Doctor of Education (EdD)
Why choose this course?
The EdD is a professional doctorate for education professionals in all fields and settings. If you are working as a teacher or manager in early years, school, college, university, health and social care, library, prison or a museum or heritage service, this course will enhance your career. It will help you extend your professional understanding and develop advanced skills for research, reflection and evaluation.
The course combines contextual modules, critical self-reflection and independent research. Modules address issues of education professionalism, inter-professionalism, policy and practice, the philosophy and practice of educational research, the design of a research proposal and a substantial professional-relevant research project.
Our academic staff have extensive experience of working with multi-agency partners, researching professionals at masters and doctoral level, and leading national and international research-active projects.
| Mode | Duration | Start date |
|---|---|---|
| Part time | 4-6 years | January 2024 |
Taught phase of course: 2.5 years
Research phase of course: 1.5 – 3.5 years
Applications accepted: 1 February 2023 – 30 November 2023
| Location | Kingston Hill |
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- We offer a supportive and flexible learning environment to help busy professionals balance work and study.
- We provide research facilities, research training opportunities, and research-active experienced supervisors from the wider Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education.
- We have strong relationships with a number of multi-agency partners, providing students with extensive networking opportunities.
What our students say
What you will study
The programme combines contextual modules with independent research. Issues are introduced, reconsidered and further developed in successive modules towards the research proposal, which is the ‘gateway' to the independent Research Project, the 'capstone' to the EdD. In the first two years, the programme contains taught modules which address issues of education professionalism, interprofessionalism, policy and practice, the philosophy and practice of educational research and the design of a research proposal. These modules will prepare you to carry out a substantial professional-relevant research project in the following years.
The learning experiences are delivered over weekends using a day conference format at the Kingston Hill campus of Kingston University London.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Final years
The focus in the first year is on concepts, principles and practice which define professionalism, professional identities and professional practice in education-related contexts, and policy and practice in education, all of which would be valued by education professionals. You are required to attend four full learning weekends (Saturday and Sunday) in February, April, June and September. You are expected to attend the EdD Conference Day in November. The learning weekends are designed to provide face-to-face sessions (seminars and workshops) for each of the two modules offered in the first year.
The EdD Conference, which marks the end of the learning year, is not compulsory for first-year students, but is recommended as an excellent opportunity to meet students from other years and active researchers and learn from their experiences.
Core modules
Education professionals as knowledgeable doers
30 credits
This module will bring together students from a wide variety of educational contexts and provide an opportunity to share and explore your own practice and professional knowledge and learn from others. The module will use face-to-face and technology enhanced methods to facilitate interprofessional learning and you will be facilitated to engage in and critically discuss the methods for exploring practice knowledge. The module will also explore and develop an advanced understanding of the concepts, principles and practice which define professionalism, professional identities and professional practice in education related contexts.
Policy transfer and analysis
30 credits
This module will critically examine the local and global contextualisation of education policy and transfer alongside debates surrounding neoliberal perspectives. The content of this module is designed to integrate with elements of module one in cross-cutting themes to allow you to critically reflect upon the potential relationship of the education professional to policy. By examining the broader context of policy development and engaging in discussion from a range of disciplinary and multidisciplinary perspectives, with education providing the loci of study, you will critically examine the usefulness of overarching ideas. Focussing more specifically upon self-selected policy-related texts which are relevant to your role and setting, you will critically analyse their formation and implementation by applying advanced methodological approaches in order to reflect upon and examine your role and responsibilities as an education professional in relation to policy.
The focus in the second year is on theories of knowledge and research methods for educational and social research, and critical examination of ethical and practical issues in a context of professional practice which will support the development of a research proposal relevant to your professional role and setting. The development of the research proposal starts after the completion of the third module in Year 2 and can be continued and completed in Year 3. The research proposal is necessary to ensure your readiness for the Research Project.
In this second year, you are required to attend two full learning weekends (Saturday and Sunday) in February and April for the "Knowledge and Practice in Educational Settings" module, two Saturday learning events in July and September for "The Research Proposal" module, and the Conference Day in November.
Core modules
Knowledge and practice in educational settings
30 credits
In this module, you will critically examine theories of knowledge in educational and social research and their ontological, epistemological and methodological basis, and relate them to the field of study and particular research interests in which you are working. Through engaging in a dialogic mode of learning and critical reflection, critical examination of the relationships between language, knowledge, power and argument, you will consider the contested nature of knowledge and practice, how and why people do research, and how research relates to your profession. Through using face-to-face and technology-enhanced methods, you will critically examine philosophies that bring meaning to what constitutes education and theories of knowledge production, particularly relevant to educational research and practice context. The module, building on what you learnt from the previous two modules, will help you to develop a rationale of your position and what you want to find out. It will equip you with knowledge and skills to design, analyse, conduct and critically evaluate research and prepare you to develop the working methodology and research design for your professional doctoral research proposal in the next module.
Research proposal (Start in Year 2 and continue in Year 3)
Shared over Year 2 and 3: 60 credits
This module requires the development of a research proposal and forms the transition point between the taught modules and the Research Project. It is a requirement that students pass all modules, including the Research Proposal, before proceeding to the Research Project.
Drawing upon subject knowledge acquired during your studies in the modules prior to the Research Proposal, you will apply your understanding of epistemological, methodological and research design principles. Critical examination of ethical and practical issues in a context of professional practice will support the development of sharply-focussed research questions relevant to your professional role and setting. Successful completion of this module will ensure that you are enabled to undertake the professionally-relevant and academically advanced applied educational research requisite for contributing to new knowledge to your professional field.
In Year 3, the focus is on the completion of the research proposal and the preparation for undertaking your independent research; a substantial piece of professionally relevant and focused original research.
In the third year, you are required to attend Saturday events only taking place in February, April, July and September and the Conference Day in November. All events focus on providing opportunities for presentations and discussions of your research proposal, or work in progress on your research project, in a friendly and safe environment and getting useful feedback from peers and tutors.
Core modules
Research proposal (Start in Year 2 and continue in Year 3)
Shared over Year 2 and 3: 60 credits
This module requires the development of a research proposal and forms the transition point between the taught modules and the Research Project. It is a requirement that students pass all modules, including the Research Proposal, before proceeding to the Research Project.
Drawing upon subject knowledge acquired during your studies in the modules prior to the Research Proposal, you will apply your understanding of epistemological, methodological and research design principles. Critical examination of ethical and practical issues in a context of professional practice will support the development of sharply-focussed research questions relevant to your professional role and setting. Successful completion of this module will ensure that you are enabled to undertake the professionally-relevant and academically advanced applied educational research requisite for contributing to new knowledge to your professional field.
Research project
210 credits
Guided by the content of the research proposal, this module encompasses all activities concerned with the generation of the research project constituting the third and final stage of the programme. It is not a taught module like the previous four, but it comprises opportunities for peer-support, mutual critique, self-critique, and personal support through a supervision programme. The module enables you to undertake a substantial piece of professionally relevant and focused original research and helps you to generate new knowledge that you will be able to disseminate to make an impact on professional practice. As this module constitutes the research project phase of a doctoral programme, you will be overseen by the Faculty Research Degrees Committee (FRDC) and have access to all available support offered for researchers within the Faculty.
In Year 4 and the following years, you will engage with activities concerned with the generation and completion of the research project. Using opportunities for peer-support, mutual critique, self-critique, and personal support through a supervision programme, you will learn and become able to conduct research, generate new knowledge and disseminate that knowledge to make an impact on professional practice.
In each of the final years, you are required to attend a minimum of three Saturday events, including the conference and are expected to present and discuss your work in progress with your peers and tutors. Your thesis will be submitted between years 4 to 6.
Core modules
Research project
210 credits
Guided by the content of the research proposal, this module encompasses all activities concerned with the generation of the research project constituting the third and final stage of the programme. It is not a taught module like the previous four, but it comprises opportunities for peer-support, mutual critique, self-critique, and personal support through a supervision programme. The module enables you to undertake a substantial piece of professionally relevant and focused original research and helps you to generate new knowledge that you will be able to disseminate to make an impact on professional practice. As this module constitutes the research project phase of a doctoral programme, you will be overseen by the Faculty Research Degrees Committee (FRDC) and have access to all available support offered for researchers within the Faculty.
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
The learning, teaching and assessment principles are designed to facilitate the process of researching professional practice by enabling you to share with your peers, in dialogue and reflection, problems and issues that warrant contextualised empirical enquiry. Critical support is provided by tutors and peers at seminars, workshops and lectures in the exploration of professionally relevant concepts to illuminate workplace challenges. Learning experiences are designed to enable discussion, dialogue and argumentation so that genuine collaborative learning can facilitate processes of enquiry and professionally-oriented knowledge production.
Who teaches this course?
This course is delivered jointly by the Schools of Education, Midwifery and Social Work, and Nursing of the Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education. Experienced and research-active academic staff from the Faculty comprise the EdD team for the core teaching and supervision. The EdD team is keen to support you, the student, undertaking doctoral research into professional practice to successful completion. The Faculty is committed to developing learning opportunities for professionals regionally and nationally. All calendar years are enriched by the use of the wider research community within the Faculty and the University as an additional context to your learning. Throughout the course, you are encouraged to attend Faculty research seminars and conferences, Graduate Research School training events, library workshops, and to make full use of opportunities to network within the context of the University's research strategy. Some of these events may be scheduled during the weekday and others may be available in the evening.
Facilities at Kingston Hill
There is a wide range of facilities at our Kingston Hill campus, where this course is based.
Kingston Hill is a leafy, hillside campus situated about three miles away from Kingston town centre. It is a quiet, secure place to study with easy access to London, meaning it provides the best of all worlds for our students.
Find out more about the Kingston Hill campus in the virtual tour.
Library
One of the highlights of the Kingston Hill campus is the modern library, called the Nightingale Centre after Florence Nightingale, who was a regular visitor to Kingston Hill.
The library provides a spacious and attractive place for students to meet and study and features a cafe, more PCs and zoned study areas. Long opening hours give you plenty of access to specialist education books, journals and online resources.
Find out more about the Nightingale Centre in the virtual tour.
Computer and online facilities
There are many computers (PCs and Macs) available for you to use across the Kingston Hill campus when you need a place to study. Access to the wireless network across the campus means you can also work from your laptop or mobile device.
Using IT to support your studies is crucial. Kingston has an innovative virtual learning environment called Canvas. This allows you to access course materials and contact fellow students and staff while away from the campus.
Course fees and funding
Additional costs
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.
Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.
After you graduate
As a researching professional in this programme, you will develop professional links and connections between research and education-related settings. Through researching critical questions and looking for answers to fundamental educational and social issues, you will deepen and enhance your employability skills to advance your existing career or develop a new one in an area of growing importance in modern society.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
