Curriculum 2011 comprises a package of elements, central of which, for the purposes of accreditation, are the ‘Framework’ and ‘Synopsis’ which provide the professional aims and learning objectives of the curriculum. The most important change here is the expectation that graduates from programmes accredited in future will be expected to have undergone instruction in public health ahead of the practical application of these knowledge-based skills, and the acquisition of skills-based competencies, in training practice.
In addition, the following changes have been made to the assessment of candidates under ‘Curriculum 2011’:
- completing the ‘Integrative Professional Assessment’ during their period of study at university rather than the ‘Professional Examination’ currently taken upon completion of the course;
- submitting the ‘Portfolio of Professional Practice’ (PPP) introduced to replace, in time, the present ‘Experiential Learning Portfolio’; and,
- sitting the revised ‘Professional Interview’ which will be extended to accommodate a ‘viva’ examination on one of the ‘Intervention Area’ reports submitted by the candidate as part of their PPP.
It should be emphasised that the ‘Integrative Professional Assessment’ will only apply to candidates entering programmes accredited from this point forward under Curriculum 2011. The ‘Portfolio of Professional Practice’ is available immediately for candidates who might wish to submit the PPP in preference to, in whole or part, the ELP. The extended ‘Professional Interview’ will only apply to candidates who submit the PPP in its entirety.