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Doctor of Education

EdD

Key facts
Overview
How to apply
Tuition fees
Learning and assessment
Research
After you graduate

Key facts

Start dates

September 2020

Location

Harcourt Hill

Course length

Part time: 4-7 years

Department

School of Education

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Overview

Our Doctor of Education (EdD) is a professionally-focused, cohort-based doctorate. Aimed primarily at experienced professionals working in education, health and related fields. You should have at least four years’ experience in a relevant professional area. And hold a good postgraduate master’s degree from a recognised university.

This course allows you to pursue doctoral study in the context of your professional role. And combines a taught course with independent research. Our academics are highly regarded and at the forefront of their subjects. Cutting-edge, research-led teaching will advance your knowledge and develop your professional skills.

You will develop advanced research skills to become an independent, reflective and competent researcher. And benefit from our rich, diverse, intellectual and social environment. 

We designed our programme of study to meet the needs of people in full-time employment. Taught elements of the programme are delivered both virtually and face-to-face.

Visit us at one of our EdD information sessions: 28 January 2020 / 04 March 2020 / 12 May 2020.

Female student studying with headphones in

How to apply

Entry requirements

Specific entry requirements

You should normally have at least four years’ experience in a relevant professional area, and should hold a postgraduate master's degree from a recognised university. 

We will be looking for a good grade (usually merit or distinction) in your master's, and you will need to provide an extract from your dissertation or from an equally substantial piece of academic writing.

We also ask you to provide a statement in support of your application, not exceeding 1,000 words, which should indicate:

  • possible areas of research for your thesis (we recognise this may change during the course of your doctoral studies)
  • why you want to join the EdD programme
  • how you feel that it will enhance your professional development.

Please also see the University's general entry requirements.

English language requirements

An IELTS score of 7 is required for those students whose first language is not English and who have not studied for their undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in English.

Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.

International qualifications and equivalences

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English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

International applications

Currently international students would have to attend the taught sessions in Years 1 and 2, which will be at weekends. As the course is only available in part-time mode it may not be possible for some international students to meet visa requirements which normally stipulate full-time study.

Pathways courses for international and EU students

We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.

Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.

If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.

Terms and Conditions of Enrolment

When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

Application process

Apply now

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
2020/21
Home/EU part time
to be confirmed

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Tuition fees

2020/21
Home/EU part time
to be confirmed

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:
+44 (0)1865 483088
financefees@brookes.ac.uk

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.

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course, if any, are detailed below.

Financial support and scholarships

For general sources of financial support, see our Fees and funding pages.

Learning and assessment

This course is part time and takes between 4 – 7 years to complete.

The taught element of the course is delivered face to face, supported by online learning. Teaching is normally held on Saturdays with a minimum of six days a year.
 

Three students talking on the way to a lecture

Study modules

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Research 1: Paradigms

This module focuses on research paradigms, enabling you to position yourself in relation to them, thinking about your identity, experiences and understanding of research. 

Writing for Academic Practice 1

Designed to support the writing process and to scaffold your development towards the writing of publishable research, this module offers you the opportunity to be involved in the analysis and evaluation of research articles, peer reviewing, editing, drafting and reformulation of written work. 

Learning, Culture and Society

This module introduces major education and social theories, and offers an opportunity to undertake research or a substantive literature review to explore an area that interests you. 

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Investigating Complexity

This module covers a range of well-established theories, with a view to deepening your core skills for critical enquiry and helping you to develop a conceptual framework for your thesis research. 

Research 2: Methods

Focuses on the different methods of research, encouraging you to think more widely about alternative methods which you could use for your thesis. 

Writing for Academic Practice 2

You will develop your own writing skills with a view to publishing articles in academic journals. You will also have an opportunity in a virtual learning environment (VLE), to debate and have discussions with EdD students at the University of Hawaii.

Year 3

Compulsory modules

Preparing your Research Proposal

In this module you will have advice on the selection of a thesis topic. You will be asked to present your proposal to the doctoral cohort. You will also be supported in preparing your proposal for Registration with Oxford Brookes University’s Research Degree Committee (RDC).

Thesis (continues in Years 4 and possibly 5)

You will be allocated a team of 2 supervisors who will support you as you undertake your research and write your thesis. Your thesis will be about 50,000 words in length and will focus on a specialist area of your choice. It will make a distinct contribution to knowledge in the field of study and demonstrate your capacity for original, autonomous research. Support in writing your thesis is provided through meetings with your assigned supervisors and through regular thesis workshops.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from that shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Learning and teaching

During the first part of the EdD programme, you will study taught modules. These are assessed in a variety of ways, including:

  • written assignments
  • presentations
  • your contribution to online discussions.

You will receive ongoing support through staff and postgraduate research seminars. You also have the opportunity to attend seminars provided by the University, the Graduate School and the School of Education.  

Assessment

Assessment methods used on this course

You will be assessed mostly with written assignments and presentations. 

The research project, part of the Learning, Culture and Society module, allows you to experiment with different research methods and hone your research skills. Your thesis will be assessed with a viva.
 

Research

Our research groups include: 

  • inclusion and wellbeing
  • policy, partnership and leadership
  • STEAM pedagogy and learning
  • humanistic perspectives on education
  • early years
  • applied linguistics

 We also have the following research conferences:

  • the school of education research conference
  • the EdD colloquium

Research is published in leading peer-reviewed journals. Emeritus, Honorary and Visiting Research Fellows contribute to our research programmes and outputs. 

All students are invited to attend the annual research seminar series.

Members of the School engage in a variety of funded and unfunded research projects, including the Fulbright-Peabody scholarship. Funded research studentships are offered to doctoral applicants, when feasible.  
 

Researcher reading a book

After you graduate

Career prospects

EdD students are typically experienced professionals in education, healthcare and related fields. During the programme and after graduation many will go on to promoted posts in these areas.

As a doctoral qualification, the EdD also provides opportunities for those seeking employment and promotion in the higher education sector.

Programme Changes: On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website.

For more information, please visit our Changes to programmes page.