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Senior Leader Higher (Apprenticeship) PgDip

2024-25 (also available for 2023-24, 2025-26)

This course is eligible for Master's loan funding. Find out more.

Start date

16 September 2024

19 May 2025

Duration

19 months part-time

About the course

This apprenticeship course has been designed for aspiring or newly appointed leaders. The course allows you to take a strategic look at your organisation and its processes; how it affects and is affected by its environment; your leadership and how to engage your colleagues; and how these all fit together. Leadership is not just about what is done, but also how it is delivered. So, issues such as ethics; responsible leadership; communication and sustainability feature throughout the course.

You will study three modules which are:

  • Strategy and Innovation
  • Responsible Leadership and People Engagement
  • Operational Systems, Processes and Decision Making

In line with the apprenticeship model, the course is designed to support a training in practice approach. Where you will bring your work experience to the classroom and the classroom learning will feed your understanding and development in your role.

The course is built around the Masters Level Apprenticeship Knowledge Skills and Behaviour standards. This means that we cover all of the topics from the perspectives of:

  • Knowledge – learning new approaches and techniques and the theories that underpin them.
  • Skills - How to apply your knowledge to be an effective leader in the context of your organisation.
  • Behaviours – How to deliver effective leadership and support.

You will already be employed by an organisation who will sponsor you throughout the course and enable you to transfer your learning to your job role.

The Senior Leader Higher Apprenticeship is a 19 months Level 7 course. The first 13 months will be a blended model of classroom-based teaching, remote online learning, and work-based task completion. This will then be followed by conducting a live project agreed between you and your line manager which allows you demonstrate a wide range of knowledge and skills. This is a great opportunity for you to deliver tangible difference to your organisation, by applying and showcasing what you have learned from the programme.

Throughout the course you will be supported by a dedicated Course Leader and subject experts and guest speakers, all of whom have current occupational expertise gained in a variety of industries. You will have a Work-Based Learning Coach will support you to link theory to practice and build a portfolio of evidence that demonstrates your competency against the apprenticeship standards.

Course detail

Core modules:

Responsible Leadership and People Engagement

This module will support you to demonstrate knowledge, skills and behaviours associated with ethical and value-based leadership. You will learn how to develop effective stakeholder engagement and talent management strategies and you will learn how to build a high-performance, inclusive culture that gets the best from people, enables the delivery of results.

Strategy and Innovation

This module will support you to demonstrate knowledge, skills and behaviours associated with shaping organisational mission, values and strategic direction. It encompasses horizon scanning, responsible decision-making, influencing and negotiating and change leadership. By completing this module you will have the knowledge and ability to set direction, vision, governance and provide a clear sense of purpose for your area of responsibility. You will also be able to lead agile transformation by responding and managing change and crisis situations in a variety of environments such as an office, onsite or remotely.

Operational Systems, Processes and Decision Making

This module will help you demonstrate knowledge, skills and behaviours associated with effective operational management and decision making. The module covers financial governance and accountability, knowledge and data management, risk management and procurement. You will learn how to use data from internal intelligence sources and external influences in order to identify longer-term opportunities and risks.

End Point Assessment

After successfully completing the Gateway for the Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship, you will enter the End Point Assessment period, when this module will be completed. The module entails the unaided completion of a strategic business proposal, which is a relevant and defined piece of work that has a real business benefit. In addition, you will prepare a presentation that, along with the strategic business proposal, appropriately covers the relevant Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours. On successful completion of this module, you will receive notification of the outcome from the End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO), which confirms that you have completed all elements of the apprenticeship. This will be graded but is separate from the University award which is not graded. You will also receive your apprenticeship certificate directly from your EPAO.

Entry requirements

  • Learners must hold English and Mathematics at level 2 or equivalent or learners must agree to complete their English and Mathematics at level 2 during their on-programme learning – international equivalency will be confirmed through the UK ENIC system.
  • The employer must confirm that the learner is in an appropriate role, and working at a sufficient level, to enable them to develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours specified within the standard.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Important information

Apprenticeship Disclaimer

When you enrol as an apprentice learner of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and our disciplinary procedure. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as an apprentice. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons:

Changes to a course you have applied for but not yet started If we propose to make a major change to an apprenticeship course that you have applied for, then we will tell you and your employer as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. Although we always try and run all the courses we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or delay your course start date if we consider this reasonably necessary, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you and your employer as soon as reasonably possible. In such instances, we will work with you and your employer to agree a deferred start date, or cancel your application and, if appropriate, provide information regarding other local apprenticeship providers.

Changes to your course after you enrol as an apprentice We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that materially changes the services available to you, or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days, classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the requirements of an updated version of the apprenticeship standard relevant to your course; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment. In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you and your employer as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If a major change affects your course, we will notify you and your employer as soon as possible and will carry out suitable consultation with affected apprentices. If you and your employer reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment we will work with both of you to try to find an appropriate solution. Where one cannot be found we will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring your remaining apprenticeship learning to another training provider if you and your employer wish to do so.

Termination of employment As your employer is funding your apprenticeship course, you must remain in relevant employment for the duration of the course until you have completed your end point assessment. Under the apprenticeship rules, if you are made redundant and you have completed 75% of the practical period or have less than 6 months left, then you may complete the course. Otherwise, unless you find alternative relevant employment within 12 weeks of the date you are made redundant, then you will be withdrawn from the course.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University. The ESFA is the principal regulator for your apprenticeship course.

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