Teacher explaining on the board

Mode of Study

Part-time

Duration

4-6 years part-time

Start date

September 2023

Professional Doctorate in Education EdD

The EdD is a doctoral level qualification designed for professionals working within the education sector. It provides a structured programme of advanced scholarship and research which is of equivalent level to the traditional PhD, but which is orientated towards professional practice. The course is aimed at professionals across a range of educational contexts – including teachers, lecturers, learning support professionals. trainers, educational consultants and early years practitioners.

What you'll experience

On this course you can:

  • Undertake a structured doctoral programme
  • Engage in explicit reflection on professional knowledge and practice 
  • Experience peer learning and networking opportunities afforded by the cohort approach

Benefits of an EdD

Routes that Prof Doc graduates have pursued after successful completion of their studies include:

  • Lecturer
  • Head teacher
  • Educational consultant
  • Researcher

Structure and teaching

The taught element of the programme is completed over two years and focusses on developing the knowledge and skills to enable you to successfully complete a doctoral level research project. On successful completion of the taught phase and submission of a research proposal, you will be assigned a supervisory team to support you in the completion of your doctoral thesis.

Core units you'll study include:

  • Professionalism and Professional Practice
  • Philosophy and Practice of Educational Research
  • Publication, Dissemination and Impact
  • Project Proposal

We use the best and most current research and professional practice, alongside feedback from our students, to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional units may not run every year. If a unit doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative unit.

Teaching and assessment

The taught element of the course is delivered through workshops and online discussions. The programme of themed workshops will include seminars led by the course team and opportunities for interactive group work. Workshops will take place on Friday afternoons and Saturdays in October and January during the taught component (years 1 and 2) of the programme. You will also have access to a Moodle site which contains relevant links and resources and which will enable discussions to continue between formal workshops.

As well as this, you will also be required to undertake independent study to supplement the formal teaching sessions, with appropriate guidance from a tutor or thesis supervisor.

    How you're assessed

    There is a wide variety of different assessments aimed at integrating academic knowledge and professional practice, including:

    • a reflective practice assignment
    • a small scale research project
    • a portfolio demonstrating suitable dissemination and impact strategies
    • a research proposal
    • a thesis viva voce examination

    Entry requirements

    A good honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject or equivalent professional experience, and demonstration of the ability to study at postgraduate level (60 level 7 credits, for example a PgCert, or equivalent). Applicants must be professionally engaged in the field of education in a way that enables them to achieve the programme learning outcomes. Applicants are subject to interview. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

    If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

    Tuition fees

    2023/2024 (Part time)

    • Home/CI part-time students: £3,200 p/a*

    • EU part-time students: £3,300 p/a* (including Transition Scholarship) 
    • International part-time students: £8,600 p/a*

    *All fees are subject to annual increase.

    This course is eligible for the Government Doctoral Loan.

    Tuition fees terms and conditions

    How to apply

    Before you start your application, you'll need to have the following documentation ready:

    • A personal statement
    • Proof of your first degree and grades (officially certified and translated copies if not in English)
    • Proof of a relevant postgraduate degree with at least 60 credits having been completed
    • Details of 2 referees or 2 references on official headed paper, one of which should ideally be an academic reference
    • Proof of your English language proficiency (if English is not your first language)
    • An up-to-date copy of your CV

    Apply now for our Professional Doctorate in Education