New qualification for professional supervisors

Ara Institute of Canterbury has launched a new postgraduate qualification designed to meet a growing need for professional oversight in areas such as health, social services, human resources and education.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Supervision is a one-year, part-time programme designed for people who work with people.

Professional supervisors support and guide individuals to evaluate and enhance their work practice. They facilitate skill development and reflective practice, leading to increased professionalism, competency and accountability.

“Increased insight and skills enhance an individual’s ability to respond appropriately to increasingly complex practice issues faced in the workplace,” programme manager Dr Deidre Richardson says.

Dr Richardson says many people provide professional supervision as part of their existing roles. “However, until now there hasn’t been a locally-available qualification that validates these skills and provides professional recognition for this role. This qualification equips students with specialist knowledge and skills and formalises skills that an individual may already have. It also consolidates other learning they may have done in the past.”

The Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Supervision at Ara uses a blended delivery model that combines face-to-face classes, online activities and workplace assignments. It can be studied while working full time. There are two parts to the programme – Foundations of Professional Supervision and Developing Supervision Practice – which are undertaken sequentially. During the second part of the programme, students must be able to arrange supervisory practice.

The first intake of the programme commences at the end of August and late enrolments are still being accepted. The next intake begins in February 2019.

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