Program Overview

Doctorate by Published, Established and Creative Works PhD

The Professional Doctorate by Published, Established and Creative Works is a distinctive course within Nottingham Trent University's portfolio of research degrees. Candidates who successfully complete the degree will be entitled to use the title 'Doctor'. This course is aimed at senior professionals who have already undertaken work at the highest level in their sphere of professional practice, and who now wish to convert that work into a doctoral degree.

About this Course

Applications are welcomed from the United Kingdom and internationally. Candidates do not undertake new research during their time on the course. Instead, they must submit a portfolio of existing work in advance of enrolling on the course. This is evaluated by researchers with expertise in the relevant area, to ensure that it demonstrates doctoral level contribution to knowledge or practice.

What you'll Study

While traditional academic outputs, such as peer-reviewed journal articles, may form part of the portfolio, this is not essential. There is scope to include a range of non-traditional outputs within the portfolio, as long as these are of direct relevance to the needs of legal practice, commerce, industry, culture, society, and to the public and voluntary sectors. However, some level of dissemination will be required.

• Examples of outputs that can be considered for inclusion in the portfolio include:
  • Driving or drafting of policies or procedures at national or international level
  • Practice-related research or investigation carried out outside an academic context
  • Judgments or arguments/opinions which advance or change the law or legal practice
  • Outputs that have been adopted for use by a wider audience, locally, regionally, nationally or internationally

How you're Taught

Successful applicants will work under the supervision of an academic expert to produce a unifying thesis (approximately 20,000 words). The thesis will engage critically with relevant theory and literature in the field, explain and contextualise the work, and demonstrate professional and/or organisational change as a direct result of the work. The award is assessed by way of the portfolio of work and unifying thesis, and a viva voce examination.

Who will Teach you

The course is taught by experienced academics, including:

Pamela Henderson

Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University.

Entry Requirements

This Doctorate is open to candidates who are either:

• Graduates of at least five years' standing
• Current employees of an institution accredited for research degrees or of another research organisation recognised for this purpose

All applicants will be required to submit a proposal to the NTU Doctoral School, which will be considered by the relevant School Research Degrees Committee.

• The proposal would normally include:
  • Details of the existing body of published or creative work to be considered for the research award
  • A one-thousand-word statement which sets out the significant contribution to knowledge
  • A statement which outlines the applicant's contribution to the body of the existing published or creative works

Fees and Funding

For information on fees and funding, please visit the university's website.

• UK students:
  • See the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support
  • Doctoral loans are available from Student Finance England and Student Finance Wales
  • Studentships are available, with opportunities across all academic disciplines
• International students:
  • See the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships
  • Studentships are available, with opportunities across all academic disciplines
  • Living costs and budgeting advice are available

Careers and Employability

The university offers a range of support and services to help students achieve their career goals, including:

• Employability Promise: Personalised support, one-on-one coaching and industry-specific advice
• Assessed work-like experience: At least eight weeks of assessed work-like experience is embedded into all courses
• NTU Enterprise: Support for budding entrepreneurs, including training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more

Additional Costs

• Textbooks and library books: Many textbooks and recommended reading are available online or in the university libraries, but some students may choose to buy their own copies
• Printing and photocopying costs: The university allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20, depending on the course