Recognition of experience

Happy New Year! As the year starts many people pause to reflect on their achievements and plan their next steps. This month I thought it would be good to think about one of the ways that we help people who don't have a first degree engage in postgraduate learning.

I am always pleased to be able to let people know that we can accept them on to our postgraduate programmes owing to their relevant workplace experience, rather than a rigid requirement to have a first degree. It seems to me that it's only right that we can recognise the learning that comes in daily practice as being valid - and then seek to augment it by encouraging the development of critical thinking skills.

When people get in touch to ask about this approach they are often a little nervous about engaging with formal learning - especially since it's at the postgraduate rather than undergraduate level. And since our ethos here in Manchester is to help people succeed it is important that we take this approach in our recognition of experience student entry as well.

The first step for any student who enters through this route is to get to grips with the learning content. So we start students off as CPD entrants, supporting their growth and development and making sure that they are able, and confident, in their postgraduate learning, meeting submission deadlines and writing work of the appropriate quality. Once this has been demonstrated we transfer students to the formal programme and share their pleasure at demonstrating the value of all of their experience in their written work.

If you know someone who works in the pharmaceutical industry and who would like a chance to gain a postgraduate certificate, diploma or MSc in Industrial Pharmacy, Clinical Trials, Pharmaceutical Microbiology or Pharmaceutical Business Development and licensing, why not put them in touch with us?

I wish you all a successful year!