DEVELOPING YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY & PERSONALLY - 2025/6

Module Overview

The focus of this module is unusually on you as an individual.  We examine where you currently feel you are in the context of your professional, personal, and academic journey.   As professionals working within health and social care environments, much of our daily focus is on others, this module provides students with an opportunity to pause, to reflect, assess and evaluate what you need to develop within your career.

This is a great first module for students returning to study, or for anyone wanting to refocus, as the journey of discovery leads to deep learning and enhanced confidence in your professional, personal and academic needs, so provides a direction for future development.

Module provider

School of Health Sciences

Module Leader

WARD Hayley (Health Sci.)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Exploring professional and personal development within the context of oneself, this will include:

• Best practice in reflection and how reflection can be used to develop skills in self-evaluation.


• Tools that support self-evaluation.


• Causes of comfort and fear.


• Theories and philosophies that support personal growth, and how this deeper understanding can support life-long development.


• Theories explored will be individual but include direction towards.
  
  
  
  • Intelligence and knowledge, confidence and vulnerability, motivation, self-affirmation, coaching.
  
  
  
  

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate: A reflective exploration and understanding of self, identification of previous blocks or challenges and through application of supporting theory, show a plan of ongoing professional and personal development.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• A 3000 word reflective exploration of self, critically analyse the experiences that have shaped your personal and professional self.   Supported through discussion of seminal and contemporary literature which examines personal and/or professional growth and development. (Addresses Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4)

Formative assessment

• Formative presentation on final taught day, each student will be provided with peer and teacher led feedback.

Feedback

The learning and teaching strategy within this module is designed for continuous feedback and support examining the individual and their journey throughout. In addition, all students are provided with the opportunity to submit a sample of writing (approx. 10% of final word count) for feedback prior to summative assessment.

Module aims

• Create a culture of reflection and self-evaluation, with a freedom that encourages each student to review their journey of development and future goals, even when this is challenging.
• Critically explore individual personal and professional areas of comfort and fear.
• Identify individual goals and examine the challenges that support or prevent growth and development.
• Critically explore and systematically apply the theories that support professional and personal growth, with the aim of creating a plan for future action.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to; enable students to have an inquiring attitude and empower them with an ongoing curiosity regarding the importance of their own self-development and growth.  The methods used will challenge values, beliefs, and assumptions, and through interprofessional learning within a non-threatening environment, the strategy aims use experiential learning to support the development of individual professional and personal self. 

The learning and teaching methods include: 

• Lectures 


• Online – learning materials/ discussion board 


• Classroom discussions 


• Student-led seminars


• Self-directed focused exercises

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: HCRM036

Other information

The School of Health Sciences is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

Digital capabilities: The module nurtures digital literacy through online learning and encouraging students to consider how digital technology may play a role within their personal development journey, as for some this can be a challenge. Engagement with online learning, digital literature, web-based resources is actively encouraged, especially for more mature students returning to study after some time away.  

Employment: Enriching employability is at the heart of this module.  The sole focus is on enhance oneself, growing and developing.  Through the examination of self, the student can identify areas for personal and professional expansion so they can flourish in their personal life and professional career.  We would aim for all students to complete the module with a clear plan for their future careers.

Global & Cultural Capabilities: The depth of global and cultural capability development will vary across students, but the breath of cultural and professional backgrounds amongst students studying the module enhances this area.  This module is commonly studied by overseas registrants now working in the UK, the experiential learning style and sharing of stories provides a breath of insight for the whole group.   

Resourcefulness & Resilience: Rather like employability, core to the module ethos is the development of resourcefulness and resilience.   By exploring the challenges previously hindering personal growth and development, and understanding how these can be overcome, the student will be empowered to ensure future progression.

Sustainability: The wellbeing and sustainability of the health and social care workforce is currently a national challenge.  Allowing students to focus on themselves rather than others for this module, will support enhanced wellbeing, and enable students to value themselves and their professional roles.  Valuing education within the professional health and social care workforce is key to a sustainable national health and social care service.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.