Course summary

Professional Doctorates at Keele provide rigorous, structured programmes of advanced study and research, equivalent in status to a PhD but usually taken on a part-time basis and reflecting professionally focused contexts. They are normally completed in 6 years part-time. The Education (EdD) professional doctorate is a programme specifically designed for professionals - policymakers, leaders and managers, academics and teachers - at all levels of education, from early childhood through further and higher education, to lifelong learning. A professional doctorate provides a rigorous programme of advanced study and research, equally rigorous to the purely research-orientated PhD. Programmes are delivered using blended face-to-face and online means, as students are usually in full-time work whilst on programme. The Doctorate in Education is a 4-8 year part-time course, normally completed in 6 years. During the first two years, students take taught modules with assessments that are designed to explore and structure the research project. After successfully completing these assignments, students undertake their research project under the guidance of supervisors. The final degree is awarded on the successful submission and examination of a thesis (of 60,000 words) in the same way as for a PhD. Specifically, the EdD aims to:

• Promote an understanding of research evidence and methodologies relevant to professional practitioners

• Develop a critical awareness of the policy context in which professional practice takes place

• Enable participants to undertake a research study of relevance to their professional activities.