MSc Improvement Science at University of West London
If you have any questions about the course or the application form please contact the course leader Dr Rowan Myron.
Why is it Important?
The MSc Improvement Science provides a formal academic accreditation for the QI curriculum developed at NIHR ARC NWL. The MSc provides career development opportunities for passionate front-line health and care staff to increase their awareness of the evidence base, conduct frontline improvements and gain academic credit to enhance their CV.
Who will Benefit?
The entry criteria are wide, any person working within health or social care can undertake the MSc. In the past, there have been a range of clinical frontline staff, nurses, AHPs, a library science professional and a patient.
What's Involved?
The MSc consists of five core modules and allows students to take up to two optional modules tailored to their workplace context. The students undertake modules in: Leading and sustaining change; engaging patients and relationship management; evidence-based implementation and improvement (methodology); policy context of improvement and finally the students undertake a Masters dissertation project.
When does it happen?
Students can join with any academic module and ‘roll around’ to the pick-up each core module throughout the academic year. Most students complete the core modules in one academic year and take the next academic year to complete their options and dissertation.
More Information
Provided in partnership with the University of West London, the MSc Improvement Science builds upon the extensive experience of the NIHR ARC NWL in working with frontline and support staff across the northwest London health and social care sector.
The MSc is a work based learning programme, where students will work on an improvement project, in their workplace. Students will study improvement science methodology and theory, directly putting into practice what they learn in the change efforts they are making in their workplace.
Students on the MSc Improvement Science will focus on:
Understanding care from the perspective of patients and carers through engaging patients and members of the community with the design and development of care
Bringing research more rapidly into everyday practice, utilising rapid-cycle research, improvement methodologies and rigorous evaluation of clinical and cost effectiveness
Adopting an industrial standard of quality in the healthcare sector (NHS, social care, voluntary sector) through utilising information to drive evidence based implementation and support evidence based practice
Increasing individual’s capacity to implement change and improvements across professional and organisational boundaries.