EdD Education

• Focus your attention on the nature of educational practice itself. Approach education in its broadest sense. Study and theorise the nature of your work from a social perspective - then relate this back to your own practice.
• Engage with a range of new ideas with which to re-think educational practice on a carefully organised course with a clear structure based on a social perspective on education.
• Study on a flexible and work-friendly programme that has been structured to fit around your existing commitments. You’ll probably study part time over five years (two years of taught modules and three years of thesis) but you can take up to seven if you need to. Choose to start at masters level if you are unsure about doctoral study.
• Begin to engage with new educational theory at the University-based sessions. Participate in lively discussions and share ideas with others on your course in seminars, lectures and workshops.
• Access a wide range of support and resources to fuel your independent study. Draw on books and journals and an online environment where you’ll communicate with and draw support from your peers and from staff with a long history of excellence in professional development.
• Meet and share ideas with others in your cohort from a range of disciplines. Tap into this diversity to compare the interrelationships between policy and practice across different educational areas and institutions.
• Make your mark on the future of education as part of our learning community where you can link into active and renowned research networks. Find out more about research within the Institute of Education.
• Attend our annual postgraduate research conference and present your ongoing ideas in a challenging and supportive environment.

• Part one, year 1

• Part one is the modular stage of the programme and spans two years. Over the two years of part one you cover four modules, including policy and professional practice, professional learning, researching education practice, and social research. These modules are assessed by work amounting to 5,000 words and assignments are fitting for a research community, such as: a paper for submission to a journal; a conference paper with associated presentation and rationale; a small scale research project to explore methodological issues; or a traditional essay.

  Core modules

  • Policy and Professional Practice (EDD613)

    Students will consider the influence of policy discourses on the education aspects of their particular professional disciplines. Discourses will be compared over time and across professional and cultural contexts. The ways in which various groups are privileged and marginalised by different discourses will be considered, as will the links between policy, systems, working practices and professional identities.

  • Professional Learning (EDD614)

    This module critically evaluates models of professionalism and professional learning set within the context of theories of expertise. It argues that for genuine organisational improvement, strategies and approaches must evolve from practitioners themselves. Models, approaches and the many issues surrounding practitioner research are explored.

  Optional modules

  • Researching Education Practice (EDD623)

    Through this module, students will consider critically the nature and needs of different groups and communities in the context of education. These will be considered from a variety of cultural, historical and social perspectives. Students will develop new approaches to ethical professional practice, exploring the making, managing and evaluation of educational change.

  • Professional Doctorate in Education Thesis Proposal (EDD633)

• Part one, year 2

• Core modules

  • Researching Education Practice (EDD623)

    Through this module, students will consider critically the nature and needs of different groups and communities in the context of education. These will be considered from a variety of cultural, historical and social perspectives. Students will develop new approaches to ethical professional practice, exploring the making, managing and evaluation of educational change.

  • Social Research (EDD624)

    In this module students will consider how and why people do research. They will examine epistemology and theoretical perspectives underpinning research methodologies, approaches and methods, particularly as relevant to an applied practitioner research context. The module aims to equip students with the skills to design, conduct, analyse, write up and critically evaluate research.

• Part two, year 3

• Part two is the thesis stage of the programme and spans four years. You stay connected with termly workshops during the first two years of part two, then, in the final year, you present a thesis of approximately 50,000 words, assessed through a viva voce exam. The thesis comprises a substantial piece of original research into an area of practice of your own choosing, through which you make an original contribution to knowledge.

  Core modules

  • Professional Doctorate in Education Thesis Proposal (EDD633)

• Part two, year 4

• Core modules

  • Research Education (GSREDUC4)

• Part two, year 5

• Core modules

  • Research Education (GSREDUC5)

• Part two, year 6

• Core modules

  • Research Education (GSREDUC6)

• Final year

• Core modules

  • Research Education (GSREDUC7)

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest programme structure and may be subject to change:

Professional Doctorate in Education 3960

• The potential to study at doctoral level. This would normally be indicated by successful completion of a masters degree, but in exceptional cases may be through successful completion of a task set by the admissions tutor(s).
• An ability to work collaboratively in exploring and developing experience and ideas.
• That you are working in a professional context where you are responsible for supporting learning. Candidates not currently working in a professional context, but with appropriate and sufficiently extensive experience, may be considered at the discretion of the admissions tutor(s). If you are in professional practice but, in the opinion of the admissions team, do not yet have sufficient or appropriate experience to draw on, you may be deemed ineligible.
• A strong commitment to educational enquiry and the ability to reflect critically on practice, as a means of professional learning.

The following points will also be taken into account in selecting candidates:

• Accreditation for prior certificated learning (APCL) will be considered up to 120 credits and normally only for work completed at doctoral level within the last seven years.
• Accreditation for prior experiential learning (APEL) may, exceptionally, be considered. This will be done in the line with the guidance in the programme and University regulations.

If you are an overseas applicant you can check the compatibility of your qualifications with the UK equivalent through UK ECCTIS, who provide an advisory service.

English language requirement

If your first language is not English then evidence of English proficiency is required. The level of proficiency that is required can vary with the type of programme for which you are applying. For further advice on the appropriateness of overseas qualification and proficiency in the use of English, please contact our International Office.

The minimum IELTS score for acceptable English proficiency for entry is normally 6.5.  View detailed English language requirements.  

Guidance notes for applying for the Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD)

We hope that these notes act as a useful guide to applying for the Doctorate in Education (EdD) programme.

Initial contact

For an initial discussion about the EdD programme please email the Doctoral College. Administrative staff will be happy to respond to your enquiry and will redirect you to academic staff where appropriate.

How the application process works

When you're ready to apply you should complete the application form for postgraduate study, which you can find on our applicants and enquirers page.

Here is a summary of the process:

• Initial contact - email doctoralcollege@plymouth.ac.uk.
• Application - download the application form for postgraduate study from the website and, once complete, send it to the Doctoral College.
• Selection - your application will be sent to staff at the Plymouth Institute of Education who will consider documentary evidence and then invite you to interview, if appropriate.
• Notification - once a decision has been made, the Doctoral College will write to you to offer you a place, or to decline your application.
• Programme preparation and start - once accepted, the Plymouth Institute of Education will be your first port of call for day-to-day information about the programme.

Completing the application form

Read the information about meeting entry requirements listed above on this page and check that you meet them. If you are unsure, or have circumstances that might be considered as an alternative to particular requirements then contact the Doctoral College and ask to discuss them.

The application form is largely self-explanatory, but requires you to write a personal statement/research proposal. For the EdD you can write as you choose, but please include information about the following:

• Why you are interested in the EdD and its focus on professional practice and, specifically, why you are interested in it over and above a PhD.
• What the focus of your research is likely to be. Note that we do not expect you to know this in detail at this stage, and you will be able to refine/alter the focus later, under guidance. However, candidates will only be accepted on the basis that we are able to supervise their likely topic effectively. Please take time to look at the Institute of Education web pages, which will give you an idea of the areas we support.
• Your current professional situation and what it is about this situation that makes it mutually compatible with the EdD.
• Why, and how, you think you are capable of undertaking work at doctoral level (showing what you understand this to imply) and, in particular, of undertaking a large piece of original research.
• Over and above these specific points, we need to know you are capable of working at the level that the EdD demands, that you are willing to become part of a cohort of mutually supportive professionals and that you are able to commit yourself sufficiently to what is an exciting, but very demanding and time consuming endeavour, over an extended period of time.