Professional Doctorate
A Professional Doctorate is an internationally accepted Doctoral qualification which enables candidates to develop a work-based project leading to a significant contribution to professional practice.
If you are engaged in high quality, innovative and analytical work which is at the forefront or your profession, you may be able to use this towards gaining a doctoral level qualification.
Professional Doctorates are equally as rigorous as traditional PhDs but have a different focus. In a traditional PhD, you take a subject and delve deeper and deeper into one specific aspect. In a Professional Doctorate you take a broader perspective, exploring professional issues and crucially, relating this to the development of your own practice and profession.
You may benefit from a Professional Doctorate if:
- You can demonstrate that you are a decision maker and are making a substantial contribution to your profession
- You are a self-learner
- You are seriously interested in lifelong learning and improving your education prospects
Programme structure
The programme is a combination of taught sessions, one to one supervision, work-based learning and private study.
The programme is built around a professional project. This enables you to put research into practice within your own professional context, and to make a real impact within your own organisation and your community of practice.
You will work within a cohort of other students from a range of professions, all of whom are keen to apply best practice and research within their own working lives.
Professions covered by the Professional Doctorate
We currently have over 50 candidates who are developing doctoral projects in a range of disciplines. These include pharmacy, engineering, nursing, business, teaching, the caring professions and the arts.
For more information about Professional Doctorates, download the Professional Doctorate brochure (.pdf)
Duration: 2 - 6 years.
Entry requirements
- The normal entry requirement for a research degree is a UK Honours degree (first or upper second class) or a UK Masters degree or a qualification which is regarded as equivalent
- You have been working at a senior level within your industry/profession for at least 5 years
Candidates with other qualifications are considered on their merits. In such cases the University seeks evidence of academic ability, which might, for example, be demonstrated by publications or by other means.
For tuition fees please see the Postgraduate tuition fees section of this website.
Click here for information on how to apply for a Professional Doctorate
