Chinese Medicine (Professional Studies)

The College of Integrated Chinese Medicine has created an MSc in Chinese Medicine (Professional Studies) in collaboration with Kingston University.

This unique and innovative new programme puts you in charge of your own learning. It offers a totally flexible approach to postgraduate study, allowing you to choose what you want to learn, in your own time and in your own way. This ensures you stay motivated, stimulated and interested in your studies whilst at the same time following a step-by-step process.

There will be four points of entry in each academic year: February, May, August and November.

How do I set about studying in this new way?

At the centre of this new study programme is a learning agreement that you design and negotiate with someone who acts as your facilitator. The first step towards making the learning agreement is undertaking a professional development audit.

What if I’ve already achieved proficiency at masters level in some subjects?

During the professional development audit you evaluate what you already know and have studied and assess the depth of your knowledge. If there are areas of study where you have evidence of learning at masters level (for example, unpublished projects or papers, non-accredited courses and other completed taught modules) then these can be included in your course. In this way your prior learning is acknowledged.

Can I be credited for courses that have not been taught at masters-level standard?

If you have studied courses that are not taught at masters standard, but they are of sufficient depth to contribute towards your learning agreement, they can still contribute towards your degree. You can raise their level by carrying out masters-level assignments. So, at the end of the professional development process you may discover that you already have a large number of potential credits towards your new MSc.

How many credits do I need for a masters degree?

You will need 180 credits. Core steps 1 and 6 are mandatory, and will give you 75 credits (see table overleaf). Thereafter you will be looking to accrue 105 credits from a potential mix of recognition of prior learning and new studies, projects or training as outlined in your learning agreement.

Making your plan

From this process you create a cohesive plan of study. Once you know how many credits you are seeking you can choose either to attend postgraduate Chinese medicine continuing professional development (CPD) courses and write specified follow-up assignments, or attend stand-alone masters modules, or carry out work-based learning. Additionally all students fulfil the extended research project (core step 6 on the table overleaf) worth 60 credits, whatever their base level. We will ensure you have training in research methodology and planning so that you are absolutely clear about how to embark on this. Your extended research project can either be a 60-credit dissertation from a research topic of your choice, or it can be an academic paper of your choice (20 credits), together with a reflective summary and presentation (40 credits).

What is work-based learning?

Work-based learning will be described to you in depth at the introductory session where you will also plan your professional development audit. In a nutshell, work-based learning entails creating your own projects based on areas of your practice that currently interest you, or ones you wish to develop in your work as a practitioner. For example, you may use some critical incidents with patients, or look at areas of your practical work such as pulse taking, needling or tongue diagnosis. Or you might choose to develop areas of your diagnosis, or perhaps focus on some theory of practice in Chinese medicine – all in greater depth.

How can attending postgraduate courses contribute towards my degree?
You may decide to gain some of your 105 credits from other courses of study. Any course can be included as long as you can show in your assignment how it has contributed towards your development as a Chinese medicine practitioner. Courses may include postgraduate continuing professional development (CPD) courses attended at this College, or any other higher education teaching institution recognised by the BAcC/BAAB/RCHM/ EHTPA or equivalent organisation.

If you opt to gain credits from these short courses it will be the quality of the assignments that result from your study which matters.

Your learning agreement
The final plan you make is called your learning agreement. The learning agreement is then approved by
Kingston University. It is the contract between you and Kingston University.

What happens once a learning agreement is settled on?
During the following one to two years you will work along the lines agreed, with ongoing support from your academic supervisor.

The three stages of the study programme
The MSc study programme is subdivided into three stages to recognise your achievement as you progress:
• Postgraduate Certificate in Chinese Medicine PgCert CM
• Postgraduate Diploma in Chinese Medicine PgDip CM
• MSc Chinese Medicine (Professional Studies) MSc CM(PS)

The programme is very flexible. It may be renegotiated or paused along the way with the agreement of the College and Kingston University, without any loss of progress – as long as you resume within an agreed time.

How many classes will I need to attend?
Two days in all: a one-day introductory session during which you’ll create your learning agreement, and an additional one-day workshop where you’ll learn about research methodology.

After this you do not have to attend any further study days unless you so wish. You will also have the support of your own individual academic supervisor. They will help you develop a clear stepby- step process and support you as you put your plans into action. Further study days are provided for those who wish to meet with their MSc colleagues.

How to apply
There are various entry points during the year, and the first group will start on 27/28 November 2008.

In the professional development audit session at the start of the programme you will be encouraged to formulate your own learning aims and intentions by assembling your CV/portfolio of prior qualifications and achievement (APL/APEL) and deciding on your areas of interest for further study.

You will then be helped to create your learning agreement which will need to be approved by Kingston University. This agreement maps your route to completion and graduation.