Postgraduate Diploma in Somatic Therapy

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma in Somatic Therapy aims to

• Strengthen and deepen scientific knowledge in the field of health and wellness.
• Enhance the professional development and leadership skills necessary to be successful and to collaborate with other health care disciplines.
• Improve career progression and in pursuing personal interests in a topic in greater depth.
• Be familiar with historical development; fundamental issues and research methods in this field.
• Acquire sufficient understanding of general scientific theory and the disciplines related to the research field.
• Conduct and report research on a small scale study under supervision in order to prepare for sustained research in future qualifications.

Qualified learners will practice independently and function as managers in practice involving employees and colleagues and collaborate with health care professionals drawing systematically on the body of knowledge and methods appropriate to Somatic Therapy. Clinical training will take place in various clinical settings such as public and private hospitals, integrative practices, wellness centres, health care settings, medical spas, medical aesthetic clinics, community clinics and rehabilitation centres.

The learner therapist will deliver service under the supervision of qualified health care professionals and therapists. Such therapists perform non-therapeutic and therapeutic services for preventative, remedial and palliative care offered through the application of skilled manual and mind/body techniques and therapies integrated into Somatic Therapy. As health advocates, therapists will be responsible for using their expertise to advance the health and wellbeing of the community. The qualification allows promotion of lifelong learning and research culture and therapists will be driven to master their field of expertise, with full recognition of the need for continuous professional development.

Rationale

Somatic Therapy's role within the promotive, preventative and palliative fields of health service delivery is highlighted into strategies related to the promotion and development of the physical, economic and psychosocial environment to support health. The somatic therapist will provide comprehensive clinical management in preventative health, remedial health, health promotion, lifestyle management, chronic illness and life-threatening illness. Somatic therapist will drive inquiry and open to new paradigms to neither reject allopathic medicine nor accept complimentary practices without criticism. The somatic therapist must to promote health and wellness through highly-skilled complementary approaches that complement conventional medical care.

The qualification is a new qualification. During the curriculum development process of the Diploma and Advanced Diploma, name changes to the qualification transpired with the change of focus in the training qualifications. The reason for the change of focus came about as learners are currently being employed in medical and health centres performing more health and wellness treatments. Medical research related to somatic therapy has also increased identifying the use of somatic therapies as part of health and wellness. Industry engagement requires specialised treatments and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) has shown evolved employment opportunities for qualified learners.

The focus of the qualification evolved as educational goals progressed to include improving the quality of life of patients, their families and caregivers through the prevention and relief of suffering through physical and psychosocial care. This qualification is suitable for continuous professional development through encouraging learners to deal with, formulate and resolve more sophisticated theoretical and practice-related tasks through the selection and use of appropriate methods and techniques and transfer appropriate standard procedures of techniques to life-threatening illnesses, comorbid disorders and coexisting difficulties. This process is carried out in collaboration with health care professionals drawing systematically on the body of knowledge and methods appropriate to Somatic Therapy. Furthermore, this qualification will assist learners in identifying and addressing ethical issues based on critical reflection on the suitability of different treatments and therapies and in critically reviewing information gathering, synthesis of data, evaluation and management processes in Somatic Therapy in order to develop creative responses to problems and issues. This qualification aims to prepare learners for postgraduate study through deepening their knowledge and understanding of current thinking, practise, theory and methodology in somatic therapy.

This qualification fits with the general ethos of the institution in that it delivers a qualification that will enable somatic therapy diplomates to further their vocational/specialised qualification in somatic therapy. The qualification is in line with government policies to provide necessary professional career paths for learners to get access to higher education qualifications in health professions and related clinical sciences. The qualification will enable learners to find employment in any health care setting where integrative and complementary therapies are employed. This qualification articulates vertically to the Master of Health Sciences.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The learner may achieve this qualification is in part through the recognition of relevant prior learning and prior experience as a practitioner in the field of Somatic Therapy/Somatology. Providers must develop structured means for the assessment of individual learners against the exit level outcomes of the qualification on a case-by-case basis. Such procedures and the assessment of individual cases are subject to moderation by independent-assessors. The necessary evidence as required by the exit level outcomes, and presented by the learner, should meet the following principles: the currency of evidence, the sufficiency of the evidence, the validity of evidence and authenticity of the evidence.

Application process: the following steps are applicable in the application process.

• The applicant starts with an appointment at the RPL Office or be referred by the relevant Academic Department.
• Screening interview at the RPL office.
• Application and proof of payment received by the RPL office.
• Application sent to the relevant Academic Department.
• If successful, Academic Department makes recommendation to Faculty Board.
• Faculty Board makes recommendation to RESSS (a sub-committee of Senate that deals with RPL and related matters).
• RESSS recommend to Senate.
• Once Senate has decided, the.
• RPL office then communicates the outcome to the applicant.

Departmental committee meeting steps

• Evaluate all qualifications/documentations.
• Discuss the relevance.
• Consider prior knowledge base.
• Make recommendations - internal departmental exam (50% pass rate required); Additional subjects; Language problems.
• Complete documentation - sent through to faculty.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Advanced Diploma in Somatic Therapy, NQF Level 7.

OR

• Cognate Advanced Diploma, Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualification Framework Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits

• Research Methodology and Bio-Statistics I, 12 Credits.
• Health Care Administration and Management II, 24 Credits.
• Somatic Therapy, 24 Credits.
• Somatic Therapy in Practice, 36 Credits.
• Somatic Research Project, 24 Credits.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the theories, research methodologies, methods and techniques in Somatic therapy and have an understanding of how to apply such knowledge in the health and wellness environment. Interrogate multiple sources of knowledge in Somatic Therapy and to evaluate knowledge and processes of knowledge production.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the complexities and uncertainties of selecting, applying or transferring appropriate standard procedures or techniques to unfamiliar problems in Somatic Therapy. Use a range of specialised skills to identify, analyse and address complex or abstract problems, to draw systematically on the body of knowledge and methods appropriate to Somatic Therapy. Critically review information gathering, synthesis of data, evaluation and management processes in Somatic Therapy in order to develop creative responses to problems and issues.
3. Identify and address ethical issues based on critical reflection on the suitability of different ethical value systems in Somatic Therapy. Apply, in a self-critical manner, learning strategies which effectively address one's professional and ongoing learning needs and the professional and ongoing learning needs of others.

Take full responsibility for his or her work, decision-making and use of resources and full accountability for the decisions and actions of others where appropriate.

1. Present and communicate academic, professional or occupational ideas and texts effectively to a range of audiences, offering creative insights, rigorous interpretations and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to Somatic Therapy.

Operate effectively within a health care environment or manage a Somatic Therapy business based on an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements within the health care environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Evaluate and apply methods and techniques in Somatic Therapies for efficacy and value according to relevant evaluation criteria and to ensure that these therapies relate to other healthcare and wellness disciplines.
• Identify and apply clinical Management measures of actual clients to improve the assessment and treatment process by applying integrated knowledge of somatic techniques, pathophysiology and research principles.
• Interrogate and understand multiple sources of knowledge in Somatic therapy are the role of Somatic Therapy in the health care and wellness environment.
• Investigate and apply Somatic Therapy principles to incorporate research methods, theories and techniques into a Somatic Therapy project.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Examine and understand appropriate standard procedures or techniques in Somatic Therapy; select and apply these procedures or techniques to complex and unfamiliar problems in Somatic Therapy.
• Identify and analyse specialised skills and methods in Somatic Therapy to address complex or abstract problems in Somatic Therapy.
• Review and evaluate management processes in Somatic Therapy to develop creative responses to problems and issues within the Somatic Therapy field.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Reflect Professional and ethical issues to determine the suitability of value systems within a Somatic Therapy environment.
• Identify and address professional, and on-going learning needs to take responsibility for internal standards of individual and group conduct.
• Discuss professional conduct to take full responsibility in personal decision-making and use of resources and accountability for the decisions and actions of others within a Somatic Therapy environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Apply communication on an academic and professional level to develop creative insights and solutions to problems or issues appropriate to Somatic Therapy.
• Review managing a Somatic Therapy business to understand the role and relationship between elements within a health care environment.
• Interrogate Clinical Education and Mentoring to facilitate learning and supervise and assess learners in a practice setting.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment

In the assessment strategy as a whole, the learner must demonstrate evidence of professional competencies through a variety of options which includes:

case studies, problem-solving assignments and strategies, logbooks, portfolio of learning materials, projects and presentations, written and oral examinations, authentic practical exercises and demonstrations.

Some strategies assess foundational competence, while others assess practical and reflexive competence. A learner needs a predicate mark to do the final summative assessment.

Summative assessment

The final integrated assessment needs to measure applied competence. It should assess the ability of learners on the following:

• To identify the importance and topicality of the research study to motivate the need for research in this area (reflexive competence),
• To assess the learners' ability to investigate resource material (foundational competence), to conduct the research (practical competence),
• Provide evidence of research (reflexive competence) written and practical examinations and portfolio of evidence.

The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate learner learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against set standards.