Doctor of Education (EdD)

Structure

Content

The programme is organised into two parts.

Part 1

Four taught modules of 30 credits each, giving a total of 120 credits:

• Action Research and Evaluation in Education - This module explores the methods and challenges involved when professionals engage in researching their own practice and/or context. Issues of reflexivity and ethics are particularly focused upon.
• Theoretical Perspectives on Teaching and Learning - A range of theoretical perspectives available to researchers in educational settings are discussed in this module including, as an example sociocultural theory.
• Researching Educational Policies and Professional Identities - Methodologies and methods for studying education policies and professional identities are the focus for this module.
• Advanced Preparation for Research - This module allows students to develop their skills and understanding in developing their own research proposal.

Part 2

Supervised study with a Director of Studies and one or more supervisors supporting you as you engage in a piece of research resulting in a written thesis of 60,000 words.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.

Learning and Teaching

Will I have specialist support for my research?

There are two aspects to research supervision: support for the substantive theme of your research (for example management styles, nursing practice, policy training, social bases for pupil disaffection) and support for the methodological challenges you face (for example is it appropriate to use a survey or how do I handle the ethics of observing the work of my colleagues?).

We will always provide support for methodological challenges and if required, will also provide support for the substantive theme of your research. However, some people prefer to cope with the substantive challenge themselves and to use supervision to advance their methodological understanding.

We can offer supervision across a wide range of substantive and methodological fields, some examples of which include: case study; statistical procedures; quasi-experimental design; grounded theory; discourse analysis; social theory (for example Bourdieu); action research; interpretative sociology; life history research; feminist approaches; questionnaire design; narrative research; focus group work.

Student Views

"The EdD route was particularly helpful for me, after a gap of several years. Since completion of my Masters, it encouraged me to get back into the disciplines of evaluating sources, of relating theory to practice effectively, and of being appropriately academically critical. As a part-time student, the level of online support and a community of mature fellow-learners from comparable academic backgrounds was a great benefit."

"Overall the EdD was a hugely enjoyable and rewarding experience... A number of key strands remain with me; a continuing interest and engagement with both the substantive and research literature, a more profound knowledge of a number of important areas of my work in education, and a broader horizon of approaches to understand complex issues". 

"I was fortunate in that I had my headteacher role already, so the EdD has not advanced my career in the orthodox sense but it has advanced my knowledge, skills and confidence".

Hear more from our EdD students.

Study time

What will my time commitment be?

Each component has a specified number of hours 'contact time'. In addition, you should plan to spend between 20 to 30 hours each month engaged in personal and directed study.