BA (Hons) Leadership and Professional Development
Enhance your career prospects with this life-changing 12-month reflective leadership and professional development course. Focus on evolving your leadership, emotional intelligence and personal development.
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Typical offer:
Entry requirements -
Fees: £770 per 15 credits (UK)
Full details -
Course length: Part time: one year
Find out more -
Location:
- University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
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Institute code: H36
To ensure this course continues to be cutting-edge and enables you to be ready for the modern workplace, it is due to be reviewed by December 2024.
Our website will typically be updated within a month of the review confirming any enhancements, including:
- module titles (and whether they are core or optional)
- expected contact hours
- assessment methods
- staff teaching on the course
Study alongside your work
Get your honours degree in a year (subject to prerequisites)
A reflective, transformative course that includes a personal coaching session
Course overview
BA Hons Leadership and Professional Development has been described as life-changing by many graduates, the context-driven course will help you transform your personal and professional skillset with a series of illuminating sessions. Designed for mature students, with several years of work experience who are looking to enhance their leadership skills and personal development.
You do need to have substantial work experience which will equate to the first two years of your leadership and professional development degree (see Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning pre-requisite information).
On the leadership and professional development course, there is a strong focus on self–reflection which is a key skill for leaders, and this takes you on a personal journey as you become more aware of your own potential, strengths and challenges. Reflection can help you with relationship management, conflict handling, building resilience, increasing engagement, and team building.
Explore some of the key skills required to build this into your leadership and professional development. Embrace self-development materials, as you undertake self-analysis and reflection. You can also get the benefits of a coaching session, which is so valuable for personal growth and new perspectives.
Research and analyse work-related issues and build your problem-solving skills. Develop solutions, anticipate challenges, and evaluate the outcomes. Develop greater insight into how you can effectively connect with others to inspire, overcome barriers and drive positive change.
Delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of a wide range of developmental topics and what they mean to you. The course is very personal, and assessments are focused on your personal situation to ensure your learnings are in context and remain relevant to you.
Why choose this course?
Enhance your personal and professional development: The combination of teaching, reflection and coaching provided in the leadership and professional development programme is designed to enhance your career and has been described as life-changing by previous attendees.
Maximise your potential: Understanding emotional intelligence, human behaviour and yourself to a deeper level gives you a solid foundation to improve as a leader. Develop a higher level of self-awareness, empathy and social skills to help you connect with others. This enhanced understanding of yourself is transformational as you look to lead others.
Real-life case studies: Engage with real-life case studies as you develop practical skills and techniques you can employ immediately to manage a team, increase resilience, and make better decisions.
Practical experience: Practice techniques such as active listening that can support you as a leader, as you look to motivate and communicate with your team and enhance your leadership and professional development.
Strong employment prospects: 93% of Herts graduates in work or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2021/22).
Your future career
Gain a deep understanding of how you can be an effective manager who continuously self-reflects to keep improving and sustain positive results. You will be better able to provide practical solutions, putting you in a better position to take your career to the next level.
The majority of leadership and professional development graduates have experienced a promotion or embarked on a career change as a result of completing this programme.
What you'll study
There are four modules, taken over three semesters. Teaching is a blend of classroom-based, online and work-related learning to ensure a rounded understanding of the key concepts.
Delivered over 18 Saturday workshops throughout the year, these combine a balance of lectures, group work on case studies, application to your own role and some experiential learning.
The focus is work-based learning. You will be encouraged to share and develop based on your own prior learning and experiences as well as the unique experiences from your peers. It is highly contextual and individual in nature.
Between each session, there is a series of activities and suggested readings that will help solidify your learnings as you progress through the course.
Expect to carry out approximately six hours per week of private study. Assessment is via coursework, which includes assignments, reports, presentations and two projects.
Our highly reflective leadership and professional development course will help you develop your emotional intelligence. It is widely acknowledged that emotional intelligence (EI) is significant in business, particularly in leadership. As a leader it will allow you to maximise the potential of your workforce, propelling projects and businesses to ever greater heights.
Research and analyse work-related issues to build your problem-solving skills. Explore different styles of leadership, examine and reflect upon your professional and personal development and work to identify future learning needs.
Gain a deeper understanding of how organisational culture influences productivity, delve into the intricacies of change management, and examine the vital role of leadership in both.
There are additional guest lectures from industry experts who will provide you with insight on particular topics.
What if I need support?
You'll benefit from dedicated support teams within the Business School, including Academic Support, Wellbeing, and a personal tutor who will assist you in adjusting to the demands of university learning and living.
In addition to attending workshops, you will have access to peer-to-peer learning, which is invaluable and very much a part of the teaching and learning process in this course.
Your programme leader is there to support you and there is a coaching element to the course which helps your own development process.
Where you'll study
You'll be taught on our modern de Havilland Campus, with our 24/7 Learning Resources Centre, offering open and private study spaces. You also get online self-study materials to further support you.
There are dining options, a bar, and a recreational space on campus where you can shoot some pool or play video games. It also houses Hertfordshire Sports Village, featuring a gym, swimming pool, coffee shop and climbing wall.
Discover the Enterprise Hub, a vibrant destination where local firms and students work and learn in comfort.
The Student Union bar and additional facilities are only a 20 minute walk (or short bus ride) away at our second campus, on College Lane. Student housing is available at both campuses.
A train to central London takes just over 20 minutes, and you are also conveniently located on the A1(M) with access to the road network, making travel quick and convenient.
Who you'll learn from
Your programme leader is a highly competent and experienced researcher recognised for her commitment to supporting and motivating students. She has designed and delivered high-quality programmes that equip students with industry-informed skills.
You have an expert teaching team with considerable commercial experience. Drivers of business improvement who employ creative approaches to problem-solving and decision-making.
Work with an experienced coach, supporting individuals and teams in change and performance management. Experienced professionals in facilitating improvement, focused on empowering you to grow and who have worked on personal development with directors, managers and members.
All staff have, or are currently, mature learners and appreciate the challenges that go alongside juggling work and study so are supportive in this area.
How we support our students
At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible.
We offer a range of support services, from childcare to counselling, ensuring that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying, having fun, and have the support you need.
Entry requirements
The University of Hertfordshire is committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. The entry requirements listed on the course pages provide a guide to the minimum level of qualifications needed to study each course. However, we have a flexible approach to admissions and each application will be considered on an individual basis.
Students must have completed our short APEL 4 workshop course which contributes 240 credits (equivalent to the first 2 years of the degree).
Ready to apply?
UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK
| Start date | Study type | Apply |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | Part time | Apply with Herts |
Apply through Clearing
Fees and funding
At Herts, we’re dedicated to providing world-class teaching supported by industry-level facilities and incredible social spaces. We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to higher education, and we strive to keep both our standard and additional costs as low as possible.
More about the course
| Course fact sheets | |
|---|---|
| BA (Hons) Leadership and Professional Development | Download PDF |
| Programme specifications | |
|---|---|
| BA (Hons) Leadership and Professional Development | Download PDF |
| Additional information | |
|---|---|
|
Applications open to international and EU students |
No |
Course length |
Part Time, 1 Years |
