Education Doctorate (EdD)

About the Course

A Doctorate is the highest level of academic qualification there is. It is a very challenging and immensely rewarding experience. The Doctor of Education (EdD) has been specifically designed for professionals from across the education sector who are passionate about making positive change through research. You are likely to come from an occupation such as teaching, school leadership and management, Higher and Further Education lecturing, community education or something similar. You should have several years’ professional experience, perhaps at a senior level. You should have a strong desire to undertake research which has the potential to positively influence practice and/or policy in your profession.

On the course, you will engage at an advanced level with a range of academic and professional issues relevant to your own practice. You will develop the three key skills of independent learning, independent research, and sustained critical, reflexive analysis. Tutors are here to guide, support and challenge you, but there is a strong emphasis on independent learning.

The programme is divided into two Phases. Phase One is known as the Taught Phase. In this phase you undertake three ‘strands’ of taught study, organised into six modules (20 credits each). You will also write substantial research Proposal (60 credits), during this Phase. The Proposal forms the foundation for Phase Two, the Research Phase. In this phase, you undertake a supervised thesis project, much like a traditional PhD student would. Your research should aim to have a positive impact on professional practice and/or policy. There are more details under the Curriculum and Teaching and Research tabs.

Download the Doctor of Education course leaflet

For further guidance download our Professional Doctorates - Application FAQ's and Professional Doctorates Help Sheet - Accreditation of Prior Learning

Hear about the Doctor of Education (EdD) course from one of our current students

Curriculum Overview

Part 1 – Taught Phase – Years 1-3

Phase One of the Doctorate is taught over 5 weekends per year, in October, November, February, March and May. Each weekend begins around noon on Friday, and continues until 5pm Saturday, with a mix of interactive workshops and seminar discussions around key readings and tasks. All of the modules and assessments are designed to support you in the development of your independent Research Proposal. We also host an annual Doctoral Conference. The Conference provides a friendly forum for you to share your work and experiences.

Level 7 (M) Modules to the Value of 180 credits:

Strand A: Engaging with Research: This consists of two linked 20-credit modules which explore philosophical and socio-political paradigms of knowledge, truth and values and the significance of these to research in professional domains.

Strand B: Yourself as Researcher: This strand is made up of two linked 20-credit modules intended to support students in the development of their identity as ‘researching professionals’, considering (i) professional identity and values; (ii) practitioner research in context.

Strand C: Research Skills and Methods: The two 20-credit modules that make up this strand provide students with a practical ‘toolkit’ to enable them to evaluate critically research and to design and conduct independent research of their own.

Supervised Research Proposal (60 credits)

This directly underpins the final doctoral Dissertation, or thesis. You produce a substantial research proposal (10,000 words), delineating your research question and outlining your proposed research design.

The course will provide you with a structured and supportive environment within which you are encouraged to engage with the philosophy, context and practicalities of advanced practitioner research in Education and the Social Sciences.

During the Taught Phase, you will have approximately 50 hours of contact time with tutors per year. This includes seminars, keynote presentations, workshops and tutorials. The bulk of your learning – which should be approximately 550 hours per year, or around 12 hours per week – is done independently.

Part  2 – Research Phase – Year 3 onwards

Monthly meetings with supervisory team during term time (8/yr) 50-60,000 word dissertation – thesis - to submit. The thesis is assessed at Level 8 (Doctoral).

Entry Requirements

A minimum of a Second-Class Honours degree in a relevant discipline awarded by a UK university, or an equivalent higher education qualification.

Applicants should also have at least three years’ experience of professional practice relevant to the programme of study. A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline from a UK University (or an equivalent qualification from outside the UK) is desirable.

Applicants who do not satisfy the above requirements may nevertheless be considered eligible for admission if they have relevant experience. Such applicants may be asked to submit a written review of contemporary issues in their field that is judged by the University to demonstrate both a critical understanding of those issues and the potential to undertake research at doctoral level.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate a high level of competence in written and spoken English.

International Entry Requirements

Possess a degree from an overseas institution that is judged by the Registrar or Nominee to be equivalent to a second class honours degree from a UK University.

For students whose first language is not English there is a language requirement of IELTS 6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum of all components. In addition to this, we also accept a wide range of International Qualifications, for more information please visit our English Language Requirements page.

For additional information about country specific entry requirements visit the your country pages. 

Teaching and Research

You will be taught by experienced academics who are active researchers. We are committed to ensuring that the quality and relevance of our postgraduate research programmes are at the very highest level.

Modules in Phase One cover carefully chosen and well-defined areas of particular relevance to you as a developing professional researcher:

• You explore particular strands of research interest, gaining insights into the nature of research in practitioner contexts. These strands reflect research strengths and expertise in the School of Education and the School of Social Sciences.
• You develop advanced skills in a range of research approaches and methods, including their philosophical underpinnings
• You deepen your understanding of the social, political and policy contexts relevant to practitioner research
• You are encouraged to engage in reflexive, self-critical learning, relating material studied to your own professional context and interests.

The focus is on developing your skills and identity as a highly competent, ethical, reflexive practitioner-researcher. To support this, you will also need to sustain a substantial commitment to independent reading and research related to the modules and your research interests.

The varied assessments are designed to offer opportunities for you to build your skills towards the point where you are able to successfully to conceptualize, design and implement a rigorous and original research project leading to the generation of new knowledge, applications or understanding in your professional field. They are also designed to foster a critical integration of academic and professional knowledge and values. Critical reflection on your own practice is thus a sustained element of the assessments. Assignments will include presentations, essays, a pilot project and more. We provide timely, formative and detailed feedback on your work.

Phase Two

At the end of Phase 1, you are assessed for eligibility to progress to Phase 2. A key part of this when your Research Proposals is assessed for potential to succeed at Level 8 at a Confirmation of Doctoral Study Interview. If successful here, you are allocated a supervisory team and are registered for Phase 2, the Research Phase. In this Phase you will undertake a rigorous, original and significant piece of doctoral-level research. It will be based on the Research Proposal completed in Phase One, and relate to your professional practice. The phase lasts a minimum of twenty-four months.  The outcome is a 50-60,000 word doctoral dissertation (thesis) which makes an original contribution to knowledge and practice. Your supervisory team will guide, support and challenge you as you conduct your independent research project. Supervisors will meet with you monthly during term time.

Your research should aim to have a positive impact on professional practice and/or policy. In your application, your proposed area of research should reflect research strength and expertise in the School of Education and/or the School of Social Sciences.

Our School of Education has an international reputation for excellence in research and teaching. Our research is supported by an established and growing team of researchers. We have an active research culture with staff and doctoral students engaged in educational research, which is recognised locally, nationally, and internationally.

Our academic staff conduct cutting-edge research in the field of education and produce internationally excellent outputs.

There are the four broad areas of research that reflect the School of Education’s research strengths and expertise.

• Education pedagogy and practice(early years, primary, secondary and further/higher education)
• Social change and education(policy and politics)
• Children, families and communities(including education professionals, professional development for practitioners and teachers working within education).

Leadership and pedagogy in faith-based education contexts

UK/Channel Island Tuition Fees

Visit our Postgraduate research tuition fees page for full details

Funding

We offer a number of scholarships and loans to help fund your postgraduate studies. Visit our scholarships pages for more details.

EU/Non EU International Tuition Fees

Visit our Postgraduate research tuition fees page for full details

Students on this course may be eligible for Doctoral Loans to cover the cost of study, click here for further details.

Careers

Students on the Professional Doctorate are usually experienced professionals. Our students come from a range of professions engaging with childhood, education and social care. Past students have included senior teachers, headteachers and senior leaders in schools, school inspectors, civil servants and independent consultants, Higher Education lecturers and support staff, social workers, chaplains and special educational needs co-ordinators.

The Professional Doctorate focuses on enabling our graduates to become researching professionals. For some, this means a move into Higher Education, but for many others, it is about taking a critical, evidence-informed perspective at a senior level within their professional setting.

The design of the course, with its weekend delivery and focus on researching practice, is designed to accommodate students with busy professional careers.