Leadership and Project Management Degree Apprenticeship

Course content

This apprenticeship enables people who manage teams or oversee projects to develop their knowledge, skills, and behaviours so that they can drive performance and productivity improvements while strengthening the responsible leadership skills needed to deliver meaningful results in their organisation.  

Our ambition is for our apprentices to graduate academically ready to grow into more senior roles. Apprentices will gain the knowledge and experience to enable them to:

• achieve the long-term goals of their organisation through the employment of proven academic models;
• manage a project from planning to implementation over the entire project lifecycle;
• and to use quality assurance and controls to improve project management processes.

Apprentices can expect to be stretched and challenged but supported throughout as they develop the academic skills required to deliver change through their management roles. 

The modules below provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Employer information

We’re aiming to develop managers who are competent, well-rounded, and ready to take on greater responsibility across a range of management roles following completion of the apprenticeship. Our teaching provides apprentices with strong foundations in project management principles, business operations, leadership, and organisational change - giving them a thorough and challenging learning experience while providing you with a highly capable employee.

We provide the theoretical knowledge that underpins the practical work apprentices will carry out within your organisation. Apprentices will develop the skills to manage projects across the full lifecycle, improve business performance, lead teams effectively, and implement sustainable change within complex organisational environments.

Our curriculum has been designed to reflect current industry needs and employer expectations, ensuring it remains relevant and directly applicable to workplace settings. We also have a dedicated partnerships team who will work closely with you throughout the programme, providing support and guidance for both employer and apprentice.

How to apply

Leadership and Project Management BSc (Hons) does not follow the standard UCAS application process. You can apply to this programme in addition to making applications to any institution through UCAS. To gain a place on the degree apprenticeship:

1. Apply directly for a vacancy with a relevant employer – please check their websites for vacancies. The GOV.UK website will also list a number of DA vacancies throughout the year. Current DA vacancies our partner employers are advertising through us can be found on our current vacancies page. Applicants are welcome to apply for more than one vacancy. 
2. Already have a position or job offer from a company that is willing to support your application.

Once you meet one of above options, please get in touch with us and we will proceed with your application. 

Funding

Full programme cost: £22,000 

The employer fully covers the cost of this apprenticeship; students do not pay for any of the eligible training costs. The students will be an employee of the organisation, gaining a University of Exeter award alongside working and earning a salary.

Employers who pay the Apprenticeship Levy will pay for the apprenticeship fees directly through that contribution.  See further information about the Apprenticeship Levy funding.

Employers who do not pay the Levy will be able to claim 95 per cent of the cost of the apprenticeship from the Government. Up to 100 per cent Government contribution may be available if the employer has fewer than 50 employees and:

• Recruits an apprentice aged 16-18
• OR an apprentice aged 19-24 who has previously been in care or who has a local authority education, health and care plan

Employers must pay their apprentices a salary at least consistent with national legislation.

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Entry requirements

The Project Management programme has two entry routes:

1. Application through A-Levels CCC or equivalent Level 3 qualification, OR 
2. Application through experience: Applicants will be required before acceptance to the programme to demonstrate two years of previous project management experience.

Applicants will be in a role that supports the gathering of evidence required for the Project Management apprenticeship ‘standard’. Individual employers may set additional selection criteria in discussion with the University.

Applicants who have achieved the Level 4 Associate Project Manager Apprenticeship and the APM PMQ (or equivalent qualification), could be eligible for accreditation of prior certificated learning (APCL) and complete the programme in 2 years. If individual employers have any prospective employees that hold these qualifications, please get in touch with the University for further information.

Additional entry requirements

As an apprenticeship funding requirement, all apprentices aged 16-18 studying for a level 3 apprenticeship or higher are required to evidence achievement at level 2 in Mathematics and English before their gateway to endpoint assessment.

If the apprentice is aged 19+ when they begin their apprenticeship training, and they do not already hold a suitable equivalent qualification, English and / or maths is an optional part of the programme under the funding rules. However, L2 English remains a standard entry requirement for University of Exeter programmes.

Find out more about how we support Functional Skills.

Applicants must also have a valid and eligible residency status to gain entry onto the apprenticeship – please see the Department for Education website for further information.

Learning and teaching

The first year provides fundamental knowledge underlying project management, delivering the principles and themes of building a successful project; an understanding of the business environment, exploring how projects contribute to businesses operating in local, regional, national and global economies; and delivers training in evaluating and establishing project governance. Leadership knowledge and skills are introduced to enable apprentices to lead across diverse teams.
 
In the second year, the apprentices will gain knowledge and skills in project justification, constructing robust project proposals, and change management models, including practically planning and implementing change; understanding communication with internal and external stakeholders to build support; understanding of working with project sponsors, as well as the organisational influences and demands on the management of a project; and an understanding of quality management, to convert actions into project management success. 
 
The third year delivers understanding of strategies for managing cost, quality, service, and time across supply chain networks that leverage assets to deliver financial target, digital business and new technologies including AI, before undertaking a project to demonstrate an understanding of the principles and themes of building a successful project from planning to implementation.
 
During and outside of this time apprentices will also be able to meet one-to-one with their academic mentor.  

Careers

About the apprenticeship

Apprentices will be a full salaried member of an organisation. Much of the learning will take place at work, either through projects linked to academic content or time set aside for distance learning. Apprentices will be working in an exciting and relevant job from day one of their studies, meaning when they graduate, they'll have both the professional and academic experience sought after by employers.

Employer-valued skills

Solid industry experience is what employers look for when recruiting. The structure of the apprenticeship standards means that apprentices will gain knowledge, skills and behaviours to be a fully-fledged project manager at the end of the programme. They will have gained experience in areas including business environment and organisational strategy, workplace dynamics and professional practice, governance and financial controls, project justification, change control, stakeholder engagement, communication management, organisational change management, quality and risk management, commercial procurement and contract management, digital business and new technology, and international project management.

Find out more about our Leadership and Project Management degree apprenticeship