Delivery format
Online and in person
The Anderson Senior Leader Level 7 ApprenticeshipPGDip
- Start dateApril, October 2025Duration2.5 years
- AwardPostgraduate Diploma
- Entry requirementsA 2:2 or above degree and 3 years relevant managerial experience or a lower degree/no degree with 5 years plus relevant managerial experience.
- FeesThis course is fully funded via the employer Apprenticeship Levy.
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Course overview
Ready to become a great leader? Want to challenge the status quo and make a difference to the people and services that you lead? The Elizabeth Garrett Anderson programme is for you. Join the Anderson Apprenticeship and make a real difference.
The Anderson Apprenticeship will equip you to lead for a brighter future. Enhance your career and the quality of service user care and experiences through a practical exploration of self, teams and organisations, using evidence based leadership interventions.
The Anderson Senior Leader Apprenticehip program is a two-and-a-half-year programme delivered through a combination of on-line learning and in-person workshops (13 days in total) and in-person small action learning sets (10 in total). All face-to-face delivery will be in a locally accessible venue with exact dates to be confirmed via a full calendar covering the entire programme.
Course highlights
The Anderson Programme has been developing leaders in the NHS for over a decade, and has a proven record of impact and success. It is now available as a Senior Leader Apprenticeship, opening up a new route for learners and employers. What makes Anderson different is that we balance an evidence-based curriculum with recognising that leadership is a practical, people-oriented activity, so from day one you will be challenged to keep both the people that you lead and service users at the forefront of your mind. With a strong focus on work based learning and application, we will provide you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours that all leaders, clinical and non-clinical, need to create a more capable and compassionate healthcare system.
- Work more strategically with greater collaboration across large and complex programmes, departments, services, and systems of care
- Through your leadership practice, enhance staff morale, improve patient experience, and lead change effectively.
- Improve personal impact to help drive progress in teams and inspire organisations to build a culture of inclusive, patient-centred care.
- Become a compassionate, resilient leader able to balance the needs of your team as well as quality of care.
- Flexible study options: Gain invaluable on-the-job training with our Anderson Senior Level 7 Apprenticeship, funded by your employer’s levy, with the opportunity to progress to a full MSc.
Leadership development that meets the needs of learners and employers, delivered by experts.
Course delivery
The Anderson Apprenticeship is delivered through a combination of online learning and in-person workshops and action learning sets.
- Virtual campus: an innovative virtual learning environment that contains a range of theoretical content, applied activities, and interactive activities.
- Workshops: multi-day events that contain a range of facilitated leadership development activities on a whole-cohort basis, facilitated by a trio of tutors. The Workshops are also where we will focus on the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours that underpin the senior leader apprenticeship element of the programme.
- Action learning sets: working in small groups of around eight learners, and facilitated by your tutor, the ALSs are an opportunity to develop your thinking and test out the application of your leadership in a safe, supportive and facilitated environment.
- The programme consists of 6 compulsory modules followed by the Apprenticeship End Point Assessment, successful completion of which will allow you to complete a 60-credit Healthcare Leadership Case Study (dissertation project) to achieve the full Master of Science qualification (top-up fee applies).
Module information
The programme consists of six taught modules followed by a supervised dissertation
Entry requirements
To gain a place at Birmingham you will need to meet our general entry requirements, as well as those specific to your course. Your application will be reviewed by the course’s Admissions Tutor, who will decide whether your application should receive an offer.
- A first degree at a 2:2 or above and 3 years relevant managerial experience or
- A first degree below a 2.2 or no degree and 5 years plus relevant managerial experience.
It is a further requirement of an Apprenticeship Programme that you have English and Maths qualifications at GCSE grade C or above, or equivalent qualifications. If you do not have GCSE grades but are prepared to study for and complete these whilst on the programme you can still apply.
Fees and scholarships
The Anderson Apprenticeship is supported by the NHS apprenticeship levy, and is therefore delivered at no cost to you for the apprenticeship element. You will however have to pay an additional fee to progress to the MSc in Healthcare Leadership modules – details of the fee are available on application.
This course is fully funded via the employer Apprenticeship Levy, there will be no costs incurred by you.
All employers who have a payroll over £3 million pay an Apprenticeship Levy. They can use this levy to fund your enrolment on the programme.
Application process
Interested applicants will need to apply for the apprenticeship through their employer, who will have their own selection criteria.
The University of Birmingham is a national provider, and we will deliver Anderson Senior Leader Apprenticeship cohorts wherever there is demand. We are currently recruiting for the following new cohorts:
- Starting date April 2025, Midlands (West and East).
- Starting date October 2025, location to be confirmed.
For all enquiries relating to this apprenticeship programme or further information please contact the Central Apprenticeships Team.
Career opportunities
Successful completion of the apprenticeship and MSc in Healthcare Leadership can really enhance your career. You will have proved that you are an effective, credible leader with excellent people and service improvement skills. Many Anderson alumni report a promotion or career advancement after participating in the Anderson Programme, and well over half of those ascribe that to having completed the programme.