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University Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Reflexive Practice Research

This short course is for social care practitioners and organisations. It helps you reflect on your work and develop your skills. It also encourages the use of research in the workplace.

Three social work students sitting on the sofas in the communication skills room

Key course information

LevelShort courses and CPD
Duration9 months
Start dates1 February 2027
Fee£1,500
Course codeCID1536

Course summary

Are you a social care practitioner or part of a social care organisation? This course helps you develop reflexive practice and use research in your workplace. We run the course with up to 10 social care practitioners.

Reflection is often seen as thinking back on an event during or after it's happened. Reflexivity is different. It's an ongoing process where you continuously think about your practice and how it shapes your work.

We know that practitioners can sometimes face barriers around what practice research is and how it works. This course helps to address those barriers. It shows that you already have many of the skills needed to do research, based on your experience in practice.

You’ll use reflexivity to build on these skills and make links between your practice and research. You’ll also explore your own values, beliefs, and experiences to better understand yourself and others.

You’ll take part in a collaborative group practice research project. This involves the whole group, including practitioners and teaching staff. It's based on Emancipatory Practice Development, which takes a bottom-up approach to improving services.

The topic for the project will emerge during the course. It'll be based on an area of practice research that's relevant to the group.

You'll gain 30 credits at the end of the course.

Why Sunderland for Short courses and CPD

What you'll study

Dr Lesley Deacon has developed Facilitated Practice-Based Research (©University of Sunderland). This approach helps social care practitioners improve their practice and services. It does this by framing research within existing knowledge, experience, and skills.

Alongside individual accreditation, organisations also benefit. They receive the shared practice report, created by the cohort.

How you'll learn

The course runs over 10 sessions. These include:

  • Seven two-hour interactive workshops
  • Three two-hour supervision workshops.

You'll also complete tasks linked to the group research project. Assessment is through a negotiated reflexive examination.

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

Employers usually meets course costs. We advise that you speak to your workforce development lead before applying.

We also accept self-funded applicants. If you'd like to explore your options, contact us at cpd@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Apply now

Contact our team for further information about applying for this course. Call 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email cpd@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).