Postgraduate Research

The Doctorate in Education is a 4-7 year part-time course.  In the first two years students are required to attend the university for taught modules. There are 4 modules in total comprising  7 units, each of which is taught in 1-2 day blocks.    Around this formal teaching, there are regular opportunities for face to face and e-mail support. In years 3 - 4 (and beyond  where necessary) students work under the guidance and support of a nominated supervisor to produce a 60,000 word thesis.

The programme has been specifically designed for women and men professionals - practitioners, policy-makers, leaders and managers, academics and teachers - at all levels of education, from early childhood through further and higher education, to lifelong learning.

Specifically the EdD aims to:

• Promote an understanding of research evidence and methodologies relevant to professional practitioners
• Develop a critical awareness of the policy context in which professional practice takes place
• Enable participants to undertake a research study of relevance to their professional activities.

The EdD has one entry point a year - in November.  

The general programme comprises:

• Five units with five associated formative assignments taught in mainly two-day Course Session events to support the development of your research plan and proposal (years 1 and 2)
• Regular e-supported learning between Course Sessions
• Research thesis (up to 60,000 words) in years 3 and 4.

Tutors guide participants through the first four modules and associated assignments. You are allocated a supervisor at the stage where you devise your formal research proposal. The proposal is assessed orally and in writing before you can proceed to conduct your thesis.

The Programme Specification for the EdD

Course Content and Assessment

The programme is assessed by four formative assignments, one summative assignment and a Research Thesis. These are attached to the following units:

EDU-40031: Introduction to theories and methods as an educational researcher
Assignment: Self-Reflection and Personal Development Plan

EDU-40032: Critical and feminist theories and perspectives
Assignment: Theoretical Perspectives on education policy and practice

EDU-40033 part 1: Research methods and evaluation: ethics and ethnographies
Assignment: A General Research Methods critique

EDU-40033 part 2: A Pilot Study    
Assignment: a commentary and report on a pilot study that will inform the final research proposal for the thesis

EDU-40034: Thesis Proposal
This is a summative assignment (5,000 words written and 1,000 words oral presentation)

Unit 4: A Research Thesis
This will be between up to 60,000 words and will draw from the previous five assignments. It should form a contribution to the knowledge of the subject area and show evidence of originality, either by the discovery of new evidence, or by the exercise of independent critical power. The thesis is examined by the conventional method of the viva voce.

Tutors will guide the participants through their formative assignments and a supervisor will be allocated for the Thesis Proposal and Thesis.

Alternative exit point for the EdD

Upon successful completion of the taught part of the EdD programme and a 15-20,000 word mini-thesis, students may be awarded an MRes (Education).

A candidate for the Degree of EdD should:

1. Hold a Masters Degree of this University or of another deemed equivalent; and,
2. Hold that qualification normally in the general field of education, policy and/or management and/or social sciences or its equivalent in professional experience and a professionally accredited programme; and,
3. Have access to email and the internet for the e-supported parts of the programme.

The deadline for applications is September 30th

"I have found my first year of the EdD to be challenging, demanding and extremely stimulating, I have moved forward in many ways, personally and academically. The personal support offered by [tutors] has given me the confidence to believe I can achieve success in what I perceive to be the most challenging period of my career to-date."

- A Senior Lecturer in IT

"A thoroughly enjoyable, yet challenging experience. I look forward to our Course Sessions and personal supervisor support meetings. I feel my work is enthusiastically received and feel welcome amongst an emerging community of researchers and scholars. Life will never quite be the same for me. Through the EdD I have come to learn how to connect more closely with work colleagues and students and respond more appropriately to the many adverse pressures threatening to affect the quality of my work."

- A Principal Lecturer in Accounting and Ex-Head of Department.

"Blow the dust off your brain, practice your theories and theorise your practices with this challenging, stimulating and thought provoking programme."

- A Senior Tutor at a College of Further Education

"The programme is making me read, and reflect on, theories and their application in professional practice, in ways for which I have previously not made time. It is demanding, mostly because of the time needed when the day job is more than full time. But it's also worth it, and already paying dividends in the way work looks at me and vice versa."

- A County Manager for Educational Standards

"I am so glad I chose this programme as I am really enjoying the opportunity to explore all these issues."

- A Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management