MARE530 Leadership in Rehabilitation

Contents and structure

This course reviews theories of leadership and their application in the context of rehabilitation for ageing populations globally. The course deepens students' understanding of leadership theories, approaches, styles, and ethics in relation to policies, delivery models and stakeholders' roles within different contexts. It builds students' skills to be critical and reflective practitioners capable of leading the development and change at the individual, team, organisational, policy and system levels. Students use a critical lens to analyse leadership theory, approaches, and styles and what they mean in different contexts and with different stakeholders. Students examine roles of leaders and followers, power relationships, shared decision making, participation and empowerment. They are introduced to the tools and frameworks, as well as strategies to critically analyse systems at different levels, collaborate in cross-cultural and interprofessional teams, and propose, plan, communicate and negotiate advanced strategic solutions. Through teamwork, individual and team assignments, students have an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems facing leaders in rehabilitation.

Learning Outcome

A student who has completed the course should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence: 

Knowledge: 

The student ... 

• has advanced knowledge of leadership theories and their application in different contexts
• has advanced knowledge of team leadership that they can apply in different rehabilitation contexts
• has thorough knowledge of leadership and its relationship to management  
• has thorough knowledge of how various economic, political, social, cultural, and policy factors that shape leadership theory and practice within a specific country and globally

Skills:

The student...  

• can work in teams, identify and solve problems, resolve conflicts, make decisions, plan, and negotiate strategic solutions
• can motivate and engage users and professionals to participate in decision making process, collaboration, and teamwork 
• can use various theoretical approaches, analytical tools, and frameworks independently and in teams within different rehabilitation contexts

General competence: 

The student  

• can competently facilitate cross-cultural and interprofessional virtual teams 
• can effectively communicate independent and teamwork related to leadership within of rehabilitation contexts both to specialists and general public, across professions and cultures, locally and globally  
• can identify and analyse leadership issues relevant to rehabilitation from different perspectives and within country specific and international contexts
• can apply leadership knowledge to new environments (e.g. teams, or services) in new and innovative ways  

Entry requirements

Admitted as exchange student from a partner institution to an elective course, with same admission criteria as to Master in Healthy Ageing and Rehabilitation.

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

Online

• Synchronous sessions
• Asynchronous learning activities
• Individual and teamwork
• Supervision and feedback
• Assigned reading

Compulsory learning activities

The course requirements must be fulfilled in order to take the exam:

1. Pre-course reflection paper  (500 words +-10%)
2. Participation in 75% of asynchronous online discussions/activities 
3. Draft individual paper (500 words +/- 10%) 
4. Team presentation (e.g. power point, podcast, video, records, brochure)
5. Team reflection on team functioning and leadership (1000 words +/- 10%) 

Approved course requirements are valid for four subsequent semesters. 

Assessment

Individual portfolio (guided home assignment) consisting of: 

1. Individual written paper on a selected leadership topic (3000 words +/- 10%) 
2. Individual reflection paper (1000 words +/- 10%) 

Students must submit one pdf document that includes all parts of the portfolio before evaluation. There will be a holistic assessment of the whole portfolio and no individual weighting of its parts. However, all parts of the portfolio must be passed in order to get a passing grade.  

Grading scale:  The grading scale used is A to F. Grade A is the highest passing grade in the grading scale, grade F is a fail.

New exam:  When the grade F (not passed) is given, the student can improve their portfolio and hand in the whole portfolio for the new exam.

Examination support material

No limitations

More about examination support material