Book of dreams
D
reams became a reality for one Coventry graduate when the self-help book she published also won an award. Denise Farquharson (Computer Studies, 1993) was named a Finalist in the National USA Best Book Awards for self-help books for her motivational book called Picture your Dreams. Denise, pictured above right, who works for Severn Trent Water as a Software Release Manager, decided to write the book when she had an undiagnosed illness in 2005, believing she might die without being able to tell her three young children about her life’s achievements. The book encourages people to
think of an image that visualises what they want to achieve and then to focus on how they will reach their goal. Denise has now recovered from her mystery illness and has since gone onto run motivational workshops to help people fill out their Dreams book. On winning the award Denise said: “It was a real surprise as I was up against thousands of other new authors. It is great to know a UK
author can achieve something like that in the USA,” said Denise. “Everyone has a dream to fulfill something in life. We all just need a bit of a push and it can happen. Dreams can come true.” Picture your Dreams is available online or in bookshops, priced £12.99. For more information visit www.pictureyourdreams.co.uk
University celebrates world leading research
Online course in health communication
The University’s research is ‘worldleading’ according to the Research Assessment Exercise 2008.
oventry is the first UK university to offer a postgraduate course, which brings together the knowledge and practical skills needed for students to be effective health communicators and managers of health communication.
Coventry has seven subject areas which received the highest rating in the overall quality profile. This positive assessment contributes towards Coventry’s ranking in the overall university league tables. RAE2008 is conducted by the UK universities’ higher education funding bodies and is based on the views of international experts in all the main subject areas. It is seven years since the last RAE and although the scoring system has changed, 81% of subjects assessed have improved. The results will determine the funding institutions get for research in 2009-10. Over £1.5 billion will be allocated annually from 2009-10. For more information about Coventry’s research visit www.coventry.ac.uk/researchnet
Did you know?
69%
of our graduates secured graduate level employment in 2007
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The MA in Health Communication Design is available for part-time study by using distance learning and from September 2009 will be delivered online, with optional days of activities on campus. Developed by the University’s new Health Design and Technology Institute in conjunction with the School of Art and Design, the course has been designed to support professionals who are seeking to augment their knowledge and skills in this important field. Students can choose to do the full MA or an intermediate award of a Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate, or they can select one individual module and study a specific aspect of health communication. Drawing on the University’s experience of online learning, the course makes use of a variety of interactive audio-visual learning methods to make studying online both engaging and challenging. It uses a range of teaching methods including online lectures and collaborative work and there is particular emphasis on practical communication projects. The course team recognises the challenges of combining study with the demands of work and family, and has built flexibility into the programme in several ways, including: • Intermediate awards • Three start points per year • The option to only enrol for one module, either for continuing professional development or as a taster to help students decide whether to undertake the full MA programme. • The possibility of tailoring some assignments so that they are directly relevant to an individual student’s current or intended employment.
For more information about the course and how to apply, contact Dr Sandra Harrison, Course Director on +44 (0)24 7688 8540 or email s.harrison@coventry.ac.uk
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