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Overview
Senior leaders represent their organisations at the highest level, navigating relationships with clients, supply chains, and regulatory bodies. To be effective, they need the skills to influence, adapt, and drive meaningful change.
Our PgDip Senior Leadership apprenticeship builds on your existing experience and knowledge, sharpening your leadership approach and expanding your strategic insight. Designed for mid to senior-level managers, it equips you to apply your insight in real-world business environments, strengthening your impact across your organisation and industry networks.
Many of our graduates have progressed to roles as chief executives, global directors, and successful entrepreneurs. Others have chosen to build on their expertise by continuing their studies with our MBA Senior Leadership (Top-Up).
Eligibility
This course accepts only UK students.
Course highlights
- Take part in practical, outcomes-based learning which will develop practical skills that translate directly into your leadership approach, turning knowledge into action
- Balance study with your career on this part-time, two-year programme
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Navigate the strategic and ethical challenges of modern leadership, understanding the real impact of your decisions
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Learn from lecturers with wide ranging experience who are currently active in education research
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Access our Library resources, including electronic resources which you can access from anywhere with a web connection
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Receive and discuss feedback with lecturers and other students
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Network with other students on the course to share ideas, knowledge, experience and contacts across a diverse range of different industries
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Contact information
Contact Degree ApprenticeshipsEntry requirements
May 2025 start
- A second-class honours degree or equivalent, including professional qualifications, not necessarily in a business related subject, plus at least 3 years of work experience at a professional or managerial level. Alternatively, applicants without formal qualifications, but with a minimum of 5 years of management experience, are welcome to apply.
- Applicants aged 16-18 must have acceptable Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths, such as GCSE with grade C/4 or above or Functional Skills. If you do not have acceptable qualifications, you will be required to obtain this. Those aged 19 and over are only subject to these requirements if you or your employer choose for you to study towards English and Maths qualifications, which will be funded. Please note that you may still be required to evidence accepted Level 2 qualifications for the course, as part of academic assessment.
Please get in touch if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree.
Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered, such as previous study, employment, voluntary work and training courses, including courses and qualifications you didn't complete. Learn more about our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
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All applicants will be required to complete a Skills Gap Analysis before completing an application form.
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All applicants will be invited to attend an academic interview and may be asked to submit a portfolio of work or undertake additional assessment.
September 2025 / January 2026 / May 2026 start
- A second-class honours degree or equivalent, including professional qualifications, not necessarily in a business related subject, plus at least 3 years of work experience at a professional or managerial level. Alternatively, applicants without formal qualifications, but with a minimum of 5 years of management experience, are welcome to apply.
- Applicants aged 16-18 must have acceptable Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths, such as GCSE with grade C/4 or above or Functional Skills. If you do not have acceptable qualifications, you will be required to obtain this. Those aged 19 and over are only subject to these requirements if you or your employer choose for you to study towards English and Maths qualifications, which will be funded. Please note that you may still be required to evidence accepted Level 2 qualifications for the course, as part of academic assessment.
Please get in touch if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree.
Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered, such as previous study, employment, voluntary work and training courses, including courses and qualifications you didn't complete. Learn more about our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
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All applicants will be required to complete a Skills Gap Analysis before completing an application form.
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All applicants will be invited to attend an academic interview and may be asked to submit a portfolio of work or undertake additional assessment.
I'm an employer interested in this degree apprenticeship for my staff
There's more information for you about degree apprenticeships in general on our information for employers page, or you can contact us directly.
If you have an employee, or employees, in mind, that's great; if you are creating a new opening, we can help you shape and promote the role.
You and your employer
When you begin studying for your degree apprenticeship:
- You need to be 18 or over
- You should be able to satisfy government requirements on residency:
- you must be a citizen or have the right to live in the UK/EEA
- you must have been a resident in the UK/EEA (not the Channel Islands or Isle of Man) for a minimum of 3 years
- you must not need a Student Route visa, and must not have been on a Student Route visa within the past 3 years
- You need to have the right to work in the UK, and to spend at least 50% of your working hours in England
- Your job should meet the requirements of the apprenticeship standard relevant to this degree – we can advise you and your employer on this
- Your employer needs to have registered an apprentice service account – we can help your employer with this if needed
If you aren't currently working in a relevant field, you can apply for a job and degree apprenticeship simultaneously. Read more about applying for this degree apprenticeship.
Course costs and funding
Tuition fees
The course fee is shared between the Government and some employers, meaning no cost to you as the degree apprentice. Total tuition fees are £14,000 paid over 2 years.
Please see our Degree Apprenticeships page or contact us for further information.
Additional course costs
These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.
The course fee is shared between the Government and some employers, meaning no cost to you as the degree apprentice. Total tuition fees are £14,000.
Please see our Degree Apprenticeships page or contact us for further information.
Additional course costs
These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.
Additional costs
Our accommodation section show your accommodation options and highlight how much it costs to live in Portsmouth.
We recommend that you budget £75 a year for photocopying, memory sticks, DVDs and CDs, printing charges, binding and specialist printing.
If your final year includes a major project, there could be cost for transport or accommodation related to your research activities. The amount will depend on the project you choose.
ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï graduates may receive a 20% alumni tuition fee discount.
Fees are subject to annual increase. Read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You'll be able to pay your fees in instalments. Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Modules
Each module on this course is worth a certain number of credits. You'll study modules worth the total number of credits needed for this course.
What you'll study
Core Modules
You'll gain an understanding of innovation and the impact of disruptive technologies, how innovation and entrepreneurialism drive change, and impact upon risk.
You'll also explore the environment necessary for innovation and creativity, resilience and new enterprise opportunity.
You'll develop knowledge, skills and critical thinking in the key areas of strategic leadership, organisational theory, change management, culture, and managing people.
In particular, by adopting a critical management perspective, we'll explore how leaders and the led make sense of their present and future.
You’ll take a holistic approach — scanning shifting external dynamics along with internal culture and resources — to devise strategies that align short-term execution with long-term vision.
Evaluating risks and upsides through diverse stakeholder lenses, you’ll make sound recommendations demonstrating strategic acuity, critical awareness and ethical responsibility.
This module builds strategic awareness and judgment under uncertainty, helping you develop vital skills for purpose-driven leadership.
Core modules
You'll analyse and critically interpret financial information, thinking about the limitations of such information, and evaluate sources and management of finance.
You'll use management accounting tools and techniques to solve problems of a management control/performance measurement nature within an organisational context.
In particular, students will be encouraged to examine the effectiveness of their organisation¿s current risk and resilience strategies in responding to and leading in a crisis. Based upon that evaluation, students will be expected to make recommendations to improve these strategies in a way that develops a culture of resilience. Consequently, they will develop the ability to describe crisis situations in uncertainty terms drawing upon systems and process thinking. In addition, students will be able to understand the processes and work involved in their organisation¿s risk and resilience strategies and be able to critically evaluate their effectiveness in responding to and leading in crisis situations. Finally, students will develop the ability to make recommendations for improving those strategies in a way that drives a culture of resilience.
The module will also provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they meet various requirements of the Senior Leaders Master's Degree Standard. In particular it will provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate their ability to lead and respond to crisis management, assessing the risks and opportunities which could affect business/department performance, and finding solutions that meet the needs of both the organisation and its customers/stakeholders in a responsible and ethical way (Duty 5). The module also affords the opportunity for students to develop their knowledge in the following areas - systems thinking (K5); and crisis and risk management strategies (K17). Complementing this, students can develop their skills in leading change and responding in a crisis situation using risk management techniques (S5), challenging strategies in terms of ethics and risk management (S7), and driving a culture of resilience (S9). Finally, students will be able to demonstrate their curiosity and innovation by exploring areas of ambiguity and complexity (B3).
You'll look at some of the key theoretical models underpinning the strategic management of people, both internal and external, including concepts and policies in strategic human resource management (SHRM), the resource-based view (RBV), managing performance and high performance organisational culture, learning organisation and the role of organisational development (OD) stakeholder analysis and management, including power, politics, conflict and collaboration.
Through discussion and written assignments, you'll explore the strategic management of people in different and changing organisational contexts.
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
How you'll spend your time
We recognise that you'll probably be juggling more demands when you do your postgraduate course, as you may be working or you may have family responsibilities.
We'll give you as much indication here as we can of how much time you'll need to spend in on-campus or in online lectures and seminars and how many hours you can expect to spend in self-directed study, but please note that these indications are always subject to change.
Teaching
Postgraduate study is deeper and more specialised than an undergraduate degree. This means you'll focus on something that really matters to you and your career as you work closely with academics committed to the subject.
You'll spend more time in independent study and research than you did for your undergraduate degree. If you choose campus based study, the majority of your teaching time will be in-person and face-to-face.
Course structure
This PgDip will take:
- 2 years (part-time study)
On this apprenticeship, you'll work four days and study one day during your working week. You'll also be expected to study out of work time.
Assessment
You'll be assessed through:
- essays
- presentations (live or recorded)
- reports
- research proposal
You'll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
Career development
You can put the skills you’ll learn on this course to use wherever your senior leadership career takes you.
This course will provide you with the necessary abilities to succeed as a future leader in your organisation.
You'll engage in productive discussions with peers which will broaden your knowledge and experience base, and help in transferring knowledge among apprentices from different industries.
Our apprentices are already working in a wide range of organisations, in both the public and private sectors, and our graduates have gone on to successful careers in roles such as chief executive, global director or starting up their own businesses.
On successful graduation from this course, you'll also be eligible to continue on to our MBA Senior Leadership (Top-Up) programme.
Career planning
During your course you'll have expert career support from our Careers and Employability Centre, your tutors and our Business and Law Career-Ready Programme. This support will continue for 5 years after you graduate.
Career support
You'll benefit from:
- Networking events
- Regular emails from the Career Ready Programme sharing job opportunities, application tips and events
- Applied projects with companies such as IBM, Boeing and Hampshire County Council
- Workshops to enhance your employability skills
- Recruitment events including the Student and Graduate Opportunities Fair
- 1-to-1 appointments
- CV and cover letter advice
- Interview preparation and practice
- Support starting your own business
Supporting you
Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video and phone from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. If you choose to study on-campus, you'll also get face-to-face support. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:
Types of support
Your personal tutor helps you make the transition to postgraduate study and gives you academic and personal support throughout your course.
As well as regular scheduled meetings with your personal tutor, they're also available at set times during the week if you want to chat with them about anything that can't wait until your next meeting.
You'll get a workplace mentor who's there to support you during your apprenticeship. They'll understand your workplace responsibilities and help you to balance your workload in your workplace and in your studies
You'll have help from a team of faculty learning support tutors. They can help you improve and develop your academic skills and support you in any area of your study in one-on-one and group sessions.
They can help you:
- master the mathematics skills you need to excel on your course
- understand engineering principles and how to apply them in any engineering discipline
- solve computing problems relevant to your course
- develop your knowledge of computer programming concepts and methods relevant to your course
- understand and use assignment feedback
During term time, Faculty Academic Skills Tutors (AST) are available for bookable 1-to-1 sessions, small group sessions and online sessions. These sessions are tailored to your needs.
Support is available for skills including:
- University study
- Getting into the right study mindset
- Note-taking and note-making skills
- Referencing
- Presentation skills
- Time management, planning, and goal setting
- Critical thinking
- Avoiding plagiarism
If you have a disability or need extra support, the Additional Support and Disability Centre (ASDAC) will give you help, support and advice.
Our online will help you plan for managing the challenges of learning and student life, so you can fulfil your potential and have a great student experience.
You can get personal, emotional and mental health support from our Student Wellbeing Service, in person and online. This includes 1–2–1 support as well as courses and workshops that help you better manage stress, anxiety or depression.
If you require extra support because of a disability or additional learning need our specialist team can help you.
They'll help you to
- discuss and agree on reasonable adjustments
- liaise with other University services and facilities, such as the library
- access specialist study skills and strategies tutors, and assistive technology tutors, on a 1-to-1 basis or in groups
- liaise with external services
Library staff are available in person or by email, phone, or online chat to help you make the most of the University’s library resources. You can also request one-to-one appointments and get support from a librarian who specialises in your subject area.
The library is open 24 hours a day, every day, in term time.
If English isn't your first language, you can do one of our English language courses to improve your written and spoken English language skills before starting your degree. Once you're here, you can take part in our free In-Sessional English (ISE) programme to improve your English further.
How to apply
How you apply for a degree apprenticeship depends on whether you’re currently employed or not.
How to apply with your current employer
If you’re in full-time employment and would like to do a degree apprenticeship with your current employer, ask them to contact us so we can discuss with them how we can work together.
You might find it useful to share our information for employers page with them.
How to apply with a new employer
If you’re not employed full-time or not working for a company that can fund and support your degree apprenticeship, you'll need to apply for a degree apprenticeship with a company that offers them.
You'll follow their standard recruitment process and we'll assess your academic suitability for the course once you've applied.
We can let you know when there are degree apprenticeship vacancies available with companies we work with – contact us to give us your details.
If you have questions about degree apprenticeships, please get in touch with us.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the ºÚÁϳԹÏ, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.
I'm applying with my current employer
If you're already in full-time work, and your employer is interested in you studying this course, get them to contact us and we'll work out how to work together.
If your employer isn't interested yet, you might find it useful to share our information for employers page with them.
Employer contact form Information for employers
I'm looking for a job with a Degree Apprenticeship role
If you're not in full-time employment, or your current employer is not interested in degree apprenticeships, you'll need to find a role that does offer a degree apprenticeship. You can search the gov.uk list of , or contact us with your details and we'll let you know when degree apprenticeship vacancies come up.
When you apply for a role that includes one of our degree apprenticeships, you'll follow the company's standard recruitment process for the job, while we assess your academic suitability for the course.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the ºÚÁϳԹÏ, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.