Educational Professional Practice

Overview

Designed for ambitious and inquisitive education professionals with a vision to make a real and lasting impact on educational practice, the new Doctorate in Educational Professional Practice at Stranmillis provides working professionals with the opportunity to delve into the complex world of educational practice, guided by experienced researchers who understand the reality of contemporary real-world educational settings; and, at the same time, enhancing your career and professional development through making a unique and original contribution to the education sector.



Why Undertake a Doctorate in Educational Professional Practice (DProf)?

Drawing on, and contributing to, professional knowledge and practices, our Doctorate in Educational Professional Practice offers an extraordinary opportunity, and challenge, to reshape your approach to educational practice.



The Doctorate in Educational Professional Practice at Stranmillis has been designed with the active educational professional in mind with many personal and professional benefits. The DProf:

- allows qualified education professionals to engage in rigorous, high-level study while in current employment



- provides the opportunity to combine professional practice with a research degree



- embeds advanced research methods in applied educational practice and settings in an area of interest



- makes a significant contribution to educational practice, as well as generating new, practice-based knowledge



- affords you the opportunity of working with world-class academics with a history of generating critical, impactful and solution focused research in their field of enquiry



- enables you to become an expert in your field of practice and may even lead to promotion opportunities.

The Doctorate in Educational Professional Practice comprises four taught 30 CATs modules over two years, preparing you for doctoral level research and a further period of, generally, three years developing, researching and submitting an original doctoral thesis (420 CATs).



Phase 1 - Taught Element

Module 1: Interrogating Educational and Professional Practice: September 2024

This module allows you to develop a critical understanding of professional practice through introducing a range of social and cultural theories, related by virtue of their fundamental concern with practice. This nuanced understanding facilitates the examination of practice and allows you to view your own educational practice as situated, social and relational.



Module 2: Systemic Approaches to Education and Professional Practice: February 2025

This module considers professional practice at a system level, examining ontological considerations of space and time, and epistemological notions of learning/knowing processes. It examines how professional practice and educational systems more generally are constructed, shaped and influenced by political, socio-cultural and economic forces and constraints, helping you to reflect on the broader contexts within which your professional practice is situated.



Module 3: Research Design in Educational Policy and Practice: September 2025

This module addresses research design, piloting and research ethics as you prepare for Phase Two of the doctoral programme, offering the opportunity to critically explore how to research

professional practice in a range of contemporary relevant educational issues, such as educational underachievement, pedagogy, curriculum, early years education and care. The module adopts a case study approach to illustrate effective research design and provide a clear understanding of context in designing research into professional practice in education.



Module 4: Researching Professional Practice: February 2026

This final pre-thesis module focuses on consolidating your research design for interrogating professional practice and provides a sound methodological foundation for researching at doctoral level, with comprehensive input on action research through a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods.



Phase 2 – Doctoral Research Thesis: September 2026

The doctoral research thesis module aims to develop your ability to conduct independent research in education. With the regular guidance and constructive support of an experienced supervisor, you will design and conduct an original piece of research into professional practice in education, choosing from a range of methodological approaches including action research, and grounding your research in an appropriate theoretical framework. This will enable you to complete a comprehensive research thesis, adhering to the highest ethical standards, and rooted in educational professional practice.

Qualifications and Experience

- Normally a minimum of 2.1 Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) and



- A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline with a final result of 60% or above (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University)



- A minimum of three years appropriate professional experience in education or a related field.



Previous experience of conducting research, or research methods training in the social sciences, is beneficial.



In exceptional circumstances, we may accept applications from candidates without a master’s degree, if they are able to demonstrate suitability for postgraduate research. This requires evidence of publications, written reports or previous research relevant to the nature and scope of the proposed work.



Research Proposal

As well as evidence of suitable qualifications and professional experience, applicants will be required to submit a research proposal (750-1,500 words) on a current educational topic related to their professional practice. This could be a topic that the applicant proposes researching as part of the doctorate but is not binding and if successful, a different research topic may be explored for the thesis.



This proposal will be used to assess academic writing and should contain:

- A clear identification of the educational topic



- Clear reference to theory and/or research including the correct citing of at least 5 academic publications (using Harvard referencing)



References

Three references are required. At least two of these should be academic references.



Applicants may be called for interview. If the applicant is called to interview, a panel of three interviewers is assembled, consisting of the Director of Research and Scholarship, one other Director and one other member of the course team.

How To Apply

Application information for admission to the Doctorate Programme commencing September 2024 can be found by clicking "Application Weblink".



Please note the Doctorate intake is every 2 years. The second intake will be September 2026.

Normally 5 years.



How Will I Study?

The Doctorate in Educational Professional Practice comprises four taught 30 CATs modules over two years, preparing you for doctoral level research and a further period of, generally, three years developing, researching and submitting an original doctoral thesis (420 CATs).



Learning will involve a blended approach using face-to-face and online learning and is facilitated using a range of approaches as follows:

- Lectures/seminars;

- Action learning groups;

- Workshops;

- Master classes.