Community Education

Description

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The Professional Doctorate is a vehicle for advanced Continuing Professional Development, not a certificate of competence to practice. The aims of the programme are:

- to critically appraise the current evidential basis of teaching, learning and assessment practice;

- to develop relevant advanced specialist research, development & dissemination skills;

- to make a valuable and original contribution to knowledge, methodology, practice and policy;

which meets accepted standards of rigour and excellence, and is widely disseminated.

Contents

The structure is of 5 Modules spread over 3 Levels. All modules are individually tailored to theinterests/expertise of the entrant and the needs of their employer or sponsor. They are very flexible and adapted to the needs of part-time candidates. Each Level can be independently award-bearing, if candidates wish to leave with a lesser award.

At Level 1, candidates undertake Research Methods Training and complete a Critical Analysis and Review of Research Literature (in their specialist area of choice). (You can exit here with a Postgraduate Diploma in advanced professional practice.) At Level 2, each candidate develops an Individualised Learning Plan for future modules. They then complete a second research module on a topic of their choice. (You can exit here with a Masters degree in advanced professional practice.) At Level 3, there are Modules 3, 4 and 5. These are also research modules on a topic or topics of your choice. They may be related to each other or quite independent of each other. Each module is assessed by a written product of 15,000 words.

Recognition of Prior Learning is possible for up to 50% of the degree, when the material for recognition has not been submitted for any other award and when it is of a high enough standard. Peer reviewed journal publications or research reports are good examples of suitable products for recognition.

Methods of Assessment:

The total written output required is the same as Ph.D. candidates would put into one single thesis. However, for the Professional Doctorate this can be split into five modular products each of 15,000 words. You can combine these into larger and deeper studies if you wish, subject to the agreement of your personal supervisor. Module 1 is designed to help sharpen up your technical writing skills. The standards and criteria are rigorous, as you would expect at doctoral level, but you are given support to ensure you achieve those standards. These written assignments are intended to be easily reducible to a paper which can be submitted for publication, and candidates are strongly encouraged and supported to do this.

Requirements

Entrants should hold a first degree in a relevant subject, and usually a relevant masters degree. Entrants would normally be expected to have some field experience in education or be currently working in the field. Entrants with different experience may be suitable for our other professional doctorate degrees (in Educational Psychology, Education, Social Work).

English Language Requirement: IELTS of 6.5 (or equivalent), if your first language is not English.

English Language Requirements

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa.

The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.