school courses & costs
Comment from Society of Homeopaths, Spring 2007 five-yearly course review.
“The [course] is a tour de force; a logical, coherent, accessible delineation of a course designed to “grow” and develop the enthusiastic novice into the skilful, knowledgeable, wise practitioner. Above all, this submission is imbued with confidence and a well deserved sense of pride in the creation of a stringently academic course leavened with a creative approach to assessment.”
The Purton House Approach
Purton House School of Homeopathy (PHSH) is committed to providing educational support to enable you to a become competent, confident and professionally qualified homeopath in accordance with the Codes of Ethics, National Occupational Standards, Core Criteria and Clinical Education Guidelines as developed by Professional bodies engaged in recognition and validation of homeopathy courses.
PHSH teaches Classical homeopathy alongside other methods of homeopathy, and aims to equip you to exercise discernment in treating patients in accordance with clearly, comprehensible homeopathic principles as established by Samuel Hahnemann, so that sick people may be cured in the most ‘rapid, gentle and permanent’ way (Hahnemann 1986).
PHSH is aware of the wider healthcare and scientific arena within which homeopaths work, and will therefore encourage and support you in taking up your place alongside practitioners of conventional and complementary medicine for the greater good of patients. Graduates will have developed professional curiosity and will become life long learners with an understanding of, and an ability to engage in, and contribute to, the research base of homeopathic medicine.
Your BSc (Hons) Homeopathy
This Programme is delivered part time during the week. The different subject areas studied are integrated to ensure you understand the influence of one upon the other. This is the essential conceptual and theoretical underpinning for the potential professional homeopath. The Programme delivery runs over a four year period and is divided into 3 levels (4, 5, and 6) with each level building upon the other up to practitioner status as follows:
Level 4
Upon completion of Level 4 you will have explored the underlying principles of homeopathy and the anatomy and physiology of the human body. You will have studied simple acute disease stages and learnt how to treat these using a range of appropriate homeopathic Materia medica. Skills in working with patients in acute situations will have been learnt along with tools for reflection and an awareness of issues to do with patient safety.
Successful completion of Level 4 Modules will qualify you for a Certificate in Higher Education with 120 credits that may be used towards another Higher Education qualification if required.
Level 5
Upon completion of Level 5 you will have investigated a range of chronic pathologies and the application of homeopathic methodologies as appropriate using a wide range of homeopathic Materia medica applied to cases taken and observed in the PHSH Clinic and in class. Skills of reflective practice will have been developed and rehearsed alongside case work undertaken in the University setting. Research methodologies will have been explored together with analysis of the appropriateness of differing methodologies for Homeopathy Research. You will have developed a proposal for you own research.
Successful completion of Level 4 and 5 Modules will qualify you for a Diploma of Higher Education in Theoretical Homeopathy with 240 credits that may be used towards another Higher Education award if required.
Level 6
Upon completion of Level 6 you will have critically evaluated the homeopathic response to a range of serious, life threatening and end stage diseases. You will have undertaken your own case work under supervision and evaluated your own needs with regards to professional development and readiness for practice. An integrative homeopathic Project will have been completed.
Successful completion of Levels 4, 5 and 6 will qualify you for the BSc (Hons) Homeopathy (PHSH) with 360 credits. This is a professional qualification and will allow you to become a registered homeopath and set up in professional practice.
A particular feature of PHSH training is the exploration of the psychodynamics of health, disease and cure and the patient/practitioner relationship. This element has traditionally attracted many students to PHSH and distinguished this course from other course providers.
PHSH teaches Classical Homeopathic skills to practitioner level and encourages an awareness of different methodologies for working with as broad a range of patients as possible. As such, the training equips graduates with a wide range of skills.
PHSH places great emphasis to the teaching of medical science and ensures that this is integrated into a homeopathic framework as much as possible. All subjects are taught in an integrated way and related to case scenarios as much as possible so that you are enabled to apply homeopathic thinking to all your endeavours.
The teaching methods used are designed to facilitate learning of homeopathic theory and the process of becoming a competent practitioner. As such there is a great emphasis on clinical education and skills. Throughout the four years’ training, you will be involved in case-work starting with paper case scenarios and video cases, then progressing to working within the Purton House School Clinic and finally taking on your own case load under supervision.
Clinical opportunities provided by the College include live cases taken in class by a qualified homeopath, video cases used for teaching practice skills and methodologies, PHSH student Clinic, participation in community projects and outreach clinics, sitting in with and observing qualified homeopaths, case skills role plays and a number of cases undertaken and managed by students under direct and indirect supervision. PHSH has recently forged links with a homeopathic hospital in Tamil Nadu where students can shadow physicians working in an acute hospital setting and benefit for exposure to a broad range of pathologies and diagnostic facilities that this setting brings.
The PHSH Student Clinic runs outside usual attendance hours and provides students with the opportunity to work with patients under supervision of a clinic practitioner. Attendance at the Clinic is an integral part of the training program and all students are required to attend for a number of hours during each Level of the Programme.
Alongside the Clinical Education program there is great emphasis on Practitioner Development so that graduates are ready for practice. Staff have clearly developed criteria for Fitness to Practice and in Spring 2006 presented on this subject at the Society of Homeopaths’ Educators Conference. You will be encouraged to play an active part in assessing your own fitness and readiness for practice. This, along with feedback from supervisors and teachers gives PHSH triangulation in assessment of this crucial aspect of the course.
PHSH is keen that you should graduate with the skills required for life-long learning and a commitment to Continuing Professional Development and on-going supervision. You will be facilitated in the preparation of a Continuing Professional Development plan as part of your requirement for course completion.
As a School, Purton House is committed to engaging in the discourse on research and to be involved in the development of a broader research base.
Assessment Strategy
The overarching strategy for assessment of the BSc (Hons) Homeopathy (Purton House) aligns with the university approach that assessment must be a vehicle for learning whilst additionally providing the opportunity for you to demonstrate achievement of the module learning outcomes. The uppermost aim of all assessment is to prepare you for practice, therefore assessments are practice focussed.
PHSH adopts a strategy of continuous formative assessment over all Levels. Formative and on-going learning and assessments are used throughout to facilitate the accretion of knowledge and to prepare you for summative assessments. Formative assessments are seen as being the building blocks through which you are enabled to achieve the learning outcomes and assessment criteria. The standard of work and results achieved through formative work also gives vital feedback to the Module Leaders about the success of teaching methods and whether or not the aims of the Module are being achieved. Likewise, it is important that you have a level of confidence about your preparation and readiness for summative assessment. It is crucial that this happens during the Module and not when it is finished and opportunities for development are lost.
Formative assessment allows and encourages a variety of learning approaches and tools to be used including journals, portfolios, reflective cycles, critical incident accounts, story telling, debate and presentations. Summative assessment involves questionnaires, essays, report writing, toxicology reports, paper case studies, live case studies, pathology studies, practice based assessments, self reflections, Journal extracts, Critical Incident accounts, reflective cycles, own research and Folders of Evidence.
It is considered important that assessment should involve the use of self and peer assessment alongside the School’s assessments so that there is a level of triangulation and congruence between PHSH assessment and your own assessment of your competences. The ability to self-assess is a by-product of practitioner development training where skills of reflection are taught, rehearsed and applied to your experiences, in class and in clinics. This application of the theory to real life – personal and professional, serves to embed reflection in all aspects of the course.
Student support
PHSH office is staffed during the week from 9.30 to 5.30 for telephone access to the Course Administrator and Academic Director/ Programme Leader in the first instance. Academic guidance is available as required through the Programme Leader and Module Leaders. Academic Tutorials can be requested by the student when necessary and in addition to this, tutorial time will be booked with each student twice a year. The purpose of the booked tutorial will be to develop and review the student’s Personal Development Plan, to discuss the student’s progress and to give feedback on strengths and areas needing development. In addition to academic tutorials, each student will be allocated a personal tutor.
Support Roles
Students are supported by the identified staff in the following role functions:
- Programme Leader
The role of the Programme Leader is to help you plan your programme of study and monitor your progress so that you achieve a satisfying, coherent learning experience. The Programme Leader will make available specific time to see students on a periodic basis in addition to responding on an ongoing basis. He/she will chair the Programme Team Meetings and participate in Assessment Boards also producing an Annual Report.
- Module Leader
The Module Leader is responsible for the overall delivery and coordination of the module learning experience. He/she will provide specific advice and guidance with regard to the module and the assessment strategy.
Other specialist practitioners/teachers may make up the module team as appropriate and can advise accordingly within their practice field.
- Course Administrator
The Course Administrator is responsible for all administrative systems of the course and is your first point of contact for any procedures to do with assessment, submissions and extensions, timetable queries and term dates, student records and notification of sickness and absence.
- Personal Tutor
The role of the Personal Tutor is pastoral. Each student will be offered personal support as necessary by the provision of an identified personal tutor. The role of the personal tutor will include advice on general university and PHSH procedures including application for mitigation in the case of illness, hardship or personal problems. He/she will, if necessary, refer students as appropriate to central services (special needs, dyslexic support, counselling, accommodation etc.).
Costs of the Course
Tuition Fees: Annual fees are £2450.00 pa and can be paid termly, monthly or annually. However a £100.00 discount is offered if the full fees for the year are paid in advance. Otherwise a deposit of 20% is required to secure your place on the course.
Financial Students of Purton House are eligible to apply to their local
Support education authority for course and fee grants. More information is available from the office or using the following link: http://tinyurl.com/hkcyc