TVU - education that works
Courses
At a glance
Attendance
Study mode: Part-time - variable
Location: Slough campus
(Slough)
Duration: 4 years.
Start date: September 2009
About this course
Study level: Honours (Level 6)
Faculty: Faculty of Health and Human Sciences
Department: School of Psychology, Social Care and Human Sciences
Research centre: Centre for Complementary Healthcare and Integrated Medicine
BSc (Hons) Homeopathy
 
Summary
The course is designed to prepare students with all of the necessary skills to enter into professional practice in homeopathy. The different subject areas studied are integrated to ensure students understand the influence of one upon the other, e.g. discussing the effects of certain remedies from the Materia Medica on aspects of the anatomy and physiology.

Purton House School of Homeopathy (PHSH) at Thames Valley University, Slough Campus, delivers the course. PHSH is an established provider of homeopathic education and practitioner development. The course is recognised by the main governing body in the UK, The Society of Homeopaths, and qualifies one for entry on the professional register.
Details
The programme consists of modules comprising 120 credits at each of Levels 4, 5 and 6.

Level 4:
Level 4 will build the essential underpinning principles, philosophies, knowledge and skills to guide the developing homeopathic practitioner in casework, assessment and treatment of their patients. Medical science is taught within a holistic framework, the emphasis being on anatomy and physiology (the body working in health), moving into pathology (the body working in disease), and the body in acute conditions. Repertory and Materia Medica are also introduced and their use explored.

Level 4 modules are:
- Acute Clinical Education and Medical Science (1, 2 and 3)
- Philosophy
- Materia Medica (1)
- Practitioner Development 1.

Level 5: 
Level 5 places a greater emphasis on practitioner training. You will be encouraged and facilitated to recognise the difficulties you will face as practitioners, by relating to your own life experiences. Chronic and more serious illnesses are addressed, underpinned by relevant pathology. Homeopathy research methods will also be studied.

Level 5 modules are:
- Applied Clinical Education and Pathology (1, 2 and 3)
- Materia Medica (2)
- Practitioner Development (2)
- Homeopathy Research Methods.

Level 6:
Level 6 concentrates on the journey to becoming a homeopathic practitioner, focusing on supervised case work including analysis of cases and strategies for treatment and interpretation.

Professional practice development will take a critical stance with regard to clinical practice, reflexively using critical incidents. Continuing professional development planning is also addressed.

An integrative homeopathic project provides the opportunity for you to critically appraise and evaluate the evidence basis which underpins the practice of homeopathy.

Level 6 modules are:
- Professional Practice Development
- Advanced Clinical Skills
- Integrative Homeopathic Project.
Entry criteria
You are required to demonstrate your ability to study at Level 4.

All students will be interviewed and considered on an individual basis.

International entry criteria
International students need to meet our English language requirement at either IELTS at 5.5 or above, TOEFL paper based test score at 525 or above, TOEFL computer based test score at 196 or above, TOEFL internet based test score at 69 or above. Contact our International Office to find out what international qualifications you need to get onto a course www.tvu.ac.uk/international
During the course

Special resources
You will have access to the Learning Resource Centres at Brentford (Paragon), Slough Campus and Reading (Hanover House). Subject librarians are available to assist you in accessing appropriate resources, including:
- access to specialist information databases via TVU and Faculty of Health and Human Sciences websites
- journal articles request and supply
- book loan renewals by telephone and/or the world-wide web
- borrowing rights at institutions within the Universities Plus scheme.

Teaching methods
Throughout the four years’ training, you will be involved in casework, starting with paper case scenarios and video cases, and then swiftly progressing to work with actual patients.

Clinical opportunities include live cases taken in class by a qualified homeopath, video cases used for teaching practice skills, student clinics where students are actively involved in working with patients, observational visits in the workplace with qualified homeopaths, and, in the final year of training, a number of cases undertaken and managed by students under supervision.

Alongside clinical education, there is great emphasis on practitioner development so that graduates are ready to practice, have skills required for life-long learning and a commitment to continuing professional development.

Learning materials
You will be provided with a programme handbook at the start of the programme.

Module study guides will be provided at the beginning of each module. These indicate learning sessions, essential texts, journals, and website addresses.

Student support
All students will be allocated a Personal Tutor. Academic support will be provided by the individual module team. Students will have regular small group tutorials. Level 4 students will also have support from a student mentor from Level 5.

Coursework
The programme is assessed by both formative and summative assessment. The nature and weighting of these will vary but they will include:
- compilation of a portfolio containing case studies, remedy studies and reflective work
- compilation of a journal
- presentations
- essays and assignments
- case work
- integrative project.
On course completion

Career progression
Successful completion of the course enables graduates to enter onto the register of Practitioners of The Society of Homeopaths.

Entry onto the register is important as it demonstrates that you have undergone a recognised training programme; something the public are always keen to know. Many homeopaths are self-employed, running a practice from rooms rented in a local practice or in their own clinics. Sometimes a practice may employ homeopaths to manage caseloads provided by that practice. Increasingly, one now sees homeopaths working alongside NHS surgeries, a trend which will hopefully continue to grow.