Education - Cohort PhD

The programme involves the completion of high-level research work leading to the submission and examination of a PhD Thesis (up to a maximum of 60,000 words), work on which is undertaken over the 48 months of the programme. The thesis will be completed and submitted for assessment at the end of Year 4. To support preparation of the thesis candidates take a minimum of coursework/research training modules to the value of 40 credits over the first three years of the programme.

In keeping with its strong emphasis on research and publication, the School of Education UCC, offers a Cohort PhD programme in Education which welcomes applicants both national and international. Cohort PhD researchers in Cohort 1 (2008), Cohort 2 (2011), and Cohort 3 (2019) have been or are working in schools (teachers and school management), adult/further education sectors, third level (lecturers in university) and others working in the field of education (agencies, government departments) or cognate areas of professional practice with an interest in developing their expertise in teaching, learning, assessment and/or policy analysis.

Applicants must have:

A Second Class Honours Grade 1 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) and an appropriate Postgraduate Diploma (NFQ, Level 9) and/or Master’s (NFQ, Level 9) with at least a Second Class Honours and

At least three years relevant professional experience in education or cognate field.

As part of the online application applicants must supply statements detailing:

Research interests, which must include each of the following headings:

What area/topic do you plan to research

What research experience do you have

What is the significance of your research area/topic and why does it motivate you

Please note that the above is no a detailed research proposal but rather a brief (min 500 words, max 1,000 words) of your research interests and experience in research to date. The detailed research proposal will be developed later, post admission.

Motivation statement, which must include each of the following headings:

Why do you want to do a PhD
What elements of doing a PhD do you expect to be most demanding for you
What elements are you most looking forward to
Consideration under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may also be given to applicants who do not meet the minimum academic entry requirements as stated above but who present with suitable professional qualifications and substantial education-related professional experience. In such cases, the applicant must clearly set out the grounds upon which they wish to be considered in the motivation statement.

For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.

International/Non-EU Applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.

English Language Requirements
Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.

The closing date for non-EU applications is 29 February 2024

How To Apply
1. Check Dates: Check the opening and closing dates for the application process in the fact file boxes at the top of the page.

2. Gather Documents: Scanned copies of supporting documents have to be uploaded to the UCC online application portal and include:

Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC.
Any supplementary items requested for your course if required.

3. Apply Online: Apply online via the UCC online application portal. Note the majority of our courses have a non-refundable €50 application fee.

Any questions? Use our web enquiry form to contact us.

4 years full-time.

Start Date September 2024