Accredited by EMCC Global
DCM Doctor of Coaching and Mentoring
Advance your professional expertise through doctoral-level enquiry and research into doctor of coaching and mentoring.
Key facts
- Duration
- Full time: 12 months
- Part time: 3 to 5 years
- Starts
- September 2027
- Level
- Master's and postgraduate
- UCAS code
- P046238
- Location
- Headington
- School
- Oxford Brookes Business School
About this course
We designed this course for experienced coaches/mentors looking to deepen their knowledge, show commitment and contribute to the evidence base of the field.
The Doctor of Coaching and Mentoring programme develops the capabilities needed to become a researcher and leader in the field and foster excellence in your practice. We will challenge you to build on your existing expertise and push the boundaries of your knowledge so you can:
- operate at the highest level in coaching, mentoring and personal development
- develop confidence in providing facilitation and consultancy
- be competent in researching the field.
Our teaching staff have specific research interests in coaching and mentoring or related fields. We also invite specialists to provide further expert input.
To complete your doctoral thesis, the course includes:
- doctoral thesis training (taught modules and workshops)
- design of original empirical research
- professional expertise and scholarly inquiry.
This is a part-time, distance learning course, delivered by the International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies.
Accreditations
- Accredited by EMCC Global.
Academic support
Benefit from a supervisory team of experts to support your work. You will also be joining a centre with an international team, who are experienced and research active.
Employability
Network and discuss your work with staff, alumni and students within ICCaMS and beyond. Engage with the Coaching and Mentoring community, including professional bodies.
Adaptive Learning
Flexible distance learning through online delivery with regular intensive blocks of study available via on-campus or synchronous virtual attendance.
Supported Progression
Range of coaching and mentoring, and related topics supported. Regular milestones to support progression and timely completion of doctoral award.
Research expertise
The International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies is at the forefront of coaching and mentoring research. The Doctor of Coaching and Mentoring has operated since 2006.
Our journal (International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching & Mentoring), annual Research and Coaching supervision conferences, and professional network OBCAMS (the Oxford Brookes Coaching and Mentoring Society) offer excellent opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of research and ideas.
Research areas include: philosophical underpinnings of coaching; developmental, leadership and team coaching; resilience; embodiment; transfer of learning; coaching and mentoring and social change; ethics and coaching and the coaching relationship.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
There are two entry points for the Doctor of Coaching and Mentoring:
Graduate entry
For graduate entry into the five-year DCM programme you should normally have a good honours degree, plus three years' minimum experience in coaching/mentoring.
Direct entry
For direct entry into the later stage of the DCM programme you should have an appropriate master’s level qualification, with a merit profile and a minimum of five years’ experience of coaching/mentoring.
Depending on the entry stage, you may be eligible for exemptions from certain elements of the programme.
Applications are accepted year-round for September entry. This programme has a limited number of places, so early applications are advisable. Application deadline is 30th June.
For further details on the DCM programme, including entry requirement forms, email ahss-research@brookes.ac.uk and staff profiles can be found here Staff - Oxford Brookes University.
Supporting Documents
When applying for this programme of study please upload all of the required supporting documents listed below to the online application portal.
We suggest merging your supporting documents into a single PDF file. Please note there are two specifically designated options for you to upload your two references to.
- copies of your previous degree transcripts and certificates (both undergraduate and postgraduate)
- a scan of your passport
- two academic references
- a 2,000-word Research Topic Proposal (Direct entry) or a 1,000-word Research Topic Proposal (Graduate entry)
- evidence of funding (we require evidence of personal funds or letter from funder if being sponsored)
- international students must also provide an English Language Certificate with an IELTS score of at least 7.0.
- *Please comment in your motivation statement and research proposal upon your ability to access resources (IT, library) which will ensure you can attend relevant online and intensive sessions, and how you intend to manage your time commitment to doctoral studies.
Application deadline is 30th June for September entry.
Fees and funding
Fees
| Fee types | 2026/27 | 2027/28 |
|---|---|---|
| Home distance learning | £8,250 (Years 1-2), £9,500 (Years 3-5) | £8,500 (Years 1-2), £9,750 (Years 3-5) |
| Home part-time | £8,250 (Years 1-2), £9,500 (Years 1-2) | £9,750 Fees for Years 3-5, £8,500 Fees for Years 1-2 |
| International distance learning | £8,250 Fees for Years 1-2, £9,500 Fees for Years 3-5 | £8,500 Fees for Years 1-2, £9,750 Fees for Years 3-5 |
Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page.
Questions about fees?
Learning and assessment
The course is designed as a part-time, distance learning programme over 3 or 5 plus years. The first two stages focus on taught level 7 and 8 modules, and usually takes three years to complete. You will then move on to the third stage, the thesis, which usually takes a further two years to complete.
Stage One (Graduate entry) - comprises two years of part-time study covering six level 7 modules plus a research project module (same as MA Coaching & Mentoring). With level 7 exemptions, for existing masters qualifications the direct entry point allows candidates to complete in three years.
Stage Two (Direct entry) - comprises one year of part-time study covering four level 8 modules and doctoral supervision.
Stage Three - comprises a minimum of two years of part-time study focused on the development and execution of a research project. You will be supported through doctoral supervision, structured workshops and practice viva opportunities.
This programme has been designed as a distance learning where you will learn via interactive and high-quality online resources. At the DCM stage (admission with credit) you participate in live online seminars. Each semester, has an intensive 3-5 day block of sessions you can join synchronously or attend on campus. You are supported supervisory team throughout Stage Two and Three of the DCM.
Your learning will be visual, written and verbal - emphasising written work. Each module builds upon the last, helping you to deepen your practice. Your tutors will closely support you as you develop your research skills and deepen your academic abilities.
Assessment
You will be assessed on a variety of coursework assignments and a thesis at both Stage 1 and stage 3. Progress to stage 2 depends upon a satisfactory merit profile and merit thesis at level 7.
To progress to the third stage of the course, you must successfully complete assignments based on methodological taught modules at level 8. The final doctoral thesis (60,000 words) is examined by traditional viva voce (oral examination) by an internal, and at least one, external examiner.
Careers
By graduating from the Doctor of Coaching and Mentoring programme, you can expect to be recognised as an expert in your field. This will enhance existing organisational and freelance careers and create employment opportunities or promotions.
You are encouraged to publish while on the course and after completion of the thesis. It is likely that you will continue to write for both the popular practitioner and academic press following your doctoral award. Several DCM alumni have published book chapters and books on their doctoral studies.
There may be further career opportunities in academia and industry where the highest level of achievement is recognised and rewarded.
How to apply
- Complete your research proposal
- Compile a personal/motivation statement and identify relevant members of the ICCAMs team who may be interested in your proposal
- Gather your supporting documents (listed below)
- Make a direct application.
If you have any difficulty completing your application, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Supporting Documents
When applying for this programme of study please upload all of the required supporting documents listed below to the online application portal.
We suggest merging your supporting documents into a single PDF file. Please note there are two specifically designated options for you to upload your two references to.
- copies of your previous degree transcripts and certificates (both undergraduate and postgraduate)
- a scan of your passport
- two academic references
- a 2,000-word Research Topic Proposal (Direct entry) or a 1,000-word Research Topic Proposal (Graduate entry)
- evidence of funding (we require evidence of personal funds or letter from funder if being sponsored)
- international students must also provide an English Language Certificate with an IELTS score of at least 7.0.
- Please comment in your motivation statement and research proposal upon your ability to access resources (IT, library) which will ensure you can attend relevant online and intensive sessions, and how you intend to manage your time commitment to doctoral studies.
Application deadline is Monday 23rd June 2025 for September/October 2025 entry. We cannot guarantee that applications submitted after this date can be considered for Autumn 2025 entry.
Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)