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Education EdD, Doctor of

    • How to apply Order a prospectus Postgraduate Open Days
    This course is eligible for Doctoral loan funding. Find out more.
    This course is eligible for Doctoral loan funding. Find out more.
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    Overview

    The Doctor of Education is a research degree for experienced educational professionals and is equivalent to the PhD. It differs from the PhD in providing formally assessed research training during the first year. The course recruits from a wide variety of educational contexts and offers a comprehensive programme of study and training in quantitative and qualitative research techniques. One of the strengths of the course is the sense of group cohesion, which is developed in year one.

    Research in education

    Our research students are supported by research active academic staff. Ongoing research underpins the School’s reputation for developing professionals. A vibrant and dynamic research culture include a seminar series, lectures by external speakers, funded research projects, book publications and journal articles. Our Research Centre and active research groups reflect emergent research areas led by our senior academics.

    The School has a designated Research Centre; The Huddersfield Centre for Research in Education and Society (HUDCRES) has various research groups. The School of Education and Development has a research environment and was judged by the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise to ‘be conducive to producing internationally recognised and internationally excellent research’.

    The School of Education and Professional Development offers a supportive and stimulating environment for postgraduate research students from a wide range of professional and cultural backgrounds. The School has provided opportunities for study at PhD, EdD and Master’s level for over twenty years, and many of the graduates from our postgraduate research programmes now occupy senior positions in the education systems of the UK and countries overseas.

    Key Information

    Entry requirements

    The normal entry requirements for enrolment on the EdD are a Master's degree or an equivalent professional qualification, normally with a classification of merit or distinction, in a discipline appropriate to the proposed programme to be followed.

    A research proposal of between 750-1000 words (plus bibliography) outlining your area of research interest will be needed as part of your online research degree application. Your concepts will be reviewed to identify supervision providing the expertise and knowledge necessary to guide you through your research. It is understood that the taught modules will influence your research aims and objectives prior to your progression into the research phase.

    If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

    Start dates

    21 September 2026

    Application deadlines

    For September 2026

    12 June 2026 for International and Scholarship Students

    03 July 2026 for Home Students

    For October 2026

    12 June 2026 for International and Scholarship Students

    03 July 2026 for Home Students

    For January 2027

    16 October 2026 for International and Scholarship Students

    13 November 2026 for Home Students

    For April 2027

    22 January 2027 for International and Scholarship Students

    19 February 2027 for Home Students

    Duration

    The maximum duration for a Doctor of Education (EdD) is 3 years (36 months) full-time or 6 years (72 months) part-time with an optional submission pending (writing-up) period of 12 months.

    Sometimes it may be possible to mix periods of both full-time and part-time study.

    If studying on a part-time basis, you must establish close links with the University and spend normally not less than an average of 10 working days per year in the university, excluding participation in activities associated with enrolment, re-registration and progression monitoring. You are also expected to dedicate 17.5 hours per week to the research.

    What can I research?

    You can apply by: 1) Proposing your own research topic. Explore the skills of our supervisors and/or at the Huddersfield Centre for Research in Education and Society (HudCRES) to see if we have the expertise to support your topic. 2) Applying for one of the research topics listed in this section or for a specific research area within the School.

    Places are always subject to eligibility, a review of your proposal and supervisory capacity.

    As a minimum you can expect to meet with your supervisors at least once a month (once every two months for part-time students). In practice you may meet with your supervisors more frequently. This time should include at least an hour of one-to-one supervision with each student.

    Self-directed study is to be agreed in liaison with you and your supervisor. Self-directed study and supervision time should equate to 35 hours per week (for full-time research degrees).

    Teaching

    A research degree has no compulsory taught element, the study period is for 52 weeks a year with a 35-day annual leave allowance. You are expected to study for at least 35 hours a week for full-time study.

    Variation for Professional doctorates - For professional doctorates there is a taught element, and you are required to attend and pass a core programme in research methods in the first 16 Months of study. Progression at the end of Module 4 will be dependent upon attendance and successful completion of these modules.

    Feedback

    Feedback, normally written, is provided on all assessments following submission. Submission and feedback dates will be provided to you upon enrolment.

    Progression

    You may progress to the next stage of your course or research degree, subject to meeting University assessment criteria and professional, statutory, or regulatory body guidelines.

    Researcher Environment

    Our postgraduate researchers contribute to our thriving research culture at Huddersfield, in return we provide an experience that enhances your potential and inspires you to think big and become a globally competitive researcher.

    Join our community of like-minded people who are passionate for research and gain access to world-leading facilities, advanced research skills training, and expert careers advice.

    World-leading

    We are in the top 50 UK universities for research power, and nearly two thirds of our research environment is classified as world leading and internationally excellent (REF2021).

    As a researcher, you’ll gain access to our bespoke training programmes which are delivered in a variety of ways to take advantage of online platforms as well as face-to-face workshops and courses. You can access a range of tailored training opportunities available at each stage of your journey, including: * sessions on PhD thesis writing, publications and journals, post-doctoral opportunities, poster and conference presentations, networking, and international travel opportunities * opportunity to work and study abroad via the Turing Scheme through The Graduate School * externally accredited training programme with Advance HE (HEA) and CMI * online research training support accessed through a dedicated researcher module in Brightspace, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment * We also hold a series of PGR focussed events such as 3 Minute Thesis * PGR led research conference * informal events throughout the year

    Student support

    At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

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    Important information

    We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

    When you are offered a place on a research degree, your offer will include confirmation of your supervisory team, and the topic you will be researching.

    Whilst the University will use reasonable efforts to ensure your supervisory team remains the same, sometimes it may be necessary to make changes to your team for reasons outside the University’s control, for example if your supervisor leaves the University, or suffers from long term illness. Where this is the case, we will discuss these difficulties with you and seek to either put in place a new supervisory team, or help you to transfer to another research facility, in accordance with our Student Protection Plan.

    Changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, for example the University being unable to access its buildings due to fire, flood or pandemic, or the University no longer being able to provide specialist equipment. Where this is the case, we will discuss these issues with you and agree any necessary changes.

    Your research project is likely to evolve as you work on it and these minor changes are a natural and expected part of your study. However, we may need to make more significant changes to your topic of research during the course of your studies, either because your area of interest has changed, or because for reasons outside the University’s control we can no longer support your research. If this is the case, we will discuss any changes in topic with you and agree these in writing. If you are an international student, changing topics may affect your visa or ATAS clearance and if this is the case we will discuss this with you before any changes are agreed.

    When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by the University’s Terms and Conditions and a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to.

    The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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