Explore our Heathcare Operational Management taught Master's degree.

P-H1S5

MSc

1 year full-time

2 October 2023

WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group)

University of Warwick

Developed collaboratively by WMG's Institute of Digital Healthcare, Warwick Medical School and The National Health Service, this Healthcare Operational Management MSc drives the implementation of innovative digital technologies and services to facilitate improvement in the complex healthcare service sector.

This course has been designed to fulfil the specific needs of graduates interested in a management or leadership role within the complex health service sector. Healthcare organisations share many commonalities with production facilities, including the need for efficient process flow, change management, and quality standards.  

You will explore the principles, approaches, strategies and techniques to understand, model, analyse and manage complex healthcare systems. You will also learn to measure efficiency and improve effectiveness and productivity, without compromising quality or safety. Ultimately, you will gain the essential knowledge to manage the integration of people, systems, and technologies to ensure the delivery of consistent, high quality, person centric care.  

The course is suitable for graduates from a broad range of academic disciplines across technical, scientific, medical, management, and social sciences. Strong quantitative skills will be required.

This course has two components – a taught component accounting for two thirds of your time and effort, and a research component accounting for one-third.

For the taught component, we blend lectures with seminars, syndicate exercises, simulations, and case studies. Modules are taught in small classes to facilitate and encourage interaction.

Our module leaders have extensive industry experience. Guest speakers from the healthcare sector also contribute regularly, bringing real-world insight into your learning experience.

In addition to your taught modules, you will undertake a major project as part of your Masters’ degree. which will develop your research and analytical skills and enable you to specialise. This is nominally 600 hours (60 CATS points) of learning, mainly taking place during the Spring and Summer terms. You will be expected to engage regularly with your Project Supervisor and to provide progress updates and drafts of your work to an agreed schedule.

Overall this course can accommodate up to 25 students.

Module delivery patterns vary, but most will be delivered in a short learning block of up to 4 weeks, allowing your focus to be on one module at a time. Each module nominally accounts for 150 hours, which includes scheduled classroom time and online sessions as well as your independent study and assessments.

WMG runs a SPA module (Study, Professional and Analytical Skills) designed to meet the complex learning and professional needs of postgraduate students. This is a blended module delivered throughout the year alongside your modules. Whilst it is an unaccredited module for HOM students, your participation in the lectures, workshops and online sessions is strongly encouraged. There may be occasions where you will be required to attend evening or weekend sessions.

Modules are predominantly assessed by way of written Post Module Assignments (PMA), but assessment can also be in other formats. Most modules will also have a degree of In-Module Assessment (IMA), which will vary by module and may take the form of presentations, on-line tests, self-reflection or a range of other methods.

For the research component, you will undertake a major project. Project submission is likely to include both a written and a presentation element, accounting for 33% of your overall academic grade.

Reading lists

Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web pageLink opens in a new window.

Your timetable

Core modules will be allocated to students at the end of the first week of term - you will then be able to view your individual module schedule for the rest of the year via the WMG module selection system.

Elective modules will be bookable through the same system later in the term.

Modules will include scheduled classroom time and online sessions as well as your independent study and assessments, and will usually be delivered within a 4 week timeframe. Occasional classes and study skills sessions may be held at weekends or in the evenings.

As a Masters student, you are expected to manage your own time appropriately. On average, you are expected to commit 38-40 hours of study each week, in order to successfully achieve your Master’s degree.

This is a full-time postgraduate course - undergraduate term dates do not apply. Whilst there are no holidays as such, there will be no teaching scheduled when the University is officially closed, during the two weeks over Christmas and New Year.

2:i undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a range of disciplines across technical, medical, scientific, management and social sciences.

Candidates with a UK 2:ii (or equivalent) may be accepted upon demonstration of relevant professional experience.

• Band A
• IELTS overall score of 6.5, minimum component scores not below 6.0

Candidates with professional experience should include their CV with their application.

Core modules are required modules that all students will complete whilst on this programme. For HOM, your core modules are:

• Leading Change in Healthcare
• Quality and Productivity in Health Service Systems
• Operational Management and Clinical Systems Improvement
• Introduction to Health Informatics
• Electronic Healthcare Records
• Epidemiology and Statistical Methods for Quality Improvement
• Introduction to Health Economics
• Resource Management in Health Service Quality

Read the module descriptions for this course on WMG's website.Link opens in a new window

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