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| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2025-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
Doctor of Education
Overview
The Doctor of Education (EdD) online programme is ideal for individuals working across a wide variety of education, training, public service, industrial and community settings. Focus on a major independent study which will help you develop professionally and personally in your working role. Gain high-calibre research skills to generate new insights for the benefit of your own organisation and the education community at large.
Education in its broadest sense
Our Doctor of Education (EdD) has a broad appeal to those working within the field of education who wish to develop their skills in relation to their professional practice.
Academic rigour and expertise
Our online Doctor of Education (EdD) programme is delivered by research active academics and supervisors who have expertise across a broad variety of educational spheres and regularly publish their work in leading journals. The Doctor of Education will both support and challenge your thinking and perceptions based on the latest thinking and research within the field.
Research with real impact
This is an intellectually challenging programme which will stimulate your professional thinking. We will equip you to undertake a substantial, robust research project in the context of your own practice.
Structured for success
The first two years of the programme are designed to build your skills and confidence to engage in doctoral level study and to research your professional field. Individual tutorials offer essential guidance to steer your progress and thought-provoking seminar groups enable you to share experiences with fellow students from a wide range of backgrounds.
What you will study
Year One
- Develop Strategies and Skills for Professional Doctoral Research and Study
Year Two
- Develop Strategies and Skills for Professional Doctoral Research and Study
Year Three to Six
- Independent Research for Practice module (420 credits)
Core modules
Develop Strategies and Skills for Professional Doctoral Research and Study
This module is designed to enable you as a professional doctoral student, to understand and engage with doctoral level education and access a wide literature review to underpin your studies and to gain knowledge of your specialist field.
Module learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, you will be able to demonstrate that:
- You have developed a wide literature review within your field of study
- You have developed a critical synthesis and understanding of the value of ideas and evidence within your field
- You can critically analyse the nature of practitioner and professional research and synthesise this into professional practice, evaluating its application and significance
- You can present written work with clarity of academic writing at the appropriate level
Module content
The module is likely to include the following:
- The means to be able to reflect critically on professional practice and the synthesis of theoretical concepts/research practice as related to the potential impact on the professional field
- Developing a literature base in a chosen field of study and an ability to critically review that literature as a means to establish and deepen an academic position
- Developing effective contacts with professional associations, special interest research groups, relevant networks
- Developing an understanding of the expectations in writing for conference papers
- Conducting a critical assessment of academic publishing
- Identifying the criteria and means by which writing is accepted for publication in professional/academic journals
- Identifying trends in authorship, methodology and the linguistic features of selected journal articles
- Consideration of the role of publishing and presenting work in the construction and dissemination of knowledge within a field of study
- How policy, practice, ethics and the law influence professional research
How you will learn
The teaching and research supervision phase are delivered entirely online.
The two years taught phase of the programme combine self-study with live seminars to enhance your learning. You will be given access to the learning materials each week to complete the activities at your own pace.
To enhance your learning experience, you will have access to a broad range of learning resources such as discussion boards, interactive Padlets, and live tutorials. Through the use of Blackboard Ultra, you will asynchronously engage with a variety of study materials, seminars and tutorials.
How you are assessed
On the Doctor of Education programme, your academic skills will be formatively and summatively assess through a range of different tasks. These tasks are carefully designed to ensure you have the necessary ability to produce a thesis of doctoral standard and length. You will also have the opportunity to articulate and disseminate your professional expertise.
Over the course of the whole programme, you will undertake the following:
- An analysis of the nature of practitioner research within professional practice
- A reflective literature review focused on your area of study
- An extended essay justifying your chosen educational research methodology for your professional research. You will consider research ethics and an appreciation of contemporary philosophical debates about educational research
- A viva voce examination of a professionally researched thesis
Pace of Study
The EdD is a part-time online programme which can be completed in a minimum of 4 years, however typically it would take 6-8 years to complete. The maximum registration period is 8 years.
To achieve your Doctorate of Education, you will need to complete one taught 60-credit module in year one, one taught 60-credit module year two and an Independent Research for Practice module (420 credits) from year three onwards.
Who will teach you
Dr Jack Bryne Stothard
Programme Leader
Dr Jack Bryne Stothard
As a Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Education, Dr Stothard works with masters and doctoral students in various fields pertaining to education. In particular, he teaches and supervises doctoral student working towards a Doctorate in Education.
Dr Adam Brett
Lecturer in Education
Dr Adam Brett
View full staff profile
Dr Dominik Jackson-Cole
Early Career Academic - Public Services
Dr Dominik Jackson-Cole
My professional and research interest are in race, racism, antiracism and decoloniality in higher education, particularly working on such issues as closing the racialised degree awarding gap, fighting racial harassment on campus and systemic inequalities.
Dr Marco Antonio Delgado-Fuentes
Senior Lecturer in Childhood
Dr Marco Antonio Delgado-Fuentes
Dr Marco Antonio Delgado-Fuentes is a Senior Lecturer in Childhood. Marco works across various undergraduate and graduate programmes, Mainly in the MA in Education and conducting research studies in the area of international early childhood education.
Dr Jennifer Marshall
Senior Lecturer MA Education
Dr Jennifer Marshall
Senior Lecturer in Education Studies and MA Education
Dr Stuart Connor
Senior Lecturer in Education
Dr Stuart Connor
Connor Stuart
Careers
Our students choose this programme as a crucial part of their personal and professional development. You will gain impressive skills in research, analysis, critical and strategic thinking which will enhance your performance in your current role while paving the way to further career opportunities. The doctorate is often a stepping stone from a mid- career education professional to a more senior teaching and leadership roles such as, university discipline lead, senior lecturer, education consultant, director of training and development, senior curriculum specialist and instructional designer, and education policy analyst.
Entry requirements
You will usually hold a masters award in an appropriate academic field, and have significant experience of work within your professional practice (usually two years minimum).
You should have high levels of competence in English. If necessary, this should be demonstrated by IELTS 7.
Your Research Proposal (containing the following detail):
- A working title
- One or more research questions
- An indication of what the general topic area and main aim/s of your study is/are
- The reasons why your proposal will contribute to knowledge (theory, practice, policy, etc.). The proposal should show there is a genuine gap in the literature, as the doctorate study will need to be genuine, original, and contribute to the area you are proposing to study
- An explanation if there is a problem / gap in your proposed subject of study
- The benefits that your proposed research will bring
- A literature review that offers an overview in the specific area proposed to contribute to
- A brief research design
- Details of your proposed sample, data collection methods, methods of analysis, ethical considerations, and location of your proposed study
- An overview of any relevant experience you already have in the areas you want to research
Fees and funding
‡2025/26 for new entrants
Starting between September 2025 and August 2026.
UK/EU fee: £3,300 per year International fee: £3,300 per year
About your fees
This figure would be the total cost of this course based on the fee in the current academic year. However, please note that fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase if your course lasts longer than one year.
If you are required to undertake any associate study or additional study as a condition of your offer for the programme, please be aware that the cost for this may be in addition to the programme cost stated above.
UK/EU fee: £3,300 per year International fee: £3,300 per year
Please note that the instalment calendar for this programme is as follows:
Trimester in which course begins | Initial payment up front (25%) | 2nd payment (25%) due | 3rd payment (25%) due | 4th payment (25%) due | Total payment made (100%)
---|---|---|---|---|---
Autumn | Initial payment up front (25%)Enrolment = £825 | 2nd payment (25%) due1 November = £825 | 3rd payment (25%) due1 February = £825 | 4th payment (25%) due1 May = £825 | Total payment made (100%)£3,300
