Overview
This Doctorate of Education (EdD) from Canterbury Christ Church University has been designed for existing or aspiring academic professionals working as educators in a wide range of professional fields, including education, social work, health, and related backgrounds.
Each module is designed to integrate your professional experience with the skills and understanding you will need to innovate, apply new knowledge, advance practice, and enrich your learning.
This doctoral course combines advanced scholarship with a strong practice-based philosophy. You will engage in intellectual and critical debate around contemporary educational issues in policy and practice and be supported to pursue a focused research study of the highest academic standard.
Through our structured taught modules, our Doctorate of Education will provide opportunities for those of you who have not recently been in higher education to study at the highest level.
The EdD has been a transformative process for me in my work and life as a whole. I discovered a new self and it opened a whole world of literature, methodologies and research methods that I had never before encountered.Louise Headmistress
Entry requirements
Typical entry requirements:
- An undergraduate first degree.
- A Master’s degree in an area related to education and/or social studies (or one that contains a significant element of social research), or evidence of further study that equips you to engage in scholarly and research activity at doctoral level.
- Substantial experience in a professional education, social work, health, or related background. This might include administrative experience or experience at any level of educational or training provision in the public, private, or voluntary sector.
- A successful interview.
Module information
The taught stage of the Ed.D consists of six modules. For years 3,4 and 5, you will move to the thesis stage and there are no more modules.
Core/optional modules
*Modules subject to approval
How you’ll learn
Full use is made of the range of teaching approaches. You are required to be able to work and discuss in a way that is flexible from within your own disciplines and professional contexts but also in ways that go beyond these boundaries. The use of an extensive range of teaching strategies will support the development of postgraduate skills that will substantiate your learning and research.
You will be taught during face-to-face study weekends, with a combination of face-to-face and online seminars, tutorials, collaborative work, lectures, and workshops.
The EdD is a Level 8 doctoral degree, made up of 540 credits across two stages:
The Taught Stage: The first 180 credits are gained through assignments marked at Level 7. The teaching for this stage takes place over intensive study weekends, held over two years. Sessions are delivered through a mixture of seminars, tutorials, collaborative work, lectures, and workshops.
The Thesis Stage: The remaining 360 credits at Level 8 are gained through the creation of a 50,000-word thesis and a successful doctoral viva voce examination. You can progress to the thesis stage of the EdD after all the taught modules have been passed.
Below gives an indication of the key features of the teaching days and the tutorials.
- The thesis writing stage of the Ed.D will be supervised through individual tutorials. The bulk of this period will be self-directed study and writing and researching although you will have regular tutorials with your supervisors and have access to discussion forums on Blackboard.
- During the thesis writing stage you will meet with your supervisors at least once a term and you may, at the request of your supervisors, be required to submit evidence of work/progress once a month. You may be expected to provide evidence of written work and reading and to participate in discussions about the progress of your thesis. You will be expected to participate in seminars and discussion forums organised as part of the faculty research culture where they are relevant to your study.
- During the thesis writing stage you will be expected to regularly participate in relevant scholarly activities for example attending and giving papers at conferences, participation in seminars and workshops.
- Ed.D participants will be taught by professors, readers, research theme leaders and specialist tutors.
What I have studied on the EdD has directly impacted on my professional role and vice versa. The two work really well together for me. Critically evaluating a theory from an academic point of view is great, but the knowledge of educational practice gives it extra meaning and relevance.AnnikeHead of Department in an FE college
How you’ll be assessed
A range of written assignments, including essays, literature reviews and portfolio, and a final doctoral thesis.
Fees
Tuition fees for this course
| UK | Overseas | |
| Full-time | N/A | N/A |
| Part-time | £3,470 | £9,775 |
- Read advice about funding your degree.
- See information about the financial support available for postgraduate studies.
- If you would like information about paying your fees, please contact accounts.receivable@canterbury.ac.uk
- For specific fee queries, please contact fees@canterbury.ac.uk
Important information on tuition fees
Tuition fees for all courses which last more than one academic year are payable on an annual basis, except where stated.
There will be an annual inflationary increase in tuition fees for this course where the course lasts more than one academic year. For further information read the 2024/25 Tuition fee statements and continuing fee information.
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Postgraduate student links
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