Professional Doctorate Social Care

Why choose a professional doctorate?

A professional doctorate is a framework in which professional practice provides an essential context for a managed and structurally coherent pathway to successful achievement of a doctoral level award. The aim of this programme is to integrate professional and academic knowledge culminating in an extended and worthwhile piece of research. Presented in a thesis and examined (viva) by experts this will form an independent and original, academic and professional contribution to a chosen field of practice.

Why this programme?

This Professional Doctoral programme is designed to reflect students’ own professional knowledge and experience as the context they bring to their study. As well as preparation for undertaking academic research, it provides opportunities for critical reflection through exploration of leadership and/or other socio-political issues of choice. This will be pursued independently and discussed in tutorials with a personal tutor allocated at the start of the programme.

The ability to research within a specialist area depends upon a wide variety of skills and the use of reflective practice. Therefore this programme offers a bespoke approach drawing on all available resources within the university to enhance and develop knowledge as part of each individual student’s own professional development. In view of this, the degrees awarded are both vocationally relevant and academically rigorous, specifically designed to offer a unique opportunity to develop an 'applied' perspective to research within a subject related context. 

Degrees awarded within this framework:

The programme is specifically designed to encourage group working and the establishment of a peer supervision process, so a themed recruitment strategy is part of the programme design. This will provide a structure in which the students can engage with a cohort of other students and academic staff to provide a ‘learning community’ for the duration of their study.

• Doctor of Health Sciences (D.H.Sci)
• Doctor of Public Health (Dr. P.H.)
• Doctor of Education (Ed. D.)
• Doctor of Health in Health and Social Care (D.Health)

The route through this curriculum will be discussed with your personal supervisor to advise on potential alternatives.

Why choose Glyndŵr University?

• Friendly approachable staff who are experienced and active researchers with professional backgrounds.
• Fit your study around your current job with our flexible study options and access to on line resources.
• Up to 5 years to complete.

Key facts

Location: Wrexham Campus for classroom elements
Residential component (student’s expense): 3-4 weekends for the 8 elements of the programme

Who should apply?

The course will be of interest to a wide variety of people who are working in health related areas wanting to develop knowledge and academic skills of research including:
allied health professionals, social workers, physicians, health service managers and local authority managers, nurses and clinical research assistants.

Entry requirements

A prospective candidate must hold one of the following qualifications to be eligible for entry to the programme:

i) An initial degree of the University of Wales, normally awarded with first or second class honours;

ii) An initial degree awarded by another approved degree-awarding body, normally awarded with first or second class honours;

iii) A professional qualification that has been deemed by Glyndŵr University to be of a satisfactory standard for entry to a Professional Doctorate programme.
 
In addition, the prospective candidate must have a minimum of three years’ professional experience of working at an appropriate level in an area relevant to the named award. Irrespective of entry qualifications, a prospective candidate must provide evidence to the satisfaction of Glyndŵr University of his/her ability to produce academic work of the required standard to successfully complete the programme of study.