Page last updated 29 July 2025

Introduction

Accreditations and partnerships:

In today's data-driven landscape, organisations face challenges in managing data and information responsibly and legally.

This postgraduate module equips you with the knowledge and practical skills to become a trusted governance specialist. You'll master data protection law, privacy regulations, and ethical frameworks while developing real-world competencies in risk management and compliance. From understanding the global context for data protection to designing governance solutions, the structured curriculum within this module ensures will give you the skills and expertise to safeguard organisational data, ensure regulatory compliance, and lead strategic information management initiatives.

This 15-credit Masters level module is offered alongside other CILIP-accredited modules. The modules starting in October are:

Knowledge Organisation

The modules starting in January are:

These modules provide you with an understanding of essential information management fundamentals, with a strong practical underpinning. You will be learning and applying essential theory, as well as developing practical and technical skills to enhance your professional career.

Entry requirements

Participants are expected to have a first degree at 2.2 level or above (or equivalent), or alternatively have six-months of relevant industrial experience.

If you are a non-UK student you will need to show your passport on entry to the UK. Please check your eligibility to visit and study in the UK here. If you are a non-Irish EU national currently resident in Ireland please contact us directly for further advice.

If English is not your country's first language, you will be required to provide evidence to show you meet the UK Border Agency and the University's minimum English Language requirements. Further details are available on our English Language Requirements webpage

We strongly recommend that you speak to the course tutor prior to the course if you are unsure about your suitability to complete the assessment.

Structure

Content

This module will cover the following topic areas:

Policies, legislation and frameworks

Key legislation governing data and information in the UK and in a global context
Information and data governance principles and policies focusing on security, architecture, risk and business continuity frameworks

Processes, technologies and ethical challenges

Information and data quality processes and standards (e.g. Master data, data catalogues and metadata)
Governance audits, risk assessment and ethical issues
The role of technology in information and data governance
Tools for risk management

Roles and responsibilities, careers and competencies

Embedding information and data governance and security (including roles, responsibilities and culture)
Awareness and engagement practices for the workplace (including data literacy, training, needs analysis etc.)

Learning and Teaching

Scheduled learning is via weekly lectures and practical workshops.

The teaching material is available from Blackboard (our online learning environment).

Study time

This module (course) will involve 2 hours direct contact time per week for 12 weeks.

This 15 credit module is expected to take 150 hours to complete:

24 hrs lectures and face to face discussion
30 hrs online learning via VLE teaching materials and online discussion groups.
66 hrs independent learning via essential reading
30 hours assignment preparation and completion.

Assessment

Assessment consists of a portfolio of two tasks based on a case study, a professional standard report and a recorded video pitch.

For more details, see our full glossary of assessment terms.

Features

Professional accreditation

This module is accredited by the Chartered Institute for Library, Information and Knowledge Professionals.

Study facilities

The University has excellent facilities, accessible to all students, as required; however, it is expected that much of the work will be carried within the work environment.

Find out more about the facilities and resources UWE Bristol has to offer.

Take a personalised virtual tour of the Computer Science and Creative Technologies facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.

Prices and dates

Supplementary fee information

Course dates

Cohort January 2026

Time

Location

Course fees

All prices are VAT exempt.

Cohort	January 2026
UK participants	£896
International participants	£1,438

For information on fees, managing your money and determining your fee status, please go to our fees and funding pages.

Course location

UWE Bristol, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY

How to find UWE Bristol

How to apply

This course is planned to run again in 2026. Please complete our online enquiry form below to be notified once these details are made available.

As this module carries university accreditation, please note that once you have submitted your booking form, you will be required to provide the following supporting information for the Tutor to be able to review and formally accept your application as required by the university:

An up-to-date copy of your Curriculum Vitae (including contact details of a work or academic reference)
A brief personal statement to support your application
A copy of your highest qualification certificate and transcript of modules studied
A copy of photographic proof of ID (i.e. driver's licence/passport). For non UK students, this must be a copy of your passport

Cohort
January 2026	Book Now	Enquire Now

For further information

Email: For specific questions in relation to the course content, suitability, assessments, etc. please contact the Module Leader, Charlotte Im (Charlotte.Im@uwe.ac.uk). For all queries regarding administration aspects of registration, i.e. dates, fees, etc. please contact us using the online enquiry form link or telephone number below.
Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 81043 (option 1, then option 3)

Professional course Data and Information Governance