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.

Apply for this course
Mode Duration Start date
Part time 6 years January 2025

Taught phase of course: 2.5 years

Research phase of course: 1.5 – 3.5 years

Applications accepted: 1 February 2023 – 30 November 2024

Main location Kingston Hill
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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

It has given me a structure and a way to self-reflect on my learning and professional development as well as my personal development. I think it has been pivotal in my journey, improving my skills and confidence in teaching online.

Student, Doctor of Education (EdD)

I love how it has become part of 'my time' that includes reflection and learning, a fusion of personal and professional journey.

Student, Doctor of Education (EdD)

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

Typical offer

The normal entry requirements are a Master's degree in Education (180 M level credits), or a discipline allied to Education.

Those who require an appropriate Master's qualification will be directed to the Master of Research (Education) programme offered by Kingston University.

Please note: Most students from countries outside the European Union/European Economic Area and classified as overseas fee paying, are not eligible to apply for part-time courses due to UK student visa regulations. For information on exceptions please visit the UKCISA website or email our CAS and Visa Compliance team.

Additional requirements

Candidates are expected to be currently in professional practice, but those who are not and are able to demonstrate appropriate and significant experience, may also be considered. Education professionals may make applications at any stage of their professional career.

Candidates are expected to demonstrate the potential to study at level 8, a commitment to professional learning in an education-related context, and an ability to work collaboratively in exploring and developing ideas.

You will need to submit a 2000 word statement of the proposed research project with your application, guidance is available on the apply for this course page.

If your first language is not English, you need to demonstrate a good standard of written and spoken English and have an IELTS score of 7 overall and not less than 6 in any section, as detailed in Kingston University's admissions regulations.

Other

Prior learning achieved on programmes at other recognised higher education institutions may be accredited in exceptional circumstances; viz. where there are satisfactorily completed doctoral-level modules with comparable content and credit values to the modules for which exemption is sought. Requests for recognition of prior and/or experiential learning are documented under the categories: Certificated Prior Learning, Formal Learning which has not been assessed and Experiential Learning. All prior certificated learning requires the presentation of relevant certificates and/or confirmation from the award-bearing body and experiential learning requires verification. Guidance is provided to applicants to complete the university form H1 ‘Student request for recognition of prior and/or experiential learning'. Specifically, requests can be made for Recognition of Prior Certificated Learning (RPCL) and Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL).

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.

Guided independent study (self-managed time)

When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking and preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS – the online virtual learning platform.

Support for postgraduate students

As a student at Kingston University, we will make sure you have access to appropriate advice regarding your academic development. You will also be able to use the University's support services. 

Your workload

  • Year 1: 10% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity.
  • Year 2: 9% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity.
  • Year 3: 6% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity.
  • Year 4+: 5% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity in each year after Year 4.

Contact hours may vary depending on your modules.

How you will be assessed

Assessment comprises written assignments (essays), oral presentation, a written doctoral thesis and a viva voce oral examination.

The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows:

  • Year 1: 100% coursework (two written assignments)
  • Year 2: 100% coursework (one written assignment and one oral presentation – the oral presentation might take place at the beginning of Year 3)
  • Years 4-6: 100% coursework (a written thesis and a viva voce oral examination anytime between years 4-6).

Feedback summary

We feed back commentaries on drafts for summative module assignments to prompt reflection and revision or refinement of argument, perspective, exemplars, etc. We also provide constructive feedback, verbal and written, for formative tasks to inform and feed-forward to your summative assessment. During taught sessions, work in progress seminars allow you to articulate, discuss and critically examine your developing understanding, contributing to one another's learning. As autonomous learners, you are also encouraged to reflect on your own learning and to maintain a reflective journal from the onset of the course in order to identify specific action points which support your progress.

Class sizes

To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally enrols 10 students and lecture sizes are normally 10-20. However, this can vary by module and academic year.

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.

Dr Christos Dimitriadis

Course director

Dr Paty Paliokosta

Dr Ruth Wood

Dr Melania Calestani

Dr Andrea Cockett

Professor Katherine Curtis

Dr Lindsay Gillman

Dr Daryl Maisey

Professor Wilson Muleya

Professor Ann Ooms

Mr Amit Puni

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

2023/24 fees for this course

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which 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, 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.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to, or be required to, buy your own copy of key textbooks.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences. Free WiFi is available on each of the campuses.

Printing

In the majority of cases coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees.

Travel

Travel costs are not included but we do have a free bus service which links the campuses and halls of residence.

Funding

As well as tuition fee loans, there are a range of student funding options available to help you fund your postgraduate studies, including the following:

  • Doctoral Loans are available to UK nationals and UK residents from Student Finance England.
  • Partial or complete funding for EdD students may be possible from your employer.
  • For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at Kingston University, please visit the student funding options webpage.

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.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to buy your own copy of key textbooks, this can cost between £50 and £250 per year.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residence. Free WiFi is available on each of the campuses. You may wish to purchase your own computer, which can cost from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.

Photocopying and printing

In the majority of cases written coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing, binding and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees, this may cost up to £100 per year.

Travel

Travel costs are not included in your tuition fees but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses, Surbiton train station, Kingston upon Thames train station, Norbiton train station and halls of residence.

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.