their services. It aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and resources to enable them to reach their full potential as skilled care givers, advocates, managers and leaders. The course content reflects the requirements of the Dementia Training Standards Framework and meets all of the Tier 3 leadership learning outcomes.

Key features

• A flexible, multidisciplinary, student-centred route to postgraduate achievement, taught in a supportive online learning environment
• An opportunity to critically reflect on your own practice and role in the field of dementia care
• A chance to challenge your own values and attitudes and develop new ways of thinking in a supportive environment
• A stimulating environment where you can gain the confidence to feel you can shape future dementia care by challenging and enhancing current practice and approaches
• An opportunity to complete a series of modules which develop critical reflection, originality, critique and synthesis to inform evidence-based practice
• A critical appreciation of the varying perspectives and values of health and social care professionals, service users, carers and cultures
• A learning environment based on the values of academic freedom, ethical awareness and critical appraisal

About the Association for Dementia Studies

The Association for Dementia Studies is at the forefront of person-centred care research, which is used to ensure that our teaching includes real world practical approaches to help people live well with dementia. Our multi-disciplinary team are expert educators who have in-depth experiential and theoretical knowledge in dementia care plus the ability to inspire and enthuse others in this area.

As Alumni of this University of Worcester PG Certificate, you will be joining a growing community of practice and will continue to find support via Association for Dementia Studies run events and an online forum. You will be eligible to be nominated for the Hennell Award, which recognises people who have made a significant contribution to promoting person-centred care.

Teaching

Utilising a range of tools and features of the virtual learning environment (VLE), and evidence- based online pedagogical practices, the approach to teaching will involve:

• Minimising the complexity of technology through the use of clear, concise guidance in navigating through the various facets of the course to develop a comfortable environment for students and instructors;
• Clear communication channels through which students can engage with each other and with module tutors (e.g. messaging within Blackboard, discussion boards, Collaborate).
• High quality explicitly framed online activities that underpin summative assessment and which includes opportunities for collaborative learning as well as receiving timely, constructive, formative feedback to support student learning;
• A defined, regular social presence of module tutors to support continuous student/teacher communication and minimise potential feelings of studying in isolation.
• Online learning is both asynchronous and synchronous with discussions via VLE to encourage critical reflection in students.
• Active learning is facilitated through peer discussion formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through discussion and small group activities.
• Analysis of case studies and policy from health and social care and other settings relevant to the student’s professional context.
• Critical reflective analysis of dementia practice in a range of settings.

This will facilitate an experiential learning cycle that will maintain student engagement and activity, require students to take responsibility for their own learning, and afford opportunities to relate and apply their learnings within their professional practice context.

Careers

This course is suitable for practitioners, managers and for those aspiring to lead positive change from within any dementia related context. The focus is on equipping you to develop in your existing role and your area of practice, introducing more effective ways of working within your organisation and giving you the potential to innovate and to progress into strategic and leadership roles.

As part of your development we encourage students to continue on their academic journey to a range of higher degrees including PhD, clinical doctorate and other taught doctorates.