MMU Rise

Learn to solve problems creatively, with a focus on developing understandings and exploring the nature of problems from the perspective of end users.

The Design Thinking course will help you develop your ability to creatively solve problems.  It will take you through understanding the problem space and the audience through to ideation, design and prototyping. It’s split into two self study packs, Design Thinking 1 (this one) that looks at understanding your problem and audience and Design Thinking 2, which looks at creating ideas, prototyping and testing. We’d recommend doing both courses. You can complete this course if you have no previous training in design. It’s both theoretical and practical. 

Design Thinking methods can particularly help when you have a complex or fairly novel problem, so it’s often used when solving societal issues. And can design a new intervention to help. Maybe a product or a service. 

During this self study pack we’ll be looking at where Design Thinking came from, what it is and how and when to use it. We’ll then move on to getting to grips with understanding a complex problem space and finally we’ll look at understanding the audience of your design and some research methods and techniques to do that, particularly research that is favoured by the Design Thinking process.

Alongside learning and reflecting on Design Thinking concepts, we will give you a fictional problem to work through through the course. The course is also ideal if you have a real world problem that you might like to work through during the self study pack.

Media literacy and misinformation is an urgent concern in today’s world. This self-directed RISE course will delve into the world of navigating information in the digital world, giving you the skills to feel confident and positive about using digital information.

The course will direct you to lots of further resources, including local and regional examples from in and around the Manchester area. There’s film and historic film from The North West Film Archive, archival material from the Special Collections Museum and poetry available in the Manchester Poetry Library which are all part of Manchester Met’s Library and Cultural Services.

This self-study pack was created by students to help fellow international students navigate shopping in the UK, maintain a healthy diet, and provide a range of easy-to-cook nutritious meals to keep your mind and body healthy while studying at university.

Interpersonal competencies are the abilities we use to communicate, collaborate, and build relationships with others. They help us work effectively in teams, navigate workplace challenges, and create positive professional connections.

Studies show that employers highly value interpersonal skills. Whether you’re working in marketing, publishing, healthcare, or technology, your ability to manage relationships, resolve conflicts, and communicate clearly is key to success.

This pack will help you develop essential interpersonal competencies through real-world case studies, quizzes, and interactive exercises. You’ll explore topics such as:

• Effective communication – how to adapt your communication style for different audiences.
• Conflict resolution – strategies for managing workplace disagreements professionally.
• Teamwork & leadership – how to work collaboratively and take on leadership roles.

These are useful for developing your Future Me Plan, your time at University, and life after University.

We will start with a real-world case study and then you can test your skills in an interactive quiz, followed by guided reflection prompts and links to further learning.   

At the end will be a series of short videos created by professionals across the creative industries, who have followed very ‘different paths’ outlining how they made it work, and their journey along the way; the roles they’ve had, the challenges along the way, and the skills that have been most useful to them.

Debbie Williams: Programme Leader – MA Publishing. Publishing and business professional with over twenty years experience in the industry. Started on the shopfloor at Waterstones, went on to become a buyer at Head Office. There, was responsible for all accounts, stock management, PR and events relating to children’s books including Harry Potter.

Understand theory and practice around relationships, communication and teamwork – and enhance your collaboration in academia, the workplace and your personal life.

This self study pack will help you develop your skills and confidence in forming relationships with others in a range of contexts; from academic settings to the workplace and in your personal life. The course will introduce you to some theory and ideas about relationships and communication, teamwork and leadership, and will guide you through practical, interactive exercises that will build your self-awareness, communication and problem solving skills. There will also be opportunities to learn more about activities such as mindfulness, which can help you to manage stress and anxiety, when working together or relating to others.

Develop your understanding of wellbeing, mental health and health inequalities and learn practical skills to support your own and others’ wellbeing.

This course will introduce you to key concepts in the fields of mental health and wellbeing and will enable you to develop skills and strategies to support our own, and others’, wellbeing. You will explore mental health and wellbeing in different contexts, including professional and workplace settings and will have the opportunity to critically reflect on current thinking and approaches. You will also examine health inequalities and issues of discrimination, diversity and equality in the wellbeing arena.

Are you interested in studying a degree in sport at university?

Through this RISE Self Study Pack, Rebecca and Zoe will introduce prospective university students, their parents, and their school/college teachers to the life of a university sport student. In doing so, they provide information on some of the different disciplines you can study to degree level (including: sport science, exercise science, health science, sport coaching, and sport development) and the extracurricular sporting opportunities available when you go to university.

Alongside information on the different degree sport disciplines available to study at university, Rebecca and Zoe will also spend time discussing the skills you can develop and outline just some of the exciting careers pathways available with a degree in sport.

Learn about soft skills that will help you in the workplace and boost your employability.

In this self study pack, you will explore real world examples to see how soft skills, like leadership and communication, have played an important part in helping graduates to deliver innovative industry projects known as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.
 
You’ll gain an understanding of the science behind these skills which will aid you in putting them into practice, and in turn help with your development and make you stand out to prospective employers.

Welcome to this advanced skills programme, specially created for students, graduates, and professionals who are eager to uncover and cultivate extensive mentoring capabilities. This programme not only serves as a stellar foundation in interpersonal skills but also equips you with the tools to excel as a professional in any field.

Why Choose This Programme?
Learning to mentor helps you master skills that set you apart—effective communication, leadership, and building rapport—all vital career skills. This self-study pack is perfect for those who aspire to be impactful professionals, mentors, teachers, or even outstanding communicators in varied contexts.

Course Overview
This course has been designed by postgraduate researchers (PGR’s) and undergraduate students at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Set out into five topics, designed to follow naturally from one to the other, continually up skilling the student and building increasing knowledge and confidence in themselves. 

Each topic is explored at your own pace, with continual opportunities for you to stop, digest the content and apply it to your own life. Self-reflection is a central theme to this course, with you taking charge of your own learning journey. This self study is broken down into 5 interesting and engaging topics:

1. Introduction to the World of Mentoring – What is the role of a mentor? What are the benefits to you of mastering this skill set?

2. Essential Skills of a Mentor – Learn a broad range of communication skills such as: active listening, ice breakers, finding common ground, building trust, constructive feedback skills, Identifying goals, current reality check, signposting, supporting and storytelling skills.

3. Inclusion and Accessibility – Learn to navigate working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, of breaking down barriers, understanding lived experience, utilising non-judgmental approaches, building trust and relationships and opening doors and inspiration workshop.

4. Creativity and Flexibility – Expand your abilities to plan, develop and deliver accessible, inclusive and engaging sessions. Explore creative approaches to learning and identify your own learning style. Investigate your own leadership potential and style while gaining access to a large open-access learning resource bank.

5. Real World Scenarios & Reflections – Explore obstacles that you may encounter in the ‘field’, with competency-based scenarios that help you to ask questions and to apply your new skills and knowledge, whilst reflecting on what you have learnt on the course.

As part of this course, you’ll delve into the sacred arts of mentoring, discovering what a mentor truly is—and isn’t. You’ll receive training in a wide range of advanced skills, enabling you to provide high-level support in virtually any setting. If you’ve ever wanted to develop leadership qualities, advanced communication skills, or the capability to guide and mentor others, this course is designed for you.

Throughout the programme, you’ll hear from experts across various fields, tackle practical exercises, and gain valuable insights that will make you an exceptional mentor and professional. 

Plus, once completing this course, you’ll earn a total of 50 Rise Points, contributing to your growth and achievements at Manchester Met.

Join us on this journey and be the mentor that makes a difference. Ready to unlock your potential? Read on!