60 monthsProgramme duration
01 Jun, 2026Application Deadline
OctStarting Month
Programme overview
Main Subject
Education and Training
Degree
Other
Study Level
PHD
Study Mode
On Campus
The professional doctorate is a part-time doctoral research degree. It is fully equivalent to the PhD, but substantially different from it in that it is strongly professionally oriented, focusing on ‘applied’ rather than ‘pure’ research.
While the PhD generally prepares candidates for a research-based career, the professional doctorate is a more in-service orientated degree, addressing the career needs of practising professionals, particularly those in or who aspire to senior positions within their professions. The linkages between research-based knowledge and its application in a wide range of professional settings are central to this doctorate.
We offer an integrated professional doctorate scheme within which education, health, social work and social policy professionals engage together in integrated learning for some of the taught modules. This unique inter-professional learning allows you to reflect on what is shared across professional boundaries and what is distinctive to their own occupational traditions.
Above all, a professional doctorate is an opportunity to examine contemporary leading theories and research evidence, and to apply these within the professional context.
The EdD taught modules enable experienced students to reflect on their own identity and practice based on contemporary educational issues and their interaction with the wider framework of educational systems and social, cultural and political contexts. Underlying this approach is a commitment to exploring how public, political and personal orientations to teaching and learning are intrinsically connected to educational practice. Particular attention is paid to theoretical frameworks relevant questions of power; professional identity; leadership and governance; and equality in the context of educational practices and organisations.
The other distinctive pathways within the professional doctorate scheme are:
While the PhD generally prepares candidates for a research-based career, the professional doctorate is a more in-service orientated degree, addressing the career needs of practising professionals, particularly those in or who aspire to senior positions within their professions. The linkages between research-based knowledge and its application in a wide range of professional settings are central to this doctorate.
We offer an integrated professional doctorate scheme within which education, health, social work and social policy professionals engage together in integrated learning for some of the taught modules. This unique inter-professional learning allows you to reflect on what is shared across professional boundaries and what is distinctive to their own occupational traditions.
Above all, a professional doctorate is an opportunity to examine contemporary leading theories and research evidence, and to apply these within the professional context.
The EdD taught modules enable experienced students to reflect on their own identity and practice based on contemporary educational issues and their interaction with the wider framework of educational systems and social, cultural and political contexts. Underlying this approach is a commitment to exploring how public, political and personal orientations to teaching and learning are intrinsically connected to educational practice. Particular attention is paid to theoretical frameworks relevant questions of power; professional identity; leadership and governance; and equality in the context of educational practices and organisations.
The other distinctive pathways within the professional doctorate scheme are:
Programme overview
Main Subject
Education and Training
Degree
Other
Study Level
PHD
Study Mode
On Campus
The professional doctorate is a part-time doctoral research degree. It is fully equivalent to the PhD, but substantially different from it in that it is strongly professionally oriented, focusing on ‘applied’ rather than ‘pure’ research.
While the PhD generally prepares candidates for a research-based career, the professional doctorate is a more in-service orientated degree, addressing the career needs of practising professionals, particularly those in or who aspire to senior positions within their professions. The linkages between research-based knowledge and its application in a wide range of professional settings are central to this doctorate.
We offer an integrated professional doctorate scheme within which education, health, social work and social policy professionals engage together in integrated learning for some of the taught modules. This unique inter-professional learning allows you to reflect on what is shared across professional boundaries and what is distinctive to their own occupational traditions.
Above all, a professional doctorate is an opportunity to examine contemporary leading theories and research evidence, and to apply these within the professional context.
The EdD taught modules enable experienced students to reflect on their own identity and practice based on contemporary educational issues and their interaction with the wider framework of educational systems and social, cultural and political contexts. Underlying this approach is a commitment to exploring how public, political and personal orientations to teaching and learning are intrinsically connected to educational practice. Particular attention is paid to theoretical frameworks relevant questions of power; professional identity; leadership and governance; and equality in the context of educational practices and organisations.
The other distinctive pathways within the professional doctorate scheme are:
While the PhD generally prepares candidates for a research-based career, the professional doctorate is a more in-service orientated degree, addressing the career needs of practising professionals, particularly those in or who aspire to senior positions within their professions. The linkages between research-based knowledge and its application in a wide range of professional settings are central to this doctorate.
We offer an integrated professional doctorate scheme within which education, health, social work and social policy professionals engage together in integrated learning for some of the taught modules. This unique inter-professional learning allows you to reflect on what is shared across professional boundaries and what is distinctive to their own occupational traditions.
Above all, a professional doctorate is an opportunity to examine contemporary leading theories and research evidence, and to apply these within the professional context.
The EdD taught modules enable experienced students to reflect on their own identity and practice based on contemporary educational issues and their interaction with the wider framework of educational systems and social, cultural and political contexts. Underlying this approach is a commitment to exploring how public, political and personal orientations to teaching and learning are intrinsically connected to educational practice. Particular attention is paid to theoretical frameworks relevant questions of power; professional identity; leadership and governance; and equality in the context of educational practices and organisations.
The other distinctive pathways within the professional doctorate scheme are:
Admission Requirements
600+
7+
You must possess a good first degree and usually have completed a master’s degree. You should also have two or more years’ professional experience in a field appropriate to your chosen pathway.
Much of the module learning and associated assignments aim to support applied professional development and you are expected to have experience of - or current access to - professional settings in a field appropriate to your doctoral degree.
Much of the module learning and associated assignments aim to support applied professional development and you are expected to have experience of - or current access to - professional settings in a field appropriate to your doctoral degree.
01 Jun 2026
5 Years
Oct
- Candidates are required to submit references or letter(s) of recommendation for acceptance
Scholarships
Selecting the right scholarship can be a daunting process. With countless options available, students often find themselves overwhelmed and confused. The decision can be especially stressful for those facing financial constraints or pursuing specific academic or career goals.
To help students navigate this challenging process, we recommend the following articles:
How to get a full scholarship
Looking for a fully-funded scholarship to see you into university? Find out how to boost your chances of getting one.
By Sabrina Collier
Updated Aug 29, 2024
981.3K
2235
Scholarships to study abroad
Find scholarships to study abroad with our lists of international scholarships – categorized by country, by subject, and by type of student.
By Staff Writer
Updated Aug 21, 2024
498.0K
788
Scholarship Applications: Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to all your questions about scholarship applications, including tips on how to find scholarships and chances of success.
By Laura Tucker
Updated Aug 14, 2021
225.7K
334
More programmes from the university
PHD Programmes
99
Get closer to your dream programme
Your consent preferences have been set.
Time to start exploring.
Your account has been removed.
You can still browse the site or sign up again once you have parental consent.
Get closer to your dream programme