About This Course
This is a flexible part-time, level 7 postgraduate short course delivered online.
This module provides an introduction to assessment principles and methods used in medical and health professions' education to measure learners' performance. It is a distance learning module comprising interactive online workshops and peer and independent learning activities. Topics include assessment methods used to measure knowledge, practical skills and professional behaviours, and topical developments in assessment such as programmatic assessment.
Who is this Short Course suitable for?
Applicants will typically be qualified healthcare practitioners, academics, NHS education managers or professional service staff, with some experience of and access to supervising, teaching or supporting learners in their daily work.
Why study this course?
On successful completion of this short course, the learner will be able to:
- Critically appraise the principles underpinning effective assessment using theory and evidence
- Evaluate critically different assessment approaches and methods (written, practical, lab based, workplace based), standard setting and application to practice
- Critically appraise approaches to assessing knowledge, skills/competences and professional behaviours in different contexts from selection to postgraduate assessments
- Synthesise and apply theory and evidence demonstrating self-direction and originality in application and adaptation of relevant assessment methods in their own context
How long does this course take to complete?
This short course starts at the end of January, and the teaching will be completed by May. Assignments will need to be submitted by the end of June ( details of dates TBC).
Assessments
Assessments on this short course will include:
- An academic essay (2000 words)
- A written narrative reflection (1500 words)
Tutor
Professor Catherine O’Keeffe
Catherine has held a number of senior roles in postgraduate medical and health professions education. Her work has included leading faculty development and professional support initiatives as well as research and teaching in higher education in this field. Catherine originally trained as a nurse and worked for many years internationally in health professions education before settling in the UK. Catherine’s teaching and research interests have focused on interprofessional education and professionalism. Recent awards include Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a UCL Faculty Education Award for Academic Support. Catherine is Professor of Medical Education, North Wales Medical School, ¿ì»îÓ°Ôº where she leads the MA in Medical & Health Professions Education and faculty development initiatives. Catherine is also a Emeritus Professor of Medical Education, UCL where she continues to supervise doctoral students.
Course Content
What will you study on this course?
The module aims to develop students' critical understanding of key concepts, theory, research and current best practice relating to the assessment of learner performance in the academic and clinical settings. The module also introduces students to approaches to studying at masters level in this discipline.
There are 10 units (one per week) that may cover the following topics:
- Principles of assessment (purpose, reliability, validity, feasibility, educational impact)
- Assessment methods: knowledge, skills, professionalism
- Choosing assessments (alignment, combining assessments, impact on student learning)
- Designing assessments: standard setting, blueprinting, setting criteria, programmatic assessment)
- The role of feedback in learning
- Evaluating assessment impact
- Introduction to Leadership in assessment & MHPE
- Introduction to AI in assessment & MHPE
- Introduction to interprofessional education in assessment & MHPE
- Writing reflective commentaries and mapping to AdvanceHE criteria
- Introduction to studying and writing at 'M' level
On successful completion of this short course, the learner will be able to:
- Critically appraise the principles underpinning effective assessment using theory and evidence
- Evaluate critically different assessment approaches and methods (written, practical, lab based, workplace based), standard setting and application to practice
- Critically appraise approaches to assessing knowledge, skills/competences and professional behaviours in different contexts from selection to postgraduate assessments
- Synthesise and apply theory and evidence demonstrating self-direction and originality in application and adaptation of relevant assessment methods in their own context
Course Cost
The cost for the 2024/25 academic year will be £1,112
Please see our Postgraduate Fees and Finance page for further information.
Entry Requirements
Applicants will typically be qualified healthcare practitioners, academics, NHS education managers or professional service staff, with some experience of and access to supervising, teaching or supporting learners in their daily work.
A degree, degree level qualification, or professional qualification supplemented by relevant experience will normally form part of the applicant's profile. Minimum of 2.2 accepted
Applicants may be requested for an online interview with programme staff.
For UK applicants their degree/ degree level qualifications will be assessed using the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and ¿ì»îÓ°Ôº requirements. Professional qualifications will need to be recognised by the appropriate professional regulatory body e.g. GMC; UKCC; HCPC; HCPC; Institute of Administrative Management (IAM). Teaching experience will be assessed based on the supporting statement submitted and, if needed, an online interview.
Application
How to Apply
Please make sure you read and follow the step-by-step application guide as this will specify which sections of the application form are compulsory for the type of course you want to apply for and save you time.
Please prepare the following information (in a Word document):
- Current employment details;
- Years of experience, and employment history (where relevant)
- Name of staff member and organisation that have approved your funding for this module.
This will speed up the process of completing the application form
To apply for this course, you need to create an account in our
You will need access to the email address you specify while creating your account to confirm it.
After creating an account, you will see a homepage with several tabs:
- Personal
- Programme
- Info
- Contact
- Education
- Employment
- Language
- Finance
You need to complete all sections before submitting your application.
When a section is complete, a ‘tick’ symbol will appear below it.
- Click on ‘Non-graduating applications / Stand alone Modules’, then select ‘Non-graduating postgraduate’.
- In the next section, select Non-Graduating Taught Modules in Medical Sciences (NGGT/MS) Click Save and Continue.
- On the next page, the default for the first question is Full Time. You need to change this to ‘Part time’:
- You now need to input the module code. Assessment in Medical and Health Professions Education: the code is (MSE-4030). This section must be completed for your application to be processed.
- You also need to state the start date. Please make your selection, then click ‘Save and Continue’.
- IMPORTANT: You do not need to write a personal statement to apply for this course. Instead, please upload the document including employment, experience and education information that you have created prior to starting the application that contains the name of your current employer, the number of years of experience you have, and your highest qualification to date. Click Save and continue.
You only need to enter the details of your highest qualification to date, e.g. if you have a postgraduate qualification, please only only include this.
You will be asked for evidence of the qualification. Please either upload a copy of your qualification if it's easily accessible, or upload the Word document again (that you prepared earlier)
details not required as you've already prepared this
Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click on ‘I have no employment history’ (as you have already provided this in your Word document).
If you are HEIW / Health Board funded, please answer the questions as follows:
- How will you finance your studies? Sponsored
- Exact name of funding authority: Health Board
- Country: United Kingdom
- Give details of the amount of the award? Fully funded.
- Sponsorship will cover: Tuition Fees
- Have you been awarded this funding? Please select ‘yes’ * Note that you will be required to upload evidence of the funding. If you wish to confirm ‘yes’ to this question, but do not have any written confirmation to upload, you can upload your Word document here again.
If you are self-funding, please provide all details as appropriate.